What Goes Around

Out of the darkness crawled
a monster once feared.
He was casted out, shunned,
and painted as a freak.
The monster never understood
why people hated him.
Before they got a chance
to get to know him, they threw
him away. The monster didn’t
know where to go and,
clearly, he could not stay.
He just wanted to play
with peers his age, but
others avoided him like
the plague. One dreadful
night, the monster was
taken out of sight, far
away from any light.
Many years have passed
without much movement
from the monster until
one day, he heard people
talking outside of his cave.
With the strength he gave,
out of the darkness crawled
a monster now reborn.
The monster visited those
who threw him out
and demanded an apology.
With shock and remorse,
of course, they said sorry
before taking off in a hurry.
The monster took over
the village, not before
a great pillage. He became
the thing they called him:
a monster. He did not feel
bad due to the days he
was sad. The monster
once thrown away found
a new place to play.

Move

Hey. You! Yeah! You.
Move. Take a step.
Take a chance. Move.
Buy a new pair
of dancing shoes.
Find a different
groove. Don’t be
afraid to lose.
When you play,
pay your dues.
Move. It’s much
better when you
get to choose.
Keep on dancing
for your love is
everlasting. Move.
There is nothing
for you to prove.

The Blame Game

Who is to blame in this game
of life? Who controls endings?
Beginnings? Who has a say
in how these things play out?
Who are the team captains?
Do they know what’s happening?
In life, there are players, coaches,
referees, judges, spectators,
commentators, analysts, rivalries,
and concessions. Is there anyone
to blame when we lose this game?
I say no because I know that
life can’t be tamed or controlled.
There is no way to predict
the outcome. There is no way
to get our hands on a script.
In this life, it is easy to play
the blame game by leaving
out our own names. Some
choose not to engage. Most
decide to play. Don’t give
blame, and take responsibility,
Remember that this game
turns out to be our reality.





Carried Away

Today, I got carried away.
Instead of work, I play.
Sometimes I forget to live
without stress. The older
I get, the shorter the days.
Today, I got carried away
from what I was doing.
Half the time, I don’t know
which direction to go.
The other half of the time,
I don’t know if I should
go outside or stay in
and hide. These long legs
carry me away. One point
to the next. Feeling blessed
in my chest, I hold my head
high. I look to the sky. I see
wings carry birds away.
I feel the wind chill my skin.
I can count on my days
getting carried away.
My mind might stray, yet
my body will stay. Blue
skies littered with birds
help me find the words
needed to carry me away.
I look ahead and know that
one day, blues fade to black.

Day Ones

Shoutout to my day ones! They keep me grounded.
My day ones have been there; they have been
around. They were there to keep me safe – to help
me, even if it was late. My day ones showed me
a light that was kept from my sight. Day in,
day out, life became more important. Life
suddenly was a flame that could now be tamed.
In the midst of chaos, we would not focus on
the loss. We had fun with no attention paid
to the cost. My day ones are real ones. I know
I can count on them. They know I am there
for them, and I always have been. Day one:
our lives began. Then, we noticed the fast
hands of time. Now, we wish we can hit
rewind. Time’s flown, and my friends and I,
well, we are grown. Regardless, my day
ones may have aged, but our love for each-
other has come and has remained the same.