5 Poems

National Artists for Literature

Jose Garcia Villa

Edith L. Tiempo
Cirilo Bautista
Nick Joaquin
Lyric 17
By Jose Garcia Villa

First, a poem must be magical,

Then musical as a sea-gull.
It must be a brightness moving
And hold secret a bird’s flowering
It must be slender as a bell,
And it must hold fire as well.
It must have the wisdom of bows
And it must kneel like a rose.
It must be able to hear
The luminance of dove and deer.
It must be able to hide
What it seeks, like a bride.
And over all I would like to hover
God, smiling from the poem’s cover.
The Emperor’s New Sonnet
By Jose Garcia Villa
Patalim
by Cirilo Bautista
Kung pundi ang bumbilya
Araw-araw sa aming kusina
sinusubok naming mag-asawa ang talim at ako’y abala
sa paglikha ng tula
ng aming balaraw
hindi niya ako titigilan
Halimbawa ng saksak sa batok
kung umiiyak hangga’t ang ilaw ay di napapalitan
ang bunsong anak patas lang ang aming labanan
at hindi kumikilos ang sintang mahal lagot kung lagot walang dayaan
Kaya’t
sasaksakin ko siya sa likod
sa katapusan ng araw magbibilang kami
at patawang pagmamasdan ng
habang duguang sugat
pasususuhin niya at tila mga gulanit na kaluluwa
ang bunso ay magtatawanan magsusuntukan pa
Ganito kaming lagi sapagkat
labis ang pag-ibig namin sa isa’t isa.
The Martyr
by Nick Joaquin

Being in love means never having to say you’re sorry

After all, at some point in your life
That love was the most important thing to you,
That love might be the one that you hoped would last forever,
That love made you believe that destiny does exist,
And that love made you question,
Why you were afraid to fall in love in the first place.

At that time in your life,

Everything just seemed so perfect,
Everything seemed so beautiful,
Everything seemed to glow for you,
And you were my everything.

I wouldn't even think twice about sacrificing my own happiness for yours,
I was even willing to bare up this walled but crumpled heart of mine,
Just so I could be with you.
All I ever did was care for you.
All I ever did was to make you happy.
And all I ever did was love you.

Being in love means never having to say you’re sorry

But I needed to ask forgiveness from the one who was hurt the most…
Myself.
Assignment:
1. Prepare for Book Talk every meeting. Random names will be
selected.