My Hometown

Penn Larena

As I travel around my hometown

I remember all the good memories I found
The people and every moment I remembered
To cherish those moments those times I spent

The breeze that touches my skin

Sweet and aroma of the sugar cane fields
from the cold breeze, I inhale
Which at the dawn I exhale

I remember the beauty of the sights

of a sweet place of mine
Besides the perfect bay
of abandoned of seafood.

I remember a simple old world cham

My cradle of love and family
that filled my heart and soul
that I found and embellish
FALL
Simon Anton Diego Galera Baena

The glass door slides open:

I enter that field of scattered leaves
reminds me of Palmyra
of pilgrims heading east
out of every ruin I encounter
the man who returns
and curls inside a hole
dreaming of sunrises
and nuclear free summers
that childhood of obedience
the eyes staring
at the statues of saints
the mouth before
the sacramental bread
but the war will never be over
even beyond the shriek
of the last crow
when the harvest fails
my palms seek
the fire of the first hearth
now that winter
is creeping behind
this sunset
Photograph
Penn Tulabing Larena 

The end of a hot summer

When you fell off missing someone
I set down and take a breath
An uncomfortable feeling and looking at the horizon
I saw the vintage Aparador with full of good memories

I open it, i saw the family album

When I open it, I saw an old photograph
A flashback feeling  the horizon
A boy and the adult lady
Showing the everlasting love and care for each other arms
A memories lane appear in so many colors

Summer of the 1980s

The place is so white and pure
The local Cherry blossom was flowing all over the place
The love of a mother to her son

The joy of togetherness

A son  hold her so tight
The smell of her perfume content the place
No worrying of problems for the future
Just me and the world of happiness

I love you son

I love you Ma
You are my life
Celebrating the joy and sorrow in life
The clock stop and moment can speak a thousand words
They will tell you how the tragedy of family and love can be

Holding a piece of History

The memories will just
be part of the past
The future will be holding our desires
The love will be everlasting in our hearts
The relationship of a mother and son forever
THAT FOR WHICH WE THOUGHT SHE WOULD BE
Rolin Migyuel Cadallo Obina

The bud opened. Slowly-

Even the thorns below could not prevent her -
from blooming

It awaited. Patiently-
For the bees to sip its nectar,
and the butterflies to flirt,

Amidst the discomfort,

of the blowing wind-
Amihan

She knew her time

would come. She didn't rush.
She waited. For so long-

And now,
it has already bloomed-
beautifully

And without warning,

she was nipped,
from the stem

She knew, by then,

her time is fast coming-
to die, wither and be gone

No roots to cling on to,

she was
a virgin

No more bees, no butterflies,

her life was destined to be short-
she, only to be adored - only for a while

KATACGAHAN
Leonaga Hermoso Tulabing Larena

The Sky was crystal blue and mountains so dry

The sun kisses my skin
Dark surface and the volcanic fertile the Land
Smell the aroma of sweet green grass
Tamarind sweet and sour stand for ages

The land ruled by King and Queen

Duke and Baroness
Draw to angry, principle and greed
The family is torn apart

When the wind blows from North to South

East and West to touch your skin
Remembering the glorious  past with pride and honor

Giant’s men rule the land

The surface became dark
People suffering from a feudal system

From famine to War

Make the field very dry
The thirst, no food and the search for clean water for ages

I lay down to the empty land

My heart bleeding so fast
I feel like I’m drowning in shallow water
Giant men thumb my back, destroy my soul and took my identity
I saw my reflection in the crystal creek

After the rain, a beautiful rainbow appeared

My self was restored
The green grows blowing  into the wind from side and side
The little boy became a King
Everything so happy and endless peace 
THE RIVER 1973
Leonaga H.Tulabing Larena

The river is a human being of pleasure

From the valley to the lowlands showing clear water
Carefree that she turns out at her best
And swans that cover her love’s measure
Flowing under the bridges showing her life of Free
Surrounding the trees seen its day and night
Hang around her naked to hear the sound of music and
dance to please her self
Toughing the water so kisses her pleasure

The River is like spring the source of life on earth

Flashing in the wide green glade,
Hidden worlds kept from human being watchful eyes
Disaster to Sunshine appear with Grace and Beauty
Tempered with the lightning’s aid and charity,
To  touch the crystal clear water and endless connection
Witness to my endless love to the man I love
For life, I hope to see you end again flowing
From the mountain to show his precious treasures
Everlasting love 2001

When a son was born

The family was happy
Every afternoon we walked to shell beach sand
Togetherness is like Everlasting love 

 
The water was so green and cool
The firefly light  in the nipa palm such a beautiful evening
But when God gave us sadness
The struggle in life with a broken heart
A memory of sad and loneliness appear in my shadow

 
When you saw everybody was wearing black and sadness on their face
You feel the smell of the floral scent scratch everywhere
A tear drops with a sense of sadness and feeling the darkness
When the sound of the roaster and the dawn came the morning light
The morning glory appear gracefully with majesty

 
The aroma of green grass spread the surrounding,
feeling the sadness of losing someone at your Tender age
The woman stands in silence holding the two boys and promise to care for them 

 
Growing up I feel the loneliness of a love
I was waiting for a long time
My heart moves from cold to fire
Would that I could walk with you,
Along some distant seashore,
Leaving only footprints,

When my time comes in the future

I want  to see your  sweet smile
I want you to wait for me in the old railway
I will hold your hand to the white light
To meet my creator received my everlasting love
Holding you forever and the love I want for eternity

 By Penn Tulabing Larena,MPA,KCR

If This Might Be Heaven
By :  . Mercedes Teves Goñi   Poet 

To all I loved and to those I could have loved some

More,
Farewell. I go to a place much written off, but never seen before.
If you can’t see me for the last time now, -don’t fret-I’ll understand somehow
If you never told me you loved me then,
Tell me, I’m still listening now.

The music here is endless, so poignant it leaves me breathless

Iridescence I always loved surrounds me everywhere,
Joyous laughter, happy tears here and there.
I need not wear my slippers anymore
Lilies-of-the valley carpet all the fields I explore.
Fireflies I used to look for when darkness would fall
Now come dancing all around me at my every beck and call.

And with each early evening’s shade of blue that I always loved so
I’ll be kissing all of you,
So you need not miss me so.

If this might be heaven, don’t hinder me anymore

Willingly, I go towards HIS dome
Because it looks like a place I can happily call Home. 
Almost Love 2021
 

When I saw violent Calla lilies 

 There's so much tenderness in my eyes

When I saw u in the digital world it lighted my life

 So raise my hands to heaven and pray

A new friend came into my life

 
The flowers blooms and morning calm
Ending the day without you would be a savage one
The moon and sun unity in a good surprise 
 
I enjoy your company even I did not see you in person,
When I saw your good soul appear in my memories
I felt the night you calm and I am restless 
Hold me in the darkness and I feel safe
Every day I need your sweet caress
 You relieve my sadness in this boring life
 
On the third day, I fell in love and 
waiting for your call
As we move to embrace, tears run down my face
Recalling the red stick that lingers in my mind
I whisper words of love, to a person gone for the moment
 I can't believe this pain, it's driving me insane
 Without you in my life will be lonely
That we'll be back together someday 

Penn Tulabing Larena, MPA

Give thanks, my soul
By Poet Rolin Migyuel Cadallo Obina

Give thanks, my soul, for the food on our table,

For the dried fish that’ve been served,
And for the bread the children shared.

Shout your praise, my weary soul,

And sing with gladness and joy,
For the bed you rest upon, and the roof above your head.
Leave your doubts behind for God will provide,
The sun will rise, the children will play,
Surely rain will pour on this summer’s day.

Throw your fears away, set it all aside,

Like the birds that flip its wings, playing with the fishermen,
A piece of fish when shared, becomes food for many and one.

The world is colorful, not just red nor blue,

There’s green and purple and all the colors of the rainbow,
When you’re happy and you’re grateful, the world will smile with you.

Soon this will be over, this fear of hunger,

Our questions of where to go after will soon be answered,
Never lose hope, my soul, for nothing is impossible, for God, the King of all.

Lift your worries to God for He will never abandon us,

Learn to share your gifts, even the little ones,
A bread divided can feed a multitude of men.
SUN UP

but no radiance
a mourning dove peeks through the window

that memory has labored to bury

the view of skyscrapers
underneath Brooklyn bridge

outside the taxi streets

I’m already tired of waiting

Tehran is far from Jerusalem

so please come and visit

but don’t take the goblet away from me

get the altar instead

or just paint the sun

and write
something useless

for the great César Vallejo has long been dead

while the breathing mannequins stay in their cubicles

yearning for the rain

I will never leave the door open

I need to carry these ruins

beyond the confines of this room

down into that empty toilet 

The total Stranger

The stranger is now ready to  be  with a  fine lady,
Understands the dusty to act like as divine justice
Now ready to enter in a materialize society,
To a total stranger bringing happiness to my life

The freedom I lost to the man I love

My mind is mine
But my life be with him forever
To hunt is to be hunted
To live is to die
Our thoughts, love, belongs  are our own

People are all eager to associate with his great man,

The stranger  look back and recognize her
Yet he does not reveal his identity to anyone.

Instead of love and disappointment came

To fight  for love and adoration to the man I loved
To support all his endeavors and achievements
For I am the lost identity, soul, mind and spirit

The man I love gone too soon

Standing alone in front of your grave
He gives me laugher and Caderousse happiness
A total stranger will always be the love of my life

Penn Larena
Love like Spanish bread from Jose Rafael
Feeling good after eating  Spanish Bread,
It is like being in love with Jose Rafael 
A simple comfort food used to compare,
The man must think it’s unfair.

Alone it feels lonely and sapless,

But with a pair it becomes different.
Combining with any good intent,
It becomes the best kind of commitment.

You may believe you are paired like many,

But to the one and only man you are the best.
He’ll always choose you,
Even if both of your lives are rightful,
For together,
Perfection you turn into.

Simple and boring as the first  time,

Hidden within are the secrets of a queen,
Together a Spanish bread becomes the perfect snack.
Two become one,

Now be amazed at what you have became.

Doubt then shrouds your mind,
Because love’s not so kind,
Fearing to be denied,
You stop without having tried,
Now you can wait and let the feeling subside.

Endless like Spanish Bread,

Never gave up our great man.
For he made you realize,
That giving up is the greatest downfall.
For what was only a fantasy,
Has now become a flavourful inspiration. 

Penn Larena