RANDOM #5

damned if you do
damned if you don't
can't take a back seat
can't also stay up front

but you can't stay this way
you have to break the spell
before you taste your freedom
you've to come out of your shell

RMP
12/14/14

I'VE BEEN THERE TOO

“Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dream. “Paulo Coelho

pain consumes your soul
i can see it in your eyes
you can’t seem to move on
it’s hard for you to realize
that like anybody else
you have your own share
of life’s tedious battles
while no one seems to care

the sea of captivity
drowns your sanity
the voices of guilt
disrupts your tranquility
darkness overwhelms
the light within your heart
your life, your world
slowly falls apart

i've been there too
i know how it feels
i've been there too
the agony is real

hope springs from acceptance
forgiveness renews our soul
you can still change things
if you'll realize your role
it’s really hard I know
coz I’ve been there too
but you can change your course
if you know just what to do

leave the past behind
don't  waste your precious time
the pain’s just a passing
quitting now will be a crime
change your perspective
look at the brighter side
you can still fight back
and heal your wounded pride

i've been there too
there’s still a way out
i've been there too
just conquer your doubts

i've been there too
someone’s out there
i've been there too
someone’s saying a prayer

May 24, 2013
revised 12/01/14
RMP

YOU'RE MY CLICHE’

it won't really bother me
watching you all the time
doing the things that you like
i’ll always find the perfect rhyme
it won't really bother me
hearing every word you say
just tell me what you feel
i’ll always find a way

it’s a waste of time
if I’m not with you
my world is depressing
when you're out of my view
it feels like forever
when you’re not here with me
i'm at a loss for words
if you don’t see what I see

you’re my cliché’
it may sound a bit strange
there’s nothing I can do
there’s nothing for me to change

haste makes waste
so I need to take it slow
the writing on the wall says
i've to go against the flow
no matter what happens
at the end of each day
this maybe sound repetitive
but i'm with you all the way

you’re my cliché’
it may sound a bit strange
there’s nothing I can do
there’s nothing for me to change

RMP
8/25/2013
revised 2/10/2017

FACADE

clear images
showing no signs of grief
words with certainty
there's no room for relief
tempting structures
a sight of a perfect world
one won't even think
to leave and cut the cord

the strength is visible
with looks of invincibility
directions seem clearer
hopes within the vicinity
but when we get to see
what's inside that ironclad
anxiety is creeping
behind that secured facade

RMP
11/13/2014

GIFTED?

di pinag-aaralan
kusa na lang dumarating
walang pinipiling panahon
kapag ang diwa ay gising
sa hudyat ng isip
kamay ay gumagalaw
kailangang maisulat
damdaming sumisigaw

nakikita, naririnig
anumang maramdaman
kailangang palayain
kahit na may masasaktan
ang bawat kataga
ay hibla ng katinuan
kailangang maglakbay
ang bawat masaksihan

kaloob o sumpa
ano ba ang takda?
bilanggo ang sarili
sa pagiging malaya

di mapigilan
patuloy ang agos
kapag may nasimulan
tiyak na may matatapos
tangkilikin man
o hindi bigyang pansin
sa laot ng paglaya
may damdaming aanurin

magpapatuloy
hanggang diwa ay mulat
saan man makarating
patuloy ang paglalayag
kaloob man o sumpa
haharapin ang takda
kailangang mabilanggo
bago tuluyang lumaya

kaloob o sumpa
ano ba ang takda?
bilanggo ang sarili
sa pagiging malaya

8/27/2014
11:11 pm

BLACK DOG

“Sometimes the worst place you can be is in your own head.” Unknown

feeding you with grief
you grow bigger everyday
it seems there’s nothing I can do
but to follow your lonesome way
you brought me into places
where self pity sprouts
in the darkness of solitude
you play in my room of doubts

the unwanted past lingers
whenever I look into your eyes
as I keep walking with you
something in me slowly dies
i knew when I took you in
my life won't be the same
but something has to change
or else I'll lose this game

Note: A “Black Dog”, is a phrase used as a metaphor for melancholy or depression.

RMP
8/21/14
Los Banos Philippines
Revised 10/8/17
Winnipeg Manitoba

POETIC WRATH

"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you" –Maya Angelou

a storm is brewing
in my ocean of thoughts
the pressure’s building up
there are collisions of words
the winds of change are raging
emotions are blown away
the warning signs are up
surges are on their way

opinions will sway
biases are torn apart
ideals will be uprooted
the fury will break some hearts
the downpour of contradictions
will create a flooded path
prepare to brace against
the gusts of my poetic wrath

RMP 8/18/14
Los Banos Laguna Philippines

RANDOM #4

it’s my space, it’s my timeline
i can write and say whatever’s on my mind
like it or not, share it or ignore
the urge to post will be stronger than before

agree or disagree, it doesn’t really matter
i don’t take it personally if you think you are smarter
if you think like a sage, or just pretending to be deep
i don’t give a damn just don’t try to spoil my trip

RMP 8/16/14

RANDOM #3

driven by expectations
we always look around
trying to figure out
what keeps us on the ground
we equate what we have
with what we don’t possess
then by raising our stakes
we define our own success

changes are imminent
benchmarks are volatile
to stay within the circle
we swallow the bitter pill
nothing is enough
we’re always in a race
no matter how much we have
there’s always an empty space

no limits
no finish line
everything that we do
is a race against time
contentment’s just a dream
unless we cut the thread
the chase will only cease
when we run out of breath

RMP (8/16/2014)

RANDOM #2

lured by possibilities
the urge went beyond the norm
until I’ve found myself
opening a can of worms

an error in judgment
has brought my feet into a trap
it’ll take a while before
i can finally close the gap

RMP (8/14/14)

RANDOM #1

an excruciating lesson
from a mission done in haste
success isn’t something
you can simply cut and paste.

RMP (8/13/14)

BROKEN CONTRACT

i held on to your promise
and that was a big mistake
you took me by surprise
now I knew what was at stake

you brought me down on my knees
my world spiraled out of control
overtaken by hopelessness
i thought I’m going to lose them all

i don’t have all the answers
there’s a big crack on the wall
with emotions going ballistic
i have ignored a sacred call

while everything’s going right within
i opted to stay outside and walked away
now a contract has been broken
i don’t know what else to say

RMP
6/22/2014
Los Banos, Laguna

UNTITLED

when the fight is really tough
and we fell short of the test
we find a lot of reasons
why we need to take a rest

we rationalize and cease
to persist with our quest
pride makes it even harder
knowing we didn’t do our best

realizing what we did
that we fell short on our own
we can pick up the pieces
while starting to move on

RMP
6/18/2014
Winnipeg MB Canada

THE GIFT

words are my companions
every time i’m all alone
keeping my sanity
when I struggle on my own

but when darkness takes over
while I started with each verse
the urge to express what 's inside
turned my rhymes into a curse

RMP
6/18/2014
Winnipeg MB Canada

NON CONFORMITY

refusing to conform
i’ve never felt at home
walking away from convention
i made a tough decision
looking stubborn from the view
of those who think they know what’s right
but the darkness that they see
is my path towards the light

RMP
6/18/2014
Winnipeg MB Canada

DOWN BUT NOT OUT

down but not out I need to step back
i just can’t move on if I’m going off the track
this isn’t a race I can still buy some time
cool it down a bit before I restart the climb

this is just a setback I can redo my plan
return to home base become a better man
must be up and running before I hit the road
it’ll be an uphill climb I must bring a lighter load

if this isn’t the path I’d go find another way
i got no issues with what other people might say
there’s nothing wrong if I’ve failed this quest
i’d be on my feet again doing what I do best

down but not out I’ll regain my spot
rising from the ashes I’ll write a new plot
quitting as it may seems but I don’t give a damn
back to the drawing board I’ll make a better plan

RMP
4/25/2014
Winnipeg MB Canada

BUHAY (CANADIAN) IMMIGRANT

dinadaan sa tulog nang mawala ang lungkot
subalit kahit sa panaginip pilit pa ring lumulusot
dinadaan na lang sa kain palipas oras sa computer
pero ang damdamin sinlamig pa rin ng winter

search online most of the time para makahanap ng trabaho
target ay entry level bago kaya back muna to zero
attend sa libreng workshops pwede ring mag volunteer
kalimutan pansamantala ang sinakripisyong career

sandamukal na resumes kailangang i prepare
mataas daw ang standards ng Canadian employers
pero sa dami ng applicants maaring hindi makalusot
kaya pag uwi sa bahay mas matindi ang lungkot

habang nagpapahinga magbubukas ng internet
habang naka online nagtutuos ng budget
settlement funds malapit nang ma short
problemang mukhang hindi magpapatulog

lunod na sa lungkot hindi pa makatulog
oras ay tumatakbo isip ay nababagot
ganito ang hamon kapag bago sa Canada
kung nahihirapan huwag nang magtaka

RMP
4/3/2014
Winnipeg, MB Canada

FIGHTING YOUR WAY BACK

nobody compelled you
to leave your comfort zone
and start your journey
while living all alone
but uncertainties and fear
started pulling you back
deluded by confusion
your mind went off the track

fighting your way back
you struggle to keep the faith
your heart is telling you
you can still go through the gate
there are voices everywhere
who will never let you down
there are those around you
who will never let you drown

a hundred thousand angels
the voices that pray for you
won’t help you in any way
if you won’t change your point of view
the good life you dream about
for those who are dear to you
will be elusive if you think
there is nothing you can do

RMP
Edited 4/17/2014
Winnipeg MB Canada

PANIC MODE

time’s no longer an ally
if I’ll prolong the agony
hoping against all hope
the walls are closing in on me
headed for a cul-de-sac
i can’t simply spin around
the road I've gone through
has brought me to a shaky ground

RMP
3/31/2014
Winnipeg MB Canada

SIGNING OFF

i’ve seen enough
vanity’s everywhere
can’t take them all
need to go off the air
the show is over
need to pack things up
i've to shut it down
it has been quite tough

don’t get me wrong
don’t blame me as well
if my words seem like
i’m raising some hell
in case I’m misconstrued
still I won’t apologize
draw the picture if you must
truth always bring a compromise

RMP
3/15/2014
Winnipeg MB Canada

SANCTUARY

leaving you I thought
was the right thing to do
life will be much better
if I run away from you
i can no longer stand
the curses that hunt you down
i’d better look the other way
before I see you drown

now doubts are emerging
virtually I am outgunned
traps are all over the place
just a blunder and I’m done
time’s wasted and lost
traversing this alien ground
i don’t know if I can still
turn this dire state around

forced by circumstances
i’m now feeling the heat
overwhelmed by fear
i’m on a one way street
there’s no other way
turning back is unsafe
but when sanity’s on the line
a grieving soul needs an escape

tired of pretending
there’s no point to hide
the outbursts of emotions
of a struggling mind
i need a getaway
to calm my troubled soul
a sanctuary I guess
before I lose them all

RMP
3/15/2014
Winnipeg MB Canada

INCONGRUITY

subtle prejudices
rock your comfort zone
survival’s the only way
got to do it on your own
the dream that brought you here
coerces you to start anew
labels are simply worthless
you need to change your point of view

feeling now the crunch
while running out of time
you begin to realize
it will be an uphill climb
conflicting thoughts are crawling
inside your exhausted mind
you are caught in between
now and what you’ve left behind

vanishing promises
dreams fading away
you feel the isolation
each and every single day
the urge intensifies
to step back and to press
the panic button to begin
cleaning up your own mess

it’s no longer the same
you’re on a hostile ground
the chance’s just a facade
so you will stick around
disturbing truths contradict
the values you have within
the choice’s all up to you
if you still want to fit in

RMP
3/11/2014
Winnipeg, MB Canada

GROUND ZERO

bitbit ang bagahe habang tulala
kakaibang hudyat ng panibagong simula
lumapag ang mga paa nakalutang ang diwa
sapat ba ang dahilan nang lisanin ang bansa?

bigat ng dala-dala dapat na bawasan
kung kinakailangan alisin ang mga laman
pinaghirapan noon di magagamit ngayon
mga bagong karanasan dapat munang maipon

dating nakasanayan itakwil at iwanan
kung gustong umangat makipagsapalaran
magpakumbaba tanggapin na kusa
minsan kailangan magsimula sa wala

mundong binuo ng mga nakaraan
dinudurog unti unti ng kasalukuyan
damdaming nakayakap sa mga naiwan
hindi dapat sumuko kahit na nasasaktan

RMP
2/28/2013
Winnipeg, MB Canada

REBIRTH

losing it for a while
i thought I can’t get out
something just went wrong
each thought raises a doubt
the dream’s disappearing
the pledge’s just a mirage
the image they left behind
is just a worthless collage

misled in the past
now I’ve found my way
at the end of the tunnel
gone are the shades of grey
the words that locked me
inside the chambers of deceit
are now trapped and sinking
in the quicksand of defeat

RMP
2/20/2013
Winnipeg, MB Canada

AT HOME

the path is unfamiliar
the future's still unclear
random thoughts are creeping in
sowing the seeds of fear
the past remains a burden
you can’t seem to move on
sadness can drag you down
when you start thinking of home

it’s difficult I know
nothing’s easy at the start
to realize your dreams
you must follow your heart
there’s no turning back
you must continue moving on
when stillness resides in you
then you'll always feel at home

RMP
2/2/2014
Winnipeg MB Canada

TRENDING

sakay sakay, sakay andami kasi ng time
pag may mabebentang isyu, tsismis o kaya ay crime
trending dito ngayon tapos trending mamaya doon
tapos magtataka kung bakit bayan ay  di makaahon-ahon

salita, salita, salita #affected much sa bias na balita
link dito link doon kung makahusga sa kapwa
karakter naibibilad tuloy napag hahalata
tapos magagalit makontra lang ng bahagya

galit sa diskriminasyon kung maka discriminate naman
kasumpa sumpa kung magbitaw ng kapintasan
damdaming hinulma mula sa daigdig ng pantasya
sambayanang biktima ng komersiyalisadong media

sulat, sulat, sulat na wala namang kabuluhan
nanatiling atrasado ang angking kamalayan
bagong teknolohiya gamit sa social media
kundi mala pelikula trend ay gasgas na pulitika

hot ngayon kasi tutok
bukas may bago ang mga hayok
rating, rating, ano ang bebenta
sponsor, sponsor heto na ang pera
ang mga isyu na biktima ang masa
itago na lang kasi walang kita
ilantad ay yung malalaki ang market
sa dami ng maloloko sigurado ang raket

ang karaniwang mga tanong
sino, kailan, saan, totoo ba talaga?
kahit wala namang mga kabuluhan
tara at makisawsaw na…

RMP
1/30/2014
Winnipeg MB Canada

MISSING EVERY BIT OF YOU

separated by space
constrained by time
my thoughts are drifting
searching for the perfect rhyme
the words may not be enough
but I know they can get through
something will let you feel
i’m missing every bit of you

all that I have is now
and the memories I keep
there’s nothing much I can do
when my heart begins to weep
shattered into pieces
my heart can still breakthrough
something will let you feel
i’m missing every bit of you

the pain won’t go away
it will always be here with me
it will show me the way to find
where I can set my feelings free
the depth of pain reminds me
of everything you say and do
i just want to let you feel
i’m missing every bit of you

i will keep the pain inside
no matter how hard it may seems
because that pain will bring you
inside my deepest dreams

RMP
1/18/2014
Winnipeg MB Canada