LANTERN PARADE

A new girl after every lantern parade.

I don’t know why but that’s the way it was in the 4 years that I attended CLSU’s annual lantern parade. The last one before graduation was particularly memorable and unexpected.

Sixteen years after, the beautiful friendship known as JARMMS came together for a lantern parade. We have grown bigger, particularly Mimi of the letter M1 and Me-ann of the letter M2, and certainly looked our age. All are married except Aiisa of the letter A (and Dapo of the +D who opted to be a single Mom). Too bad Aiisa did not make it and Joan of the letter J had to leave early.

Our College of Education shared with the College of Business Administration and Accountancy the overall championship that night. And we rejoiced, for this triumph of Tarods of the letter R who is now college dean, but more for the friendship which have endured time…

SMOOTH AS SILK@12

My only regret as our marriage turned 12 is I have grown bigger. And looked older. Other than that, the love and the kids and the pansit are great!

JARMMS - JMM + D

We have not seen Aiisa (left), the letter A of a beautiful and enduring friendship known as JARMMS, since more than 10 years ago when she stood as one of the bridesmaids in our wedding. So when Daffo (second from Aiisa) called to say that Aiisa was around, I organized an impromptu party for her in my place. Tarods (third from left) of the letter R who was also our bridesmaid and who now sports a PhD after her name and who is now a college dean came with her hubby Elmer (fourth from left). My wife (right) was extremely delighted to meet my college friends. We SMS-ed Mimi of the letter M1 and Joan of the letter J. No news so far from Me-an of the letter M2. I am the letter S and dinner stretched until midnight with no end in sight for the catching-up stories until Elmer said “Cut!” when Tarods’ was about to narrate an aborted affair with a Thai gentleman. It was a beautiful night…

ANG ALAMAT NG LIHAM NA NILUNOD SA INODORO

Ewan
kung napansin mong
kulay asul ang luhang kumatas
mula sa sulat na matapos mong lamukusin
ay nilunod sa inodoro ng ‘sang tabong tubig
at kumitil sa lagablab ng murang pag-ibig.

Marahil
may tilamsik na umalpas
gumapang, dumikit sa ‘yong balat
mantsang nangati at kailangang kamutin
dalawamput-isang taon matapos mong lukutin
at 6,772 milyahe mula kung saan ito inilibing.

Baka lang
sa limang oras na inumit
ang nalusaw na talata’y bumalik,
duduyan sa iyong karinyo at lambing
at sa maligamgam na tsaa at kape’y ipagbunyi
ang panghihinayang at kinimkim na pananabik.

Siguro
ang bakas na naiwan sa aking puso,
at anino mong kumipkip sa aking braso
ang aaruga sa dighay ng masakit na puson
at ang marahil ay una at huling pahimakas nito
sa ala-ala ng sulat na inilibing sa inodoro.

AWIT NG ANAK-LUPA

Ang sumusunod ay akda ni Shubert Ciencia na nilapatan ng musika ni Nine Alcanzare para sa palabas ng LAHAR-GL noong 1993 sa CLSU.

MAGSASAKA:
Oo, tayo’y anak pawis
Sa araw at putik amoy panis
PInanday tayong mga lilik
Upang ang mundo’y ipaggiik

Huwag mong naising ipagpalit
Ang pamana sa pangarap na pilit
Ito’ng tumighaw sa dalit
Ng mga anak ng diyos na iniibig

Mabigat man ang araro at lubid
Madawag ang damo sa bukid
Lupa’y di dapat lisanin
Ito ang nagsilang sa mga bituin

AYTA:
May tuwa at galak na pagmasdan
Mga biyayang sa ati’y inilaan
Mga salagubang na nagliliparan
At papayang nagyayabangan

Kaydaming pangil, sungay at pakpak
Nakikipagtaguan sa mga bayawak
Namamahay sa mga puno at lungga
Tinutukso mga mangangaso ni Bathala

Apo Mallari, maraming salamat
Sa handog mong buhay at alamat
Lupang nagsilang sa lipi mong mahal
Binhi ng buhay na aming binubungkal