Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Disclaimers on TV


















Whirr..buzz…whirr..
Cable’s on the blink?
Not your set folks
It’s that snake oil ad
With AdBoard seal but
No approved therapeutic value

Flash news
Gloria with her styrene
Belo complexion with
An energizer bunny toothy grin
Announces aid to calamities
Sulpicio or the drowned?
No approved news value

Segue way to the PBA
Big game James with a three
Saved the day for the Hotdogs
“Kaya mo ba'to?” mocking
Textless, talkless fans
No approved civility value

Switch to GMA seven
Gloria again with bunny grin
Gushing trip’s success
Palm rubbing first Gent astride
No approved moral value

Zap! Now NBN nine
Recycled tagalog movies
Vintage FPJ, Fofonggay,
Falayfay and agent Falcon
Guy and Pip, Vilma as Darna
No approved historic value

Zap to “Walang Tulugan”
Fat man, show man German
Coffee drenched all night stand
Inane antics and rehashments
No approved wellness value

Commercial breaks
With senators and other
Prexy wannabees selling soap
And other household whatevers
No approved delicadeza value

Hey! get out of that couch
The scratchy anthem is on
Salute our tired flag now
Signing off with relief
All in a day’s work
On primetime Television

Dusky Lady Peggy Sue











Dusky lady Peggy Sue
I take your hand
And usher you
Across the broad street
I drape my Armani coat
For you to trod on and
Wipe your muddy Gucci
You balked at the lobby
Of the movie house
Vehemently denying
The cries of orphans,
Battered wives,
Bad Boy stunts
and Dolphy jokes
But like a Muzak track
Wired in your tympani
The sound track
Goes round and round
A dirge, a kundiman, a rhythmic
“Pasion” from toothless hags
Gatorade asks, Is it in you?
Coke says it’s the real thing
You smile at the face
In the muddy puddle
Dusky lady Peggy Sue

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

A Spate of Haiku - 94 to 114








94. Farewell glorious sun
Soon fearful darkness settles
But morning soon comes

95. Fireball quick to sink
On a yellow mottled sky
Fiery sting sears the eye

96. Mayas in summer
Exchange gossip by the bush
A feral cat waits

97. The end of summer
Tiptoes in without notice
A lad sighs glumly

98. Tree thrives in sand dunes
Defies harsh oppressive climes
Nature’s way challenged

99. At dusk the early moon
Hovers on the darkened hills
Portending cold nights


100. Boyhood summers gone
Passing through thorny thresholds
A gate creaks close

101. Days in midsummer
Filled with youthful effervescence
Only for a nonce


102. Rainy afternoon
Scatter silver darts about
A puddle ripples


103. December hearts are cold
But hearts in May are warm
Yet both throb for me


104. It’s the time for cheers
As the sheepskin is bestowed
He has come of age


105. Where have red roses gone
In carmine glory now
Vanished in a wink


106. Cicadas protest
All intrusions in nature
Except for its own

107. Shades of night falling
On a bucolic hamlet
A tambuli calls

108. Sweet scents of ripe fruits
Waft in the hot midday air
A rude bird chirps

109. Angels brought forth rain
To the thirsting fallow earth
Demons drew lightning

110.. Shall I look for you
In the season of the heart
My mind says beware

111. Loneliness seeks ease
With strange alien faces
Babbling nonsense

112. Gather garden blooms
On April mornings at dawn
Ere sun’s envy roused

113. Trudging down a stream
On a cold wintry morning
Fish hid in white reeds

114. A country lane stroll
Tramping through twigs and dry leaves
Snapping underfoot