Doing Threadmills, Let’s Dance!

For those of you wondering why I’ve been so quiet lately, I was spending time away from my notebook and pencil doing the threadmill. Working out is such a great stress reliever! I always get a fresh take on things whenever I step out of the gym.

Incidentally, I found this video on YouTube. Don’t you wish doing threadmills are always this fun?

If you enjoyed the above, I’m sure you would also like this.

Let’s dance!

Tanaga Ukol Sa Tanaga

I’d like to post here some rough draft for a change.

I thought of writing a Tanaga poem about a Tanaga poem while aboard a jeep going to some remote town and this is what I got:

Kaisipa’y piniit
Sa tulang maliit
Salitang hati’y pito
magkatunog ang dulo

6:34 AM 7/26/2006

I texted the above to myself because it was hard to write aboard the sweeping and swerving jeep.

Recently, I just completely rewrote it:

Pitong hati – ’sang linya
Kaisipa’y piniit
Linya’y apat – ’sang tula
Kaisipa’y binaggit

11:23 PM 8/5/2006

I think both are very wrong. The first one is AABC while the second one is ABCB.

Somehow, I’m not satisfied without the traditional AAAA rhyme. Hmmm… Where’s that pencil?

Nasaan Ka? (Where are you?)

To you, —–, my first Tagalog villanelle.

Nasaan Ka?

Tadhana ba’y magkawalay?
Lumipas na ang kahapon
Kay tagal kitang hinintay

Ating bukas na malaon
Oras hinanap, tinunton
Tadhana ba’y magkawalay?

Kasalukuya’y nabaon
Bakit katwira’y hinamon?
Kay tagal kitang hinintay

Pangako mo’y kinakaon
ng puso kong inaalon
Tadhana ba’y magkawalay?

Ala-alang di malipon
Karanasa’y di matipon
Kay tagal kitang hinintay

Ngayon, bukas at kahapon
Panahon ba’y tinatapon?
Tadhana ba’y magkawalay?
Kay tagal kitang hinintay

1:16 AM 8/6/2006

Stating the Obvious

Don’t you just love it when some person states to you the obvious? Most of the time it makes me smile. Let me give you an example. I overheard the following from a night-time radio program while taking a ride home:

Radio Guy: We’ve got a text here from Girly(not the actual name). It says: My boyfriend asked for my hand in marriage but I’m not yet ready. What should I do?

Radio Guy: It is actually very simple Girly (sounding very stern), just tell your boyfriend that YOU ARE NOT YET READY! (sounding sarcastic) Okay? I hope that helps. Now, we’ve got another text from…

Can love be that blind?

On a separate note, I was introduced to the villanelle indirectly when Jenn forwarded me an email about a winning poem. I had to try writing one yesterday.

This is for all of you who love to state the obvious (consciously or otherwise). I hope it will make you smile.

Ladies and gentlemen, my first villanelle:

Stating the Obvious

I did’nt quite believe my ears.
An echo heard beyond the years
when you stated the obvious.

How can it be? It was too much!
A funny bone shakes and cheers!
I did’nt quite believe my ears.

Why did you have to say as such?
My mind was stunned among it’s peers
when you stated the obvious.

Where did you get that midas touch?
Soliciting laughter and tears,
I did’nt quite believe my ears.

While delivering quite a punch,
you drop regard and slide all fears
when you stated the obvious.

How I wish I could find a patch –
a clever plan that hatched in jeers.
I did’nt quite believe my ears
when you stated the obvious.

12:45 AM 8/3/2006

I wrote this one directly to my computer without resorting to pencil and paper. Why? 1. I had to refer to the article in Wikipedia describing the structure of the villanelle many times; 2. Copying and pasting the repeating lines using a computer is so much easier (Isn’t this one obvious?).

ISP 2006 Poet of the Year

I got an email from Jenn about a Filipino winning an international poetry competition. Her name is Blesilda Carmona and you can read her winning villianelle here.

Congratulations! Mabuhay!

PS: ISP stands for International Society of Poets

Asthma

Also a few days back, I had a fit of asthma. I wrote the first 3 lines while having a bout. As usual, I didn’t take any medicine and I just waited for the attack to subside naturally.

During my past asthma attacks, I discovered these things 1. that pressing on my certain points on my palm and the soles feet and also certain portions of my back gives me great relief (I think I’ve mastered the art of self healing with regards to asthma); and 2. that writing poems while suffering can also bring a certain degree of comfort.

Here is the finished poem. I’ve added the last line just a few moments ago. It is another tanaga poem on the topic of asthma:

Hanging hindi mabuga
Inaasam ihinga
Kamalaya’y tulala
Aking baga’y nagsawa

11:01 PM 7/31/2006

Sa Sinehan

A few days back I went to see M. Night Shyamalan’s Lady in the Water. I was quite early and I had 30 minutes in my hands. I observed the people coming out of the movies and also those in anticipation like myself. Then, I decided to take out my notebook to write this short poem.

Sa Sinehan

Iniluwal mo ang mga tao mula sa
panandaliang panaginip:

Humahalakhak, humahagulhol
umaawit, nauulol.

May pagkilos kahit nakapiit.
Ang anak ng liwanag sa
kadilima’y gumuguhit.

Kathang-isip, gawa-gawaan
o tunay na nangyari:

Napanood mo ang aking isipan.

11:39 PM 7/21/2006

The Producers

I watched “The Producers” last night after my usually hectic day. It was refreshing to watch all those bouncing and singing bodies prancing around and about. There is something in these musical-based movies that makes me want to watch them again and again. I watched “Rent” earlier this year four times in the cinemas. The songs sounded spectacular in dolby (and the viewers were allowed to sing).

Going back to “The Producers”, if you enjoy musicals and are aching for a feel-good movie then this comedy will make your day. I’ll definitely see it again.

Here are some trivia for the producers (excerpted from IMDb and annotated with my comments):

• This is a movie based on a play based on a movie about a play.

• Uma Thurman was doubled during portions of the dances by Angie L. Schworer who was playing the part of Ulla in the Broadway version of “The Producers” during production of this film. (Comment: I really thought she was the one dancing! Edit: I think she did most of the dancing except for the split.)
• Mel Brooks originally wrote the music by humming the melodies to the songs into a tape recorder and having a friend who was musically literate write it down on staff paper. (Comment: This comes to show that we can “write” music without actually being musically literate. I think music comes natural in us. I play a game with my nephew where I ask him to sing and invent tones when he communicate with me. You will be surprised how kids can be so creative.)
• Gary Beach was playing the same character on both stage and screen at the same time; when the movie premiered, he was also starring as Roger De Bris on Broadway.

Habang Nilalagnat at Bumabagyo

I wrote this Tagalog poem while having a fever yesterday. I thought that the contradicting pain brought about by the warm and cold feeling made for an excellent backdrop. Add to this fact that it was raining hard because of the typhoon. The fever was giving me chills and making my head was heavy and dizzy but I opted not to take any medicine. It was a restless sleep but the fever was gone in the morning.

It’s all about a recent activity that I made. If you can guess *exactly* what it is, I’ll treat you to any coffee or a tea of your choice. I hope you’ll like this:

Anim na oras
Masamang tsinelas
Balat na napilas
Tinagpi, lumipas

Pantas hinanap
Mga alapaap
Araw kaharap
Sunog kung yumakap

Lingap tinangi
Karaniwa’y kinubli
Dumaloy, humabi
Wala sa sarili

Sabi’y lumuhod
Ako’y naglingkod
Malay inanod
Panaginip sinugod

Puntod pinigil
Mulat na nadapil
Hininga’y siningil
Sa tarik humimpil

Siniil, tiniis
Tagaktak ng pawis
Isa ang nais
Lunas sa tangis

Inimpis na ala-ala
Kinipkip, lumaya
Aking himala
Hiniling, tumalima

Talima’y sinambit
Sa poong malapit
Dulo’y nakamit
Anim na oras sinapit

11:43 PM 7/25/2006

 

Howie Severino’s Lukayo: Hindi Ito Bastos (This is Not Obscene)

I’m a fan of Howie Severino’s documentaries. They are always insightful and entertaining. Luckily, I found the following links to his latest controversial documentary on YouTube. Here’s Howie Severino’s Lukayo: Hindi Ito Bastos:

• Part 1
• Part 2
• Part 3
• Part 4
• Part 5
• Part 6

On a side note, “Lukayo” was aired on I-Witness, a public affairs program on GMA 7. The show was suspended for two weeks by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB).

Do you think it is a good call? Was the documentary obscene? You judge for yourself.

Read more about Howie Severino’s work in his blog here.