Friday, September 28, 2007

"Ang Hiwaga, sa Gabing payapa"- Jonas B. San Pedro

Nakatutulig,nakatutulig, sa aking pandinig,

sa sobrang tahimik, ay walang marinig,

pusikit ang kadiliman, di sukat malirip,

nang biglang sa may kuarto...,ang papag ay lumangitngit.



Kumalabog ang pinto't,nag sara ang bintana,

celedura'y napihit, mula kanan pakaliwa,

para bang lumilindol, doon sa may dambana,

ako nga'y nag usisa't, inalam ang hiwaga.



Tumunog ang agunyas, at ako'y nangilabot,

kaba sa dibdib ko'y, labas masok labas masok,

ako'y napasigaw.., ng maipit ang buhok,

nawala ang diwa't, ang ulo'y kinamot.



Nang ako'y lumapit, sa kuarto'ng madilim,

may isang aninong, lumapit sa akin,

pawis ko ay namuo, ang mata ko'y naduling,

nang aking tanglawan, ay puno ng saging.



Dagli ako'ng lumabas, at ako'y nakakita,

ng isang kabayo'ng, may pakpak na pula,

maitim ang binti, ma asul ang mata...nang aking lapitan...ay DROWING lang pala.





links:http://www.friendster.com/group-discussion/index.php?t=msg&th=977879&start=0&

Why Do We Have To Love? by William

Why do we have to appreciate and admire?
These little things will soon turn into desire
Which we cannot extinguish like a blazing fire
Until we are lost and drowned into the mire.

Why we are so bold and beyond compare?
Despite the imminent danger we never care
With the person we love our lives we want to share
But with the naked dream is only a nightmare.

Why do we have to love and cry?
As we ask the heavens without knowing why
From the very start we cannot say goodbye
It is our fault because we cannot break the tie.

From the underground we hear the voice of Edgar Allan Poe
The Nightangle died but the Raven came too
Illusion and frustration become our mortal foe
Because our fantasies will never come true.

In the midst of the night we are like zombies
We buried ourselves and created our own cemeteries
We are willing victims of human infirmities
Our hearts are shattered klike scattered pennies.

We are like ghost and the chilly wind
Visiting and blowing in the darkest end
We deceive ourselves even when we cannot pretend
In a world of make believe, we cannot pretend.

Shamefulness and self pity is in our side
In our eyes the painful truth can never hide
At the edge of despondency we will marry our bride
We are totally destructed and tortured deep inside.

It is better to be numb and calloused
When we will only be wounded and double-crossed
In this experiment we are just an apparatus
Which kill ourselves like a lifeless fetus.



links: http://www.friendster.com/group-discussion/index.php?t=msg&th=965915&start=0&

Thursday, September 27, 2007

Weekly Top Poem Group B


Get your own Poll!

Here are the 9 Poem vying for the Weekly Top Poem Group B:

1 Hollow by Baby Raych
2. Sweet Goodbye by Berny Hermosa
3. What is Love By Argel Sanga
4. Crossing the river by Dr. Anthony Tan
5. You and your love by Princess Luna
6. When only a half-inch glass separates by Vinci Bueza
7. You, Beggar by Ana Angeles
8.Back from where we've Started by Jaemie Falcon
9. Death is not an option by Nora Caldelero

Note: Only one vote per IP Adress/1 vote per PC

Weekly Top Poem Group A


Get your own Poll!




Group A compose of:

1. Cut by Baby Raych
2. (what is Love)Love is soul by Argel Sanga
3. Veritas by Windel Z. Canband
4. Death and Rebirth by Chi
5. Light and Shade by Irene Chiqui
6. Writing new lines from old sorrow by Vinci Bueza
7. A cynic's new millenium by Dr. Anthony Tan
8. of memories,stains and kisses by Ana Angeles

I apologize to Mr. Argel Sanga for being inconvenience. His entry Love is Soul is being replaced by his another poem What is Love thats why i'm saying i deeply apologize to you.
your enrty here in Grou A Poll is considered a valid entry. Love is Soul by Argel Sanga
instead of What is Love.

Friday, September 21, 2007

Poetic Techniques

Poetic Metamorphosis: Revising Your Work

By Kathy Hoeck

Inspiration is a fleeting thing; any writer knows that. To make sure that “perfect” feeling, idea, or word doesn’t get lost forever, we often just grab the nearest scrap of paper and scribble our thoughts down. Yes, at the moment, we have written poetry. But we have not necessarily written good poetry.

It’s tempting to say, “Well, this is what I was feeling, so this is what I wrote. I can’t change what I was feeling, you know.” Of course, feelings are not revisable, but the words with which we choose to express those most personal thoughts and emotions are. When the inspiration hits you, you probably not only scrambled for the nearest piece of paper, but you scrambled for the easiest words possible, the ones that came to mind most quickly. It may be destructive to think that your initial scrawlings are sacred, for often they are not precise or may not convey the fullest possible meaning you felt or intended.

Careful revision of the words you first wrote down at the moment of inspiration may be required in order to give your work polish, depth, and a more professional sound. Your true feelings and intentions can be clarified through the use of language that is more vivid and accurate. Imagery, which has been called “the soul of poetry,” can be incorporated into your work after giving some time to deeper thought and reflection. And since the rhythm and lyricism of poetry is an important aspect of the art, your poetry’s sound can be examined and bettered through the matching and arranging of words that create a certain feeling through the timbre of their syllables.

Learning Through Example
Perhaps the best way to illustrate the power of revision is to show how it can work. Here is a line of poetry:

“The singing of the birds in the morning makes me want to fly with them.”

This line of poetry certainly attempts to convey a dramatic idea. However, its intended strength is weighed down by words that do not mirror the joy and inspiration the author must be feeling. So the revision begins. First, since conciseness and precise word choice are keys to good poetry, this line is probably too long. The use of the prepositional phrases “of the birds” and “in the morning” could be removed or changed to “The birds’ morning singing.”

Second, although alliteration is a good technique to use in your work, the repetition of the “th” sound here isn’t especially lyrical. “With them” could be removed, since it repeats the “th” sound twice in a row. It is also unnecessary since we can assume that the author wants to fly with who else? the birds.

So here is our first revision, removing unnecessary phrases and non-lyrical alliteration:

“The birds’ morning singing makes me want to fly.”

Reading this line, you will notice and alliteration—the “ing” sound that is a little difficult to say. This could be changed to “The birds’ morning song,” a grouping that now has the pleasing repetition of the “o” and “n” sounds.

Now consider the phrase “makes me want to fly.” Actually, these words are the crux of the poem. They are meant to express the depth of feeling that the author derives from the song of the birds. These words, however, do not really capture such a strong emotion. Perhaps a phrase such as “moves mountains within” can better illustrate those feelings inside that so moved the author. The imagery used here helps convey the intensity and magnitude of the author’s feeling. These words also sound pleasing, with alliteration of the “m” sound at the beginning and the “n” sound at the ends of the last two words.

The next revision looks and sounds like this:

“The birds’ morning song moves mountains within.”

Now, the revisions are almost complete. As it is now, the line does not really express the author’s desire to fly with the birds. Our prior revision helps to clarify the author’s deep emotion but leaves out the desire to fly. Since it is morning, the author has probably just awoken to the singing, so perhaps “I rise to fly” would be good. These words are filled with action that surpasses the wish to soar with the birds and instead supposes that they author can fly though it may be in spirit rather than reality. The “i” sound that appears three times in this short phrase sounds good in contrast to the previous repetition of the harder “n” and “m” sounds.

Here is the result of the third revision:

“The birds’ morning song moves mountains within and I rise to fly.”

One final change could be made here. As it is a truly unnecessary word, “The” could be removed altogether. “Birds’ morning song” is a beautiful and adequate expression of what the author hears when he awakes.

Now that your revisions are complete, compare the two lines of poetry:

“The singing of the birds in the morning makes me want to fly with them.”

Versus

“Birds’ morning song moves mountains within and I rise to fly.”

The original line of poetry sounds almost like a statement of fact, whereas the second, revised line sounds lyrical, ethereal and more like a statement of feeling.

Rules of Revising

Revision of this one line of poetry took three groups of changes. It may even take more than that to give your work that correct meaning and sound, but it is essential in order to make your first thoughts into a good poem. Poetry is a brief look into the soul through careful description of feeling, yet it takes as much effort to polish a poem as it does to complete a short story.

As E. C. Stedman wrote: “Poetry is an art, and chief of the fine arts; the easiest to dabble in, the hardest in which to reach true perfection.”

Important things to remember when you have written poetry and are faced with the task of revising:

--Use your Thesaurus (or use the online Thesaurus here at Poetry.com – just click on “Need Help Rhyming?”). It is a valuable source for those words that might not come quickly to mind but may help you express your ideas more accurately and vividly.

--Remember that the use of imagery and symbolism can give your poem a special depth. If you are too literal in your writing, your readers may be able to relate only to your words and not to any deeper meaning.

--Avoid phrases, images, and rhymings that are overused clichés, such as shady nook, babbling brook, moon-June, etc. Be creative and explore new words and descriptions.

--Be objective. This is difficult since it is easy to confuse the power of your feelings with your original words. Don’t make your first draft sacred. Time and thought help your work blossom and revisions allow for new thoughts to seep into and flavor your poetry.

Your original writings capture your strongest emotions. Your revisions should do that as well, but they can also reveal just how much you care about your work and your desire to fashion words in the most lyrical and beautiful way.

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Francisco Balagtas


Francisco Balagtas, later Francisco Baltazar or nickname Kikong Balagtas or Kiko, was born on April 2, 1788 in the barrio Panginay in the town of Bigaa, now known as Balagtas in his honor, in the province of Bulacan. He was the youngest of four children: Felipe, Concha, and Nicholasa. His parents where a blacksmith, Juan Baltazar, and Juana de la Cruz.

As a young boy, Balagtas loved to watch the land and hear the sound of the leaves. He saw beauty in the sparks caused by the pounding hammer of his blacksmith father. He even heard music in the sound of the horses' shoes.

Balagtas studied in a parochial school in Bigaa, where he studied prayers and catechism during his elementary years. Once Baltazar was eleven he moved to Tondo, Manila to work as a houseboy for his aunt, Doña Trinidad, who sponsored his studies. He enrolled at the Colegio de San Jose, where he graduated with degrees in Crown Law, Spanish, Latin, Physics, Christian Doctrine, Humanities, and Philosophy.

Dr. Mariano Pilapil taught him how to write while one of the most famous Tondo poets, José de la Cruz (Huseng Sisiw) mentored his poetry. Cruz challenged Balagtas to improve his writing, and even refused to edit Balagta's poetry. He continued to write more awits, corridos and moro-moros.

In 1835, Balagtas moved to Pandacan and met Maria Asuncion Rivera, who would later serve as a muse for his writings, such as in Florante at Laura as 'Celia' and 'MAR'.

Balagtas' feelings for Maria were challenged by Mariano Capule. The influential Capule used his wealth to imprison Balagtas and marry Maria. In prison, Balagtas relates the parallels of his own situation in Florante at Laura.

During an age when Filipino writings were written in Spanish, Balagtas wrote his poems in Tagalog. Scholars are lead to believe his poems reflect the abuses of the Spanish colonists.

Upon Balagtas' release from prison, he published Florante at Laura in 1838. In 1840, he moved to Udyong, Bataan and served as a Major Lieutenant. There, he met Juana Tiambeng of Orion, Bataan whom he would wed in 1842. Together, they had eleven - five boys and six girls - although seven died.

In 1849, Governor-General Narciso Claveria ordered that every Filipino native adopt a Spanish surname. Henceforth, Balagtas became known as Francisco Baltazar. He was imprisoned in 1856 for shaving the head of Alferez Lucas' housemaid, forcing his wife to spend their entire fortune to pay the court expenses. In 1860, he was released and continued writing to support his family.

Upon his death bed, Baltazar asked that none of his children become poets like him, who had suffered under his gift. He stated that it would be better to cut their hands off than to let them be writers.

Francisco Baltazar died on February 20, 1862.

Balagtas is considered the equivalent of William Shakespeare and the "Prince of Tagalog Poets" for his impact on Filipino literature with Florante at Laura regarded as his defining work. In fact, he is so greatly revered in the Philippines that a tradition held for debating in extemporaneous verse is known as 'Balagtasan'.

Saturday, September 15, 2007

Death is Not An Option by Nora Caldero

A TRIBUTE FOR THE: 9/11 TRAGEDY
As I sit here and I wonder why
Somewhere, some way we all must die

Do we believe we can miss the boat
Somehow redirect its path without cutting our throat

Can we fly south or take a sabbatical to France
Can we miss life's most infamous dance

No matter how far you travel or where you go
Death will be there to answer the door

There is no option when it comes to death
No matter how healthy or how much wealth

There is no road that will lead you astray
No miraculous prayer that will save the day

Death has been promised to all kind
Nothing lives forever that is the design

Now life after death that's the true story
The only way there is in Gods' Glory!

Now you must pay attention if you have the need to live on
There are some basic instructions that will not steer you wrong

Try picking this up when you see the next paper or hardback
Some wonderful instructions to help keep your life

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

"Battle of the All time Favorite Poet"





Sa inyong palagay? sino ba ang karapat dapat hiranging pinaka paboritong manunulat sa buong kasaysayan.

Sabaysabay tayung mag bigay ng kanya-kanyang napupusuan. Mag bigay komento lang para sa mga nominado.

Sa kabilang banda mag kakaroon tayo ng isang survey sa mga nominado. Sa pamamagitan ng inyong boto, ang pinaka maraming nakalap na boto ang siyang hihiranging numero uno sa "Most Favorite Poet of All Time".

Pero para sa akin, ito ay isa lang survey at hindi nito dapat bigyan ng mababaw na pag-unawa,