Poem 163 - Karamay Ko Ang Langit

Umiiyak na naman ang langit
Ramdam ko ang kanyang pasakit
Ibinuhos nito ang nararamdaman
Kahit sa gitna ng karimlan.

Animo'y walang katapusan
Ang hinagpis ng kayang kalooban
Ilang daang milya ang pinanggalingan
Mula sa kalawakan hanggang kalupaan.

Marahil ay ganoon katindi
Ang dulot ng kanyang pighati
Walang humpay na pagdurusa
At tumatangis siyang mag-isa.

Akala ng langit ay nag-iisa siya
At walang nakakaintindi sa kanya
Heto ako at sumasabay din
Puno ng pighati ang aking damdamin.

Halos walang patid ang mga luha ko
Umaagos na para bang gripo
Kahit na namumugto na ang mga mata
Pati pagtulog ay kinalimutan ko na.

Ngayon ko lang sinapit ito
Ang sakit tagos hanggang buto
At kahit na anong pag-iyak ko
Ayaw tumigil ang pagluha ko.

Karamay ko ang langit ngayon
At pareho kami ng sitwasyon
Ang walang tigil niyang pag-ulan
Na siya ko ring sinasabayan.

Patuloy ang pagbuhos ng ulan
Para bang wala nang katapusan
Tulad din ito ng mga luha ko
Ayaw tumigil kahit anong gawin ko.

Karamay ko ang langit ngayon
At alam niya ang aking sitwasyon
Sana sa pagtila ng kanyang ulan
Itong pasakit ko nawa'y maibsan.

Quote 326 - Reward

Quote 325 - Guidance

Food Trip 162 - Crab Meatballs

In Divisoria, where people literally rub elbows with one another, street food are everywhere.  Every time here are plenty of people, you may expect that food carts can be found along the sidewalk.

One time, I gave in to my appetite.  I just wanted to munch the big crab meatballs being offered by a particular foodcart.  A stick that contains four big crab meatballs is quite expensive at 50 pesos.  But my craving was simply overwhelming.

Among the different food sticks, I just eyed on the crab meatballs.  Though I am already aware of its taste, I said to myself that I have to taste it again after a long hiatus of crab meatballs.  I don't have problems or allergies with crabs.  It is just that for quite some time now, I don't have encounters with food containing crab meatballs.

May be that time, I just fancied on how it was prepared.  The claws of the crab were inserted on the tip of each meatballs which really caught my attention.  When it was cooked, it was simply deep fried in oil along with other stick goodies.  When it was served, the same set of sauces are available to choose from are offered depending on your taste.  Since it is crab meatballs, the taste of the crab is still intact regardless of how it was cooked.

Poem 162 - When I See You Cry

When I see you openly cry
I ask myself why
You don't hide your crying face
Must have been hard to cry in solace.

You really touch my heart
I can feel you're breaking apart
The pain must be unbearable
And you are not unbreakable.

Just cry and shed all the tears
Release the pain including all your fears
Crying will not make you a lesser man
It only shows that you're still a human.

I may never feel your pain
Or tell that you're still sane
The fact that you are crying
Must feel like you are dying.

I may not understand at all
The reason of your downfall
But rest assured I am here
You got my support and care.

Don't be ashamed to cry
And you don't have to tell the reasons why
As a friend, I am here for you
I will always stand by you.

Quote 324 - Having Fun

Quote 323 - Life

Food Trip 161 - Butong-butong

Whenever I go home, I never failed to notice this much-adored sweet treat which is definitely been around in our locality even before I was born.  I have no idea nor the people I've known about the origin of this sweet thing.

Butong-butong (stretch) is one of the much adored sweet delicacy in our place at around 60's to 90's.  I have witnessed its transformation from those large birds with black and red eyes made from seeds of a wild plant (which I missed) to about palm-sized interlaced appearance and now to about a bite-size only.  I guess with so much sweets and better tasting food, this homemade delicacy downsized its appearance but not its sweetness.

Butong-butong is made from the extract of a sugarcane.  While the pure sugar extract is melted, under a tolerable heat, the process is simple but a bit tiring.  The heated extract is now stretch until its white texture appears.  Since the appearance of the pure sugar extract is glossy deep brown (or something), it needs to be stretch until the desired whiteness is reached.  Once the extract becomes white, it is now formed into the different desirable shapes and sizes.

Poem 161 - Journey

It's two minutes past midnight
darkness yearns me to see some light
I'm in the middle of nowhere and all alone
I'm going home towards my bastion.

The destination is certain but the path is unknown
There's no telling if I'll ever make it on my own
I can only hope for a safe passage within this journey
And make it home by the first light of the day.

Home is where my heart and soul belong
It is like my all time favorite song
Its melody is soothing and a comfort to my soul
It is my everything or nothing at all.

So, here I am staring at a starry sky
Wishing at the stars to keep my spirit high
Hoping this journey will further strengthen me
And defy all odds along my way.

It is with great hope and aspiration
To my home I will always gladly return
My home makes my whole and sturdy
It makes me fight for this life with all its agony and glory.

Quote 322 - Falling

Quote 321 - Beautiful Day

Food Trip 160 - Tinolang Kadios

In our place, the word 'tinola' refers to any dish with soup.  It could either be meat, fish, or plain vegetables.

One time, I really craved for kadios.  Kadios is a bean that is commonly available in the Visayan region.  It is similar to red beans, black beans, and monggo. The soup becomes black in color once kadios is cooked.

One favorite dish that includes kadios is langka and pork.  Since langka is readily available almost the whole year around, people in our locality would always prepare this langka with kadios and pork.  

Every time I am in the province, I am always on the lookout for fresh fishes.  That time, I substituted pork with yellow fin tuna.  The preparation of the dish was simple.  After the kadios beans became tender, I added slices of tomatoes and onions.  After which I added slices of langka meat.  Once the langka meat became tender also, I then added some seasoning and the slices of yellow fin tuna.  Once the fish meat was cooked, it was done already.

Poem 160 - My Destiny

There is no telling
If you are the one for me
Let's leave that thing over time
If you will be my destiny.

I have no criteria whatsoever
For the one who's right for me
I am simply looking for someone
Who will lovingly share her life with me.

Rare is the find for the one
Who's a perfect match from heaven
All I could ever wish for
Is for her to become my heaven.

So, let's take some time
And find out the best in each other
Let's see if the company what we share
Has this gift of love to offer.

If one day we will find out
That we are simply dreaming
We can amicably part ways
And end without hurting.

But if ever you will be the one
Who loves to share her life with me
Then, I will gladly embrace you
And declare you as my destiny.

Quote 320 - Thank You

Quote 319 - You

Food Trip 159 - Ugdok

My nephew tried their new fishing rod being assembled by his father.  He spent almost two hours in the river trying to find out if he will be successful with the three fishing rods he brought.  His bait were small earthworms.

Instead of bringing home his catch, he went straight to our house and presented his catch that afternoon.  He was able to catch several fresh water fish and an eel which is known locally as 'ugdok.'  I asked him if he is particular with the taste of the eel but he had not yet tried eating that one.

After cleaning the eel by removing its intestine, he sliced the eel into several pieces.  We then rub salt to the eel together with other fishes in order to get rid of their slime.  Since it was already dinner time and we had enough viand that evening, we fried his catch and brushed oyster sauce the moment they turned brown.

It was my first time to eat that kind of eel together with some of my kin.  The body of the eel was a bit hard because of its large skeleton.  It is surprising however that its meat is soft and tasty, far better than other fresh water fishes I've tasted.  According to my brother, that kind of eel has nutrients compared with that of a duck.