TAKE CARE

Taking impulsive action is inexcusable,
All of humankind learns that everywhere risk exists;
Knowing this makes sudden road rage unacceptable.
Error by old folks like me naturally persists;
Consciously doing injury,of course, is evil.
Ask your conscience in case of doubt; Avoid the Devil.
Routes not taken on your good guardian angels's promptings
Ensure safer journeys and less satanic temptings.

UNAWARE OF GOD

Under the shopping mall's capacious dome
Numerous last minute shoppers did come,
All intent on making a fine purchase.
Watch the hustle and bustle in that place!
Any bon mot piece at a bargain price?
Retailers love selling Yule merchandise:-
Everything is trivial... Well, no surprise;
Only nothing lasts when the sale is done.
For some a toy, a trinket; Soon they're gone...
God gave us a Gift that cannot be lost:-
Our Teacher, our Savior Jesus, our Host,
Deep in our hearts, given free, without cost.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

My very best wishes to all of you!
Enjoy loved ones' company, close friends' too;
Receive with joy, with pleasure give your gift;
Remember their Source never gives short shrift.
You and I must thank Him for we can still
Celebrate Christmas, not the doomsday drill.
Have a Happy New Year too, and let us
Replace hate, greed.envy, all things devious
In our hearts with God's boundless Love and Light,
So to end eons of bloodshed and blight.
The twenty-first day is now out of sight...
Maybe the Maya end-date signifies
An end to savagery, malice, and lies,
Shall Man deserve an earthly paradise?
Tomorrow, or soon, the righteous will win,
On 'doomsday' let us instead usher in.
A radiant dawn by the Light of the Dove...
Let us spread God's precious Gift from above:-
Look into your partner's eyes--it is LOVE!

NEWTOWN

No evil deed can triumph over God's Omnipotence.
Endeavor therefore to accept and look beyond the loss;
We cannot help but weep for children slain, that's no pretense.
Their tragic fate is inexplicable, only God knows...
Our faith in Him, though sorely tested, should not be shaken;
We know that innocent souls are by God ne'er forsaken.
Now in His safe embrace, they will in bliss awaken!

ALTRUISM

Ask not what our high government officials can do for you.
Let us ourselves act surely and do the best that we can do
To help the poor and suffering members of the human race;
Remember, we are all bound together in this 'testing' place.
Unless we learn to give and share our Almighty Lord's bounty,
In one lightning flash, we may find our treasure houses empty.
So with love and compassion be generous to the needy.
Make neighbors, even strangers, happy; Let us not be greedy.

UNCLE SAM

Uncle Sam is now more than two hundred years old.
Never was he portrayed as a young man and bold;
Costumed in top hat, suited in red, white, and blue,
Looking for patriots, pointing his finger at you...
Empires' rise to world power in the past did stall.
Soon, too, will Uncle Sam into bankruptcy fall?
All our leaders seemingly are just posturing.
Mayhap,'tis Uncle Sam's demise prefiguring..?

POVERTY

Poverty may just be a temporary karmic condition;
Obviously many escape from that miserable situation.
Voluntary indolence, however, is not the solution.
Every billionaire (or almost all of them) started from nothing;
Riches must always be counted from one penny or a farthing...
Though there are poor people, truth-seekers, followers of Christ Jesus,
Yet their wealth is beyond measure, God-centered, their gift most precious!

TESLA

To whom this brief prognostication may concern:
Erase all doubts and fears; Tesla made the right turn.
Soon our cars will run on energy electric,
Letting us breathe and live in a world less toxic.
A new dawn is breaking; Isn't that fantastic!

JUST BECAUSE

Just because you are a conservative Republican
Under no circumstance will you accept Obama's plan?
So, too, since some 'friends' are staunch and registered Democrats,
There is no chance that they will agree to all proposals
By those wealthy but parsimonious anti-liberals!
End result:- The imminent 'fiscal cliff' will come about,
Causing more misery to more people living without
Any habitable abodes or steady jobs; When will our leaders mature?
Urgent COMPROMISE could still stave off a gloomy future;
Statesmanship oft requires pragmatic flexibility:-
Exit from the cliff's route Now to safety and sanity!

UNCERTAINTY

Usually what we see with our own eyes is reality.
Nevertheless, scientists concede there is no certainty,
Commonly known as Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle,
Every particle may have dimensions more than quadruple.
Realizing that a photon has an atomic structure but acts like a wave,
There could be things seen as convex when in fact they are concave.
All men, even philosophers, must ultimately believe
In themselves, each one relying on his distinct perspective...
Now, on religious belief, no such 'uncertainty' applies.
To claim that your religion is better than mine is unwise.
Your God is the same Lord of us all 'flies'...Is that a surprise?

TRANSCIENCE

"The glory that was"...,describing Rome in the past tense,
Reminds us that we too live in a world in transcience.
A host of calamitous events plus a huge debt
Now hinders growth making many leaders look inept.
So must we wait in gridlock or drive in retrograde?
Come, come, Great Uncle Sam may stumble but will not fade,
If we clean our air and pursue strict austerity.
Excesssive partisanship is pure stupidity.
Now is the time for all to move with alacrity:-
Cease as soon as possible leaded gas emissions;
Electric cars, new 'tech' gadgets offer solutions...

HISTRION

Here today one can encounter many kinds of actors.
I warn you, some predators may look like benefactors;
Some can weave lovely tapestries to delight and entrap,
Then at rainbow's end there's no gold, you'll find nothing but crap.
'Ridi' Peralta! Laugh and perform your usual role:-
(I strut with bravado e'en when stuck behind the 8 ball)....
Off, off with these masks we wear when we go out on Life's stage;
Now in my old age, I'm trying to be Jesus Christ's page!

BREATHE DEEPLY

Breathe, inhale fresh air deeply (count up to twelve or as long as you can);
Re-oxygenate yourself from your toes to your brain, that is the plan.
Exhale thru your mouth using your belly muscles blow germs out:-Kaffee!
All toxins should be expelled, then inhale again for fresh air is free.
Take time to do this exercise at the park,on the beach or golf course;
However, stay away from smoke or vapors of questionable source.
Exercise your lungs too by singing arias with feeling and full force.

Do not forget that with each inhalation, you're breathing in
Energy from our Divine Creator and you can fill up gratis if you're w/o sin;
Even I, an imperfect being, can feel most of my ailments flee
Post haste, for the Merciful Lord's Life-giving presence gives good health free.
Like a baby learning to breathe, breathe from and thru the top of your head*:-
You will feel the surge of strength come pouring in; Trust God, be not afraid!


(*'bombunan' in Tagalog)

HEALTH TIPS

Hydrogen peroxide in liquid form
Experts in alternative cures inform:-
A couple of drops in your drink or food
Leaves your cells healthy, making you feel good.
Tumors and cancerous growths will soon shrink;
Have a juicer to make fruit juice to drink.
Try red apples to help you urinate
In spite of old age and enlarged prostate.
Please, in all things you do, be moderate;
Small bites and sips, so you won't suffocate!

THANKSGIVING

Thank you, Lord God Almighty, we thank you!
Heartfelt joy for the blessings you give us;
All share your bounty, except for a few...
No, not really; You know they're numerous.
Kindly lift those deserving from hunger,
Suffering and ignorance, so they may
Gather at Your Table and no longer
In despair engage us in bloody fray.
Visit abused Earth with Your Healing Hands,
Inspire total cleansing and renewal,
No stain should remain in our souls or lands;
Grant Peace and Vitality to us all!

CONSCIENCE (Memo for the I. & the P,)

Conscience does not make us cowards, not at all...
On the contrary, it warns us to think twice.
No sane person wants a global fireball.
Stop further escalation or pay the price!
Come talk together with Reason, without Spleen;
Is there no balm in Gaza, no Effendi?
Every tit for tat deepens the gulf between
Neighbors; Time to find a modus vivendi.
Conscience should make cowards of us after all...
End this feud, lest The Four Horsemen make their call!

WISDOM

Why do some people doubt the existence of God?
In this 'techno' age, is Man's intellect a 'dud'?
Scientists see that all matter is designed to move,
Does not that fact a 'Designer/Prime Mover' prove?
Oscillating things over our entire cosmos
Must dance sans faux pas or else fall into chaos!

CHARM

Change for the better requires some effort;
Hard times endured will in time bring comfort.
Always ask for the Almighty's support;
Right action may need some deep reflection.
Meditation leads to transformation...

DEVILISH

Don't blame the Devil entirely if you transgress;
Eventually you could end up blaming the Lord
'Vicariously', for He made that Source of Discord.
In fact, He created tempters and temptresses
Letting all play with us here (where our wills hold sway..?)
Inscrutable tho' He may be, Christ showed The Way,
So let not missteps lead to despair or dismay;
Hell can't keep you when repentance pulls you away.

CONTINUE

Continue your bad habits and you'll fall down a pit;
Obey the Master Tempter and soon you'll get _hit!
Neglect your studies and you'll remain a nitwit;
Try without limit the buffet and you'll vomit...
Indulge in casino gambling and you'll go broke;
Never help the poor and your riches turn to smoke.
Upend blocks to change thru daily meditation;
Endeavor to be better with resolution.

BLUE SHAFTS

Believe me, my friend, a blue shaft may pierce your mind,
Lifting that fog which since your birth has made you blind,
Unveiling to your soul the realm of the Divine.
Exclaim with awe and joy to see the whole world shine,
Surrender your whole being to God's Healing Light,
Have faith tho' God Himself is beyond skeptics' sight.
A swirling bluish radiance will overwhelm you,
Freeing you from pain and sorrow, making you NEW!
The secret to receiving the blessing of God:-
See Him in you! He gives you His Fatherly Nod!

A SECOND TERM (A Memo to the President)

A second term--God gave you one more chance,
So from your slips you may have learned, perchance...
Excise from government all surplusage,
Curtail needless expense; Have the courage
Or tact to disappoint opportunists;
Never underestimate 'terrrorists'.
Destroy, ere they bomb us, all anarchists!
Consider giving employers a break;
Halt their flight with a bigger piece of cake.
All suffer if Business becomes a wake;
No revenue could Uncle Sam collect...
Could you tolerate that gloomy prospect?
Elected to Act, please be circumspect.

OF LITTLE FAITH

On my friend's fishing boat one evening at San Francisco Bay,
Faith faltered as we fought the storm that from port drove us away.
Like Peter, I complained,"Oh,God! I never learned how to swim..."
Immediately thereafter, lightning flashed as I cried out to Him;
These were the words I heard even as I continued to pray:-
"There is no reason to fear so long as on My Path you stay."
Lost sheep are brought home by the Shepherd at the end of the day,
Even skeptics/atheists cannot from Him forever stray,
For He walks with and abides in us wherever we may be.
All He asks is that we open our minds so that we may see,
Instead of demons or the lashing storms in Life's ocean main,
The wondrous glory and magnificence of the Lord's Domain...
Have Faith, fear not the Grim Reaper, to die is to live again!

ON THIS ROCK

On top of the hill east of our grandmother's house
Nestled 'mongst the cogon where no animals browse,
There sat a slab of greyish pyramid-like rock
Half-hidden by the bush; I once climbed up to gawk
In awe at the sea and sky where the setting sun
Stroke its indigo brush to say the day is done,
Rousing me then that it was time for me to go...
(Our goats, unguarded, were still in the fields below.)
Chased by an unseen spirit, down the hill I flew;
Kids romped around me, we were going home, they knew!

PROBABILITY

Perhaps eons ago extraterrestrials came to Earth,
Recharged hominids thru DNA manipulation
Or interbred with the aborigines who gave birth,
Bestowing the planet with an 'improved' population:-
A well-formed humanoid with intellect and religion,
But with an overpowering urge for self-survival.
Instinctively, men choose the path ruled by beastly passion;
Like Cain our hate and envy are oft deep and viral.
I suspect we are under the ET's observation...
The end may be near for us savage but weak-willed outcasts;
You and I could turn to dust after some gamma ray blasts.

VLAD THE IMPALER

Voltaire observed that belief in absurdities
Leads the believer to commit atrocities.
Assured that the souls of his foes would torment him
Demon-possessed Vlad impaled them first as a whim;
Thought he a pole suffices to torture his foe.
He believed crucifixion is a big no--no,
Especially since he fought for the Christians then.
In those days, wars were frequent 'mongst kin and brethren...
Mankind at this time does not appear to have changed;
People go to church but most are from God estranged,
Always in pursuit of the Devil's sleight of hand,
Losing sight of our Almighty God's First Command:-
Elevate and worship no other god but Him...
Refocus or be impaled to a Fate most grim!

PATHETIC

Public office is a public trust,
And the public's FULL trust is a must.
Thanks to Benghazi trust turned to dust!
High officials' lies left me nonplussed;
Errors in judgment should not be glossed.
To lie when citizens' lives are lost,
Instead of doing a quick riposte
Casts the liar as a timid ghost.

"FORWARD"

For the independent or undecided voters, please note:-
Our government is being led into a fiscal collapse;
Re-electing the incumbent will for certain sink our boat.
What kind of man would allow a lady to be his scapegoat?
A puppet, sadly, cannot concede to any judgmental lapse;
Recall his unfulfilled promises, the economic paralysis he wrought?
Do you want to give him 4 more years to roll nothing but craps?

FALSITY

For a week, our officials stuck to their 'malarkey';
Assiduously tall-telling, not batting an eye.
Let that fabrication fall so the public may see
Sheer irresponsibility and why they did lie...
It is manifestly the height of stupidity
To deny earnest requests for more security,
Yet it seems grubbing for votes had the priority!

CHUTZPAH

Calling an opponent in a debate a felon
Has the effect of putting the caller in that state,
Unproven ad hominems just make one a moron;
This nation's problems cannot be solved by spreading hate.
Zealous research of past mistakes by leftist leaders
Persuades this voter to reject welfare state pleaders.
Ask him who keeps haranguing voters to go 'Forward'
How...when for almost the past 4 years he drove backward!

GOD'S GIFT

God, I think. does not enter into covenants;
Obey Him or not, that's entirely up to you.
Did He not give you your free will? All He wants,
Since we human beings here on Earth do go thru
Great obstacles and challenges, is that we must
Intensify our faith and our efforts to save
First and foremost before our bodies turn to dust
That which is the most precious gift our Lord God gave...
(our immortal souls.)

A SORRY STATE

A sorry state indeed our embattled human race is in,
Since Eve and Adam in Eden committed their/our First Sin.
Our exile to this world requires of us hard work to survive;
Remarkably, there are 7 billion plus of us alive,
Regardless of our poor Planet Earth's depleted resources...
Yet today our focus should be to resist Satan's forces,
Since we are beings not merely material or corporeal.
The destination of Mankind is in the realm spiritual...
A mere beast cannot survive without food or if kept famished;
The famished human soul can fly back to God if untarnished.
Expose your contrite heart to Him and be reborn unblemished!

ABYSMAL

About four years ago you asked for 'Change';
By next month you will choose again. How strange,
You seem not too enthused at all today.
Saw you the abysmal play yesterday?
Mitt Romney obviously was the winner,
And B.Obama, a flustered spinner.
Let's sack Barack, the off-track RUINER!

INTERLUDE

I bravely travel quite alone at night,
'Neath my warm sheets by out-of-body flight.
'Tis but my restless soul, never sleeping,
Exploring places that I've been keeping
Locked in my mind in vivid memory:-
Untouched by Time--our manse, a 2-story...
Did not Grandma's demesne stand over there?
Evanescent...! Not e'en an empty chair...!

SWEETHEARTS' HAVEN

Soul mates' paths are by the Fates oft severed;
Willy-nilly flowing as in a dream,
E'en though by Eros' arrows encumbered,
Each soul finds a fork--a separate stream.
Tormented by their schism, a sort of
Hunger drives the souls to seek each other,
Except seldom do they find their lost love...
Alas, they drift from partner to partner,
Rejecting all, searching on forever...
There is a Place where one can discover
Sweethearts together and parting never.

Here they are welcomed by a symphony,
A blend of dancing lights and joyful song,
Views of God's Cosmos and an angelic throng,
Ethereal beings all in harmony,
Now re-united--in God's company.

LAUGHABLE

Loud demonstrations and lamentations cannot erase
A mounting sixteen trillion dollars of indebtedness,
Unless our more percipient leaders decide to replace
Gargantuan wasteful stimulus-giving with SPENDING LESS.
However, how could this be achieved without a budget?
Allowing printing dollars unchecked plus more borrowing
Baloon further that fragile bubble--our huge deficit!
Let us on Election Day vote Mitt Romney to fix it.
Excuse us, B.O., we want a future less harrowing...

THOU SHALT NOT KILL

'Thou shalt not kill', said our Almighty Lord;
However, we still dare to flaunt His Word.
Over and over we engage in war,
Using deadly weapons, soon even nuclear.
Sensible people certainly must know
Havoc/chaos will spread and blood will flow;
Apocalypse, as foretold, could occur,
Looming perhaps just around the corner...
Terrorists bent on dealing destruction,
Not just against one civilized nation
Or neighbor but to all peoples on Earth,
To themselves too; So what's their 'jihad' worth?
Know they not what happened to Gomorrah?
I strongly suggest some learned mullah
Lift the veil of hate from our brothers' eyes,
Lest our whole unconciliable race dies!

ADVERSITY

Acknowledging the inevitable
Determines one's appropriate action...
Vacillation risks annihilation.
Elapsed time shows incontrovertible
Rigidity of the rogue's objective:-
Supremacy of bloodthirsty Islam,
In spite of the Quran's imperative.
Thus, who urged our envoy killed, their Imam?
Yet, Uncle Sam must make a salaam...?

TRY AGAIN

Try again, for losing is not in vain.
Rid from your mind those fears, forget the pain.
You can leap o'er that bar, reach for your star,
And you'll be what you imagine you are...
Go back first to our Lord God's Holy Place
And be replenished by His Divine Grace.
If you failed Him thrice, that is no disgrace.
Ne'er give up, for with God you'll win Life's race.

SMILE

So you got scammed and you fumbled again;
May I remind you to close eyes and ears,
If promised rainbows by sirens in tears.
Let not be fooled by the same sad refrain,
Emptying your pockets gives you no gain.

TRANSMUTED

The rage of the oppressed cannot be calmed by cold/clear reason;
Rogue bands have spread like wildfire during Sta.Ana season...
Attackers against United States officials abroad
Not only demonstrate a deep hatred for the West's inroad
Societal also cultural into their vast region.
Most observers could not see the root cause of this contagion:-
Underneath those soiled Middle Eastern robes, turbans, and trappings
There smoulder countless pyres of victims, fellow human beings
Exiled from their place in the sun by past conquerors and kings.
Do transmute hate with more compassion, not by dollar leavings...

INTROSPECTION

I do sometimes in thought fly back in time,
Not to relive some escapade or crime;
Though there are things that I recall in bed
Regurgitating my dinner with dread...
On one occasion, in silence I flew
Seventy years back to this rendevous:--
Payocpoc Norte's Gabaldon Building,
Elementary school teachers scolding
Children bound for Grade One but not in line;
There in the classroom I was safe and fine,
I had for my teacher--my own Mother.
On that day Mom said, "Let's sing together."
No pencil, no paper; But no bother...
(A,B,C.D,E,F,G,etc...)


















e

NONCHALANCE

Never say you are 'not concerned' with your suffering neighbor.
Of course, you are; we all are, all good Christians are! Belabor
Not the stats that almost half our citizenry does not pay,
Could not or need not pay the Federal Income tax; Just say-
Here is what I plan to do if given your full trust and favor:-
A less intrusive central government, fewer bureaucrats,
Lower taxes, and no more loopholes for corporate fat cats;
A budget plan to effectively reduce our borrowings.
No more mere politesse 'gainst terrorist groups, no more warnings...
Claim, for every innocent life lost, a thousand from our foes,
Egregious killers whom even their own Deity disavows!

(The penultimate line above may need some expatiation:-
I would prefer that a thousand apologies, regrets, tears,
maybe epiphanies/illumined perceptions be our recompense from
our enemies. But as my Uncle Zaling once said, "By far, it is
more compassionate to kill a dog maddened by rabies than to let
it go free and spread its contagion.")

THE ARAB SPRING

The American Flag is in flames in many lands...
How can anyone find Peace 'mongst these rioting bands?
Easy to shout "Death to America", e'en trampling
And kicking Old Glory to the dust; (A mere sampling...)
Rest assured there will soon be, after this Arab Spring,
A real conflagration that the Almighty will bring
Back to the slayers of innocent non-combatants,
So that they, their abettors, and other protestants
Properly may do jihad by batt'ling their own ills,
Rather than displaying their uncouth, barbaric skills.
Ignorance of diplomatic rules is no excuse;
No Arab Spring will last; No true Muslim can abuse
God's Mandate and His Ultimate Penalty refuse...

MASTICATE

Marx' dream of achieving a classless society,
Also familiarly known as a 'socialist' state
Seems to work for communes; For a small community
That acts in synergy but could also deviate,
If necessary, from its central authority...
Communism for large and diverse aggrupations
Always fails, as demonstrated by various nations
That also experimented in 'lev'ling the field'...
Expect Barack Obama's to have a diff'rent yield?

AFFORDABILITY

(When my pockets are empty, I sometimes
find myself doing soliloquies...)

Ask not what God ought give to you,
For He has given you enough;
For your eyes, He gave you a view
Of myriad stars and cosmic stuff,
Reminding you where you came from...
Discover more the gifts He gave:-
A mind inquisitive, not dumb;
Bestowed with Life from birth to grave,
Infused with an immortal soul!
Loved by a Compassionate God,
I feel the luckiest of all
To find myself above the sod...
Yes, world, the Lord has me in thrall!

DISHONOR (T0:___________________)

Did Allah or His Prophet order you to riot and kill
Innocent people who had nothing to do with the movie
Supposedly distorting your religious faith and your good-will?
Have you seen the film or just heard about it topsy-turvy?
Our deep respect for Mahomet and the Sacred Quran is true:-
Never will we spill the blood of those who know not what they do.
Obviously, those who slew our young,well-liked U.S.Ambassador
Reaped nothing for themselves but utter disgrace and DISHONOR!

WARNING

Wanton killers of inn'cent people are accurs'd!
All of them, their leaders too, shall suffer the worst
Retributive punishment that Our Lord can give.
No trespasser/slayer may be given reprieve;
International legal precepts must prevail!
No barbarian should be allowed to wreak travail...
God, show the wicked, their deeds are of no avail!

BELIEF CAN BE TRUE

Beachcombing along Sweet Memories' shore,
Exploring for nuggets, treasures galore,
Looking for gems swept to me by Time's tide,
I suddenly remember I decried,
Eons ago so it seems, my soul mate
Fading away with the gray mists of Fate...
Could Eros fly beyond the sands of Time
And guide lost lovers to a better clime,
Not to where they will again be parted
But where forever Love is requited
Exultantly ecstatic and carefree?
Today on Pacifica's beach I see
Rocks, sand, some screeching sea gulls up above;
Unless my feeble mind is fooling me,
Each heartbeat is whisp'ring: "Here am I, Love!"

ESCAPE

Ensure your grip at Spirituality;
Soon you will shuffle off your mortal coil.
Clean house, strengthen your soul's fidelity,
All temptng mundane lures you now must foil.
Pack no baggage to your destination;
Enter free God's etheric dimension.

SELF-RELIANCE

Survive as best you can with what you have;
Expect no helping hand, handout, or salve.
Live on income you have earned thru the years,
Forego freebies; On your own sweat and tears
Rely; On your Imagination too!
Exert your best and God will see you through.
Look not with envy at the filthy rich,
If you don't wish to stumble down a ditch;
And if someday you will at last prosper,
Need you be reminded on the proper
Course to take? Share God's Bounty but with care,
Each harvest time you will have more to spare.

BARACK OBAMA

By now, it should be quite obvious to all--
A hybrid state is our President's goal,
Regrettably, he may have been naive,
As Greed detoured him from his objective;
Cronies who received 'stimulus' money
Kept most for themselves; It isn't funny.

Our nation must remain Freedom's bastion;
Businesses do need some regulation,
At best, a restrained and reasoned caution...
May there be less wealth accumulation,
And more joy in spreading our compassion.

SKEPTICISM

Summing up: What ails the human race today?
Know then:- Man's Greed, this is the main reason why.
Engrossed in transient pursuits, to God's dismay,
People seem uncaring if the end is nigh,
Tho' there are a few who have expressed some fear;
Indeed, December 21st date is near!
Comets or meteors could on our Earth descend.
If this occurs, would it then spell mankind's end?
So long as there still remains one righteous soul,
Merciful God may yet deign to save us all.

CONJECTURE

Christ did not tell us to commit suicide;
Ourselves in good health we must keep with pride.
No,no! I will not turn my other cheek
Just to be struck again; I'm not that meek.
Expect me to avoid another blow,
Courage and common sense, I hope, I'll show
To calm down a fellow human being
Upset, perhaps unwell and unseeing...
Regard all persons as temples of God,
Even in anger we ought not spill blood.

SEPTEMBER SONG

See that old man dozing on his front porch,
Erstwhile exemplar who passed on the torch;
Portray him as cosmologist sterling.
Thinks he:- He knows why the world is whirling,
Expanding and twirling--at God's command,
Moving like a top on the Master's Hand.
But now here comes the Labor Day parade...
Exit--cosmic dreams; Enter--Life's charade,
Roaring crowds disperse and soon thereafter
September's jobless woes drown out laughter.
On cue, next will come on stage October,
November, December! Do they portend
God's judgment:--Cyclic rebirth or Man's end?

APOCALYPSE

An asteroid as large as Manhattan,
Perhaps destined to wield the coup de grace
Out from the Ort Cloud, will it finish Man?
Civilization ends like Gomorrah?
Are we all in God's sight contemptible?
Like the dinosaurs, shall our race vanish?
Yes, but our souls are incorruptible;
Promised by Christ, we too shall not perish,
Soul/Energy is indestructible;
Eternal Life is no whimsical wish!

NOSTALGIA

Nights make me fly to Dreamland across time
On soft-winged moonbeams that keep filt'ring in;
Some past and future scenes come pouring in...
Those beck'ning shades were my partners in crime--
All urging me to cross the River Styx!
"Legs, Orly, Bloney...guys, you've gotta wait.
"Give me more time to do my acrostics;
"I fear our world is in a sorry state,
"An Apocalypse end could be my fate..."

SIMPLICITY

Somebody should point out that global economy
Is cyclic:- Rapid growth will dip to recession,
Maybe, even to depression and anomie;
Politicizing won't solve the situation.
Let laissez-faire be incentivized to venture,
Invade the global market thru innovation;
Chronic stimuli can lead to misadventure.
In lieu of more taxes, reduce regulation.
The cycle will oscillate back to rapid growth;
Young capitalist entrepreneurs, be not loathe...

INSIGHTS

I have to tell the world lest I forget these dreams:-
Nighttime opens the mind to anguished cries and screams...
So many people in the streets, all in despair,
I saw some throwing paper money in the air,
Groups ransacking and gangs in bloody free-for-all.
How did our mighty nation come to this downfall?
Take a look at our 'dead presidents' in huge heaps!
Scatter more as our Lady of Liberty weeps...

SILENCE

So softly on my balding pate a droplet fell;
I knew 'twas but a harbinger, it wished to tell:-
"Let not the rain catch you out here, old man; Go home
"Ere you get soaking wet... You're safe where you came from."
Needless to state, in the dry confines of my car
Came this sobering thought as from a shooting star:-
Each storm you send me, Lord, drives me to where You Are!

THE PRESIDENCY

There is no such thing as transparency;
Heads of State are bound never to disclose,
Even in an extreme emergency.
Presidents don't tell e'en when the world knows...
Read tight lips when there is risk of total
Extermination. Is there need to hide
Secrets when chaos can become global?
If our Earth's two hemispheres will get fried,
Do they scare or care and just smile and stall...?
Every star supposedly has its twin:-
Nemesis then, which is our Sun's, may call...
Can he be stopped if he comes rushing in?
You can bet your whole quanta, not at all.

HUMILITY (A Prognostication)

How did these motley ephemerons figure out-
Using planetary motion could bring about
Multi-ringed Saturn within Curiosity's scan?
It seems that there is more than meets the eye in Man;
Looking so fragile and weak, yet he's no looney
If he knows E=MCsquared...(No puny!)
This race will soon equal the best of creation:-
Your new member in Galactic Federation!??!

SYCOPHANT

Self-examination must be performed:-
Your motivation oft becomes deformed.
Can you honestly state you go to church
Or temple as part of your life-long search,
Pursuing the Holy Grail, or aloud
Hallelujah-ing with a servile crowd,
All praying for some temporal award?
Next time, we ought to give Him due regard:-
"Thank you, Lord, your Love is our Best Reward."

SYMBIOSIS

Storms and high floodwaters do not a doomsday make;
Your gen'rous help will give the flood victims a break.
Monsoon season, I believe, will soon be over;
Bright sunny days will help our country recover,
If only we have the good sense to discover
Our forests and rivers never should be abused,
Slum shelters under bridges should not be excused.
Individual initiative and prompt action
Should save us from floods and plagues thru sanitation.

POLYGLOT

Pinoys pick up foreign words easily;
Our countrymen abroad quite readily
Learn when their bosses are truly angry
Yowling or just exhausted and hungry.
God made Pinoys not only bilingual;
Language-adepts, most are multilingual...
Our skills gather not just surface meanings,
Tho' unspoken, we sense thoughts--our gleanings.

BULWARKS

By the wayside, I saw a leafless, lifeless twig;
Useless, so it seemed, slashed off from its tree--a fig.
Luckily, I have a small front yard garden, too.
With plants bursting in bloom, acrostics quite a few;
Aha, a timely prop, this stick could surely be!
Rhyming acrostics in my book, the world should see,
Kept proud and unbowed by a dead twig from a tree.
Someday when I'm dead, will my 'stics be props? Maybe...

BULWARK

By Jove, old man, don't lose the power of your mind;
Use the strength of your imagination to find
Long forgotten realms where once you ruled and tarried...
"Where up my castle's tower, I boldly carried
"A maiden fair with raven hair and big black eyes?
"Last night I seemed to hear her laughter and her sighs;
"Remember her? Of course, I do know where she lies.
"Kingdoms vanish, but in my heart Love never dies!"

2. BURLESQUE

'Blame everybody but yourself'- is how politicians thrive,
Urging their raucous supporters to rely on promises,
Raising unfav'rable stats, citing global problems to drive
Likely rivals from running for high government offices.
Every economist knows not just one person is to blame;
Sadly, all of us took part in creating this world malaise.
Quodlibet:- We are all in a quicksand...Put no one to shame.
Use the situation to endure derision with good grace...
Economic growth and expertise should soon gain worldwide praise!

1. BURLESQUE

Blame, blame, blame! Blame the cruel Fates,
Uncontrolled inherited traits;
Read the lines written on your palm:-
Long life and riches... What a sham!
E'en now at age seventy-nine,
Skep is wont to complain and whine:-
Quo vadis, fellow homo sap?
U-turn now and follow Christ's map,
Ere you fall into Satan's trap!

KALEIDOSCOPE

Keep searching for God's Truth, if you are still in doubt;
A skirmish or a battle of wits you may lose...
Losing, however, does not mean you're down and out;
Extricate your mind from the kid's playpen, and choose
Instead the real gems in all religious beliefs.
Don't be confounded by fools' dogmatic 'pyrites';
Odd interpretations need more modern motifs...
Soon, I do hope, Science will replace false 'insights'.
Could Science and Religion have 'One Isotope'?
Of course, this was Pierre Teilhard de Chardin's vision;
Precepts of all faiths merge in God's kaleidoscope,
Eventually fuse as One thru Evolution!

PAWNSHOP

Pursuing Lady Luck could lead you to this place:-
A shop where gamblers pledge their gems with a grimace,
Where jewelry and their owners are soon parted.
New pledgors keep going back once they have started,
So that as time goes by, the pawnshop's clientele
Have to fall in line to receive their bagatelle...
Oh, never a borrower nor a lender be;
Pawnshops flourish because of gambling fools like me.

AFFINITY

Am I composed of quanta recycled
From long dead geniuses and scalawags,
From my own past lives to be reshackled?
Infused by poets and beggars in rags?
Now that I am back here on Planet Earth,
I keep stumbling like I did in the past,
Trying to encircle Pleasure Dome's girth...
Yonder, not far, I see His Light--at last!

DOUBTFUL

Dare to pierce that shadow of doubt!
Organized religion's redoubt
Uses 'revealed' myths to mandate
Belief in tales that suffocate
Truth bolstered by scientific
Facts, as for instance, poetic
Usage to depict heroic
Leader Joshua--too fantastic...

JELLYFISH

Jellyfish swarm the sea coasts of La Union
Every dry season from May to November;
Lucky for them, they are not for consumption.
Let your tourist guest just be a beachcomber,
You can then explain why the jellyfish thrive...
Fishermen cut into bits these 'fragile' things;
If thrown into the sea, the pieces survive.
So, too, from slain Christ followers new life springs;
Have faith, Aurora, your loved ones now have wings!

AURORA

Ask not why inn'cent blood had to be shed;
Untimely deaths turned Colorado red,
Reminding us we're just on testing ground.
Our anguished hearts should hear His Voice Profound:-
"Remember, human, all these souls are Mine.
"All must learn to love...; to forgive--divine."

3,) AMALGAM

A human soul being indestructible
May not remain at rest for eternity;
A rebirth is concededly possible,
Living more than once is opportunity
Given to one like me to be more humble,
And, I guess, to learn to be a good Christian,
Moor, Buddhist, Gnostic, and/or Atenean...

The Internet

There is a garden, other than Eden, that our Lord made,
Here thoughts and images are posted, nurtured, and displayed.
Everybody can enter and record his opinions,
Including Belzeebub and the Adversary's minions.
Now this once pristine spot is like a crowded marketplace;
There are schemers, scammers, and filth purveyors in showcase,
Exaggerated claims and downright lies are advertised.
Regardless of the above deceits, you might be surprised--
Now and then from your incoming messages you will find
Ethereal beauty, some poetry, an insightful mind;
Thus, the Tempter's blandishments can be readily declined.

LEAPFROG

Leaping from the back of polytheism,
Early man landed on monotheism.
Aton was the God of Egypt for a while...
Plural deities then returned along the Nile.
From One God to Many, from Many to One,
Rome's Emperor Constantine 'for a while' won--
One God for One World--But was this meant to be?
Go back to Rome to hear 'Urbi et Orbi!'

2. AMALGAM

Altho' scientists say Energy is Indestructible,
Many of them. nevertheless, see no need for a First Cause.
Atheists use their thought energies to maintain and espouse-
"Life after Death is a vain hope and Heaven Implausible,
"God being from man's murky mind to soothe him when he suffers..."
And yet a flower surfaces from a pond's murky waters;
Maybe, the Divine Truth that blooms from men's minds is what matters!

1. AMALGAM

A Christ-believer must love his neighbor,
Mahomet's Moors have only One Allah,
And a Buddhist soul must meet his karma.
Life's stormy seas must have some safe harbor;
Gautama's people sail for Nirvana,
And others hope to meet God face to face...
Might not an Amalgam give more solace?

LIVE AND LET LIVE

Let God be the Sole Arbiter, not you;
In time, your enemies will have their due.
Victims of injustice and bias will
Eventually but surely prevail till
All tyrants and oppressors disappear.
New Edens will flourish, be of good cheer.
Do, to past foes, be kind and forgiving.
Let bygones be bygones and start living;
End all bloodshed and console the grieving,
There is more joy in sharing and giving.
Look into the depths of your neighbor's soul:-
Its Source, like yours, is God--our Final Goal!
Veni,Vidi...and Mercy,Lord, I pray...
Exculpate the human race, si'l vous plait!

A SMALL CUP

Arius versus Athanasius--and the latter won;
So now the Catholic Church insists God is Triune...
Mahomet's angel however told him God is One.
Apparently, truth-seekers must broaden their vision:-
Long ago, kings (altho' mortals) were considered gods;
Let us not close our minds and remain such stupid clods.
Constantine exiled Arius because of politics;
Unless I'm wrong, this dispute is on mere semantics,
Pervasive Divine Force should be in God's Cosmic Mix.

VINCITHUR

Vern, let me tell you what your 2nd name signifies:-
It is not just a compound of your Mom's name and mine,
Nor did I plan to give you an Arthurian disguise.
Compassion after Victory is your name's design,
(Intentionally masculinized is the word 'ruth'),
Thus, Victory with Mercy is the connotation.
Hiding there is a gentle victor, and that's the truth!
Unleash the power of your unique appelation;
Reclaim your name and bring your old woes to cessation...


Happy Birthday, Be Happy, Healthy & Take Care!

FOR JIGS

I wish you, Jigs, happy happy birthday
And may you have countless more...like today!
May you always be in the honors' list;
Prosper, live long and hale, Dame Fortune-kissed...
Reach out for and actualize your life's dreams,
Out-distance past distractions, wiles, and screams;
Up, soar high up Genentech's firmament,
Dare to face any test or tournament;
Odds are that you will win, Jigs Galahad,
Fate favors Grail seekers; Be safe, be glad.
You truly deserve the noble knight's name;
Our wish--that you too will gain worldwide fame:-
"Ultra magna cum laude!" our acclaim!

PUERILE

Promises, promises,
Unfulfilled promises...
Each survey surmises
Reds may win, Blues may lose;
I am inclined to choose
Leaders, not amateurs
Endorsed by saboteurs!

HOMO SAPIENS

Here on Earth human beings live...but for how long?
Over 7 billion people strong,
Marvelous fruit of the tree of evolution,
Our form thru adaptive mutation...
Sadly, Homo is still not so sapient today;
As of this writing, to our dismay,
People continue to bomb and kill each other,
Indeed, e'en brother against brother!.
East is east and West is west, and the twain do greet--
Not in peace but in battle we meet...
Shall our story end in bloody, futile defeat?

3.) DROPPINGS

Doddering old senior citizen
Ranting against flying denizen,
Obdurate for slipping and stumbling,
Picking up dropped cane and stuttering,
Pausing to breathe a sigh, still grumbling:--
I blame all those sea birds scattering
New droppings on the beach strollers' path...
"Go home,grandpa, and temper your wrath;
Seagulls void avoid...or take a bath."

2.) DROPPINGS

Did God direct meteors and comets to impact on Earth,
Re-seeding it with creatures having transient lives--like man?
On the other hand, if God be the Tree, then His fruit can--
Pursuant to His Plan, in due course evolve and give birth,
Perhaps to a less savage and more durable being;
In fine, to homo superior, god-like, and immortal.
No harm future meteor swarms or comets falling can bring;
Grave disasters to the pure of heart will not be fatal,
Since souls unblemished are rewarded with Life Eternal.

1.) DROPPINGS

Death, chuck that shroud;
Roust out the crowd.
Old but unbowed,
Poor but uncowed,
Perhaps, too proud,
I can fly home.
No need to come
Get this old bum...
Slink away, chum.

(I ain't ready yet.)

GLIMPSE

God pervades but transcends all of His creation,
Logically incomprehensible but true...
If I may, here is a simple demonstration:
My eyes tho' closed, my mind could see a kind of hue--
Purple, vermilion, green, gold, coruscating blue...?
Swirling shafts blend then become One Splendorous Light!
Ere you go to sleep, get a glimpse of God tonight...

LIKE A DREAM

Look up towards the southwestern part of the night sky;
If you find there one huge star with bright blue shafts flashing,
Know that that could be a supernova presaging
End of our world, and most of humankind soon will die!
Are we then to be cast down to some low parapet?
Don't we deserve entry to a higher dimension?
Revivify us, O Lord; At your highest turret
Enlighten our minds with keener cosmic perception
And send our souls back on the path of evolution...
May Omega-point be reached with our sharper vision!

SOUL MATE

Someday, my dear, I know we two shall meet again...
Only now we must part after my brief sojourn;
Ulysses-like, I have to cross that darkling main,
Like his belov'd, you too may have to wait and mourn,
Mayhap, thru many seasons and lifetimes--to live
Amongst princesses,beggars,slaves,and mighty kings;
Thru all that panoply that Destiny may give,
Eagerly shall I come for you on lover's wings!

CONJECTURE

Commit, confront, and concentrate;
On fairways never denigrate
No matter how sloppy their state.
Judge not the group ahead--(old chaps)...
Excuse never your own mishaps;
Consider how one day my ball
Took flight to a neighboring hole,
Undoubtedly, a golfer's ace!
Regrettably, at the wrong place.
Exploits can land you in disgrace...

I ACCEPT

Inevitably, all of us must move on;
A new flower blooms when the last rose is gone...
Can you prevent another dawn from breaking?
Can anyone halt an earthquake from shaking?
'End-times' is just a prod from God's mighty rod.
Perhaps, a falling star or another flood...
These global changes are by the hand of God.

TO CRONIES - SAY NO

There will be 'friends' who will take advantage of your position
Only to push you later into depths of humiliation...

Consider what some public officials are doing today:-
Refusing to declare their true net worth as required by law,
Omitting to list all bank assets so as not to display
Numerous substantial and sudden monies-in and out-flow...
Is this cascade of monies due to the dollar exchange rate?
Exceedingly lucrative then for one could accumulate
Such huge sums of dollars! People now suspect and speculate...

Say 'Never' if your friend asks you to hide his ill-gotten gain;
An oath is sacred; From giving false testimony-- refrain!
You in public office are astute, of this I've no doubt.

Need you throw your lot (and crown) to a pit where you can't get out?
Oh, let not the glitter of gold blind you and make you a lout!

IDOLATRY

I shouldn't get too attached to anything corporeal,
Definitely, not to mere playthings material...
Out there on display to the worshippers of Baal--
Long tables of worldly treasures--all ephemeral;
A kingdom with a treasury of gold and silver,
Trunks of medals and prizes for the 'high achiever';
Regrettably, these Tempter's gifts pull you to his pit.
You go ahead, grab one...and you could go down with it!

EASY MONEY

Easy for Uncle Sam to pay back the trillions he borrowed;
All he has to do is to print more dollars by the truckload.
Some creditors, however, must be getting apprehensive;
Years of repeated borrowing has become too expensive.
Moans and groans from the taxpaying citizens, he does not heed;
Ominous warnings are drowned by cronies and corporate greed...
No need to worry, Uncle Sam will have more money next year,
Everyone will be taxed to his eyebrows, this route seems quite clear.
Your children and grandchildren will bear the burden too, I fear...

BLUE EAGLE

Bred to dissect. debate, and dissent,
Last to follow the herd and consent;
Utterly fixated in his views,
Every critic 'gainst him is bad news;
Even his friends avoid argument,
Ateneans like him--like cement.
Grin and bear it, if he can't believe.
Let Skep alone...For him please don't grieve.
Eagles fly high for Truth to perceive.

BADINAGE

Birthdays mean--food!
A happy dude
Def'nitely could
Influence mood.
Nix gloom, don't brood;
A hungry hood
Gifted good should--
Enjoy the food!

GAIETY IS OK

Gay people have soulmates too like you and I,
And souls, as you well know, never never die.
It could happen that true lovers formerly
Entwined 'Joe' and 'Jane' were parted forcibly,
Thus, they continue to yearn for unity:--
You shouldn't scoff at lovers thru eternity...
Is this perhaps Mother Nature's solution,
Since Earth is faced with over-population?
Oppressors who claim to know propriety
Know naught about civilized society.

MIRACLES HAPPEN

Miracles do not happen any more.
It is unwise to claim God talked to you;
Rouse not your neighbor to tell something new,
As messengers will be scorned as before...
Christ in his hometown could not be believed.
Like a coconut, He fell from God's tree;
Entombed, his disciples just fled and grieved.
Soon Christ took root, bore fruit to make men free...

However, He may yet be crestfallen
As more men from His Path have departed.
People on Life's road strayed or have fallen;
Pilgrims in search of Truth have been thwarted.
End-times this century is prophesied:--
Now, ere it is too late, be on Christ's side!

GOD'S SONG

Gluons, quarks, muons, and leptons
Osculate and become protons;
Due to apposite attraction
Swift electrons play rotation,
So atoms to embryos are formed.
One more task needs to be performed:-
(New soul--assign to the foetus;)
God did....Then why the quietus?

POINT OF VIEW

Perhaps, first off to you I must make clear:-
Of course, you may by all means disagree,
I'll not debate with you, please have no fear;
Nor shall I claim to any nth degree
That my acrostics are totally free
Of tarnish or fancy embellishments;
For you,dear reader,have your own outlook,
Views, prejudices, and accomplishments.
I merely hope that you will find my book
Enlightening, a bit enjoyable
With spice--to make you uncomfortable...

SUPERNOVAE

Some huge stars that go supernovae,
Using the death blow of gravity,
Put their rare elements into play.
Expelled 'dust' of massive quantity
Re-form to solidification;
New stars and planets are thusly born.
Old to new things thru star destruction...
Vern, there's no reason to be forlorn;
A recycled life--no one can scorn,
Every human is stardust reborn.

LONE TREE

Leaning slightly eastward toward the morning sun.
On top of a hill covered with sharp-leaved cogon,
(Not easy to reach)--there stood a lone guava tree.
Each time that I looked, it kept beckoning to me:-
"There is fruit here for you to gather, and it's free!"
Reach for free fruit hidden in books and you will see
Each branch of knowledge too has truths for you to pluck.
Each 'learning' day you miss means you are out of luck.

MIRACLES

Melodious symphonic themes keep streaming in my mind...
In truth, a concert evening may not let me unwind;
Rather than relax, I oftentimes critique instead,
As I drum my fingers in time or sometimes ahead.
Could a mere fiddler be another Toscanini?
Loud trumpets blare Tchaikovsky's theme:--His Fourth's finale,
Except that this April eve, we have Itzhak Perlman
Sedately conducting from his chair...Thank God, he can!

IDIOCY

If only one hundred forty-four thousand souls
Deserve to be called on Judgment Day to Heaven,
It seems to me such a dire prophecy is false.
Over six billion sinners won't be forgiven?
Could we not also plead diminished sanity?
Your Divine Mercy, grant us, O Lord Almighty!

ATTACHED

At my age, I have become attached to too many things:-
To my meager pension and the transient comfort it brings,
To this easy-going character I have learned to play,
And to our quite risky material world where now I stay...
Could I move on, Lord, and perhaps join your angelic choir?
"How can you leave? You still have that intense secret desire
"Enthralling you with dreams of untold wealth, power, and fame.
"Detach those chains and here find your place reserved in your name."

PERCIPIENCE

Put to good use your instinctive common sense;
Exclude from religious beliefs all nonsense.
Regard myths for what they are, also fables.
Can so many sects have different Bibles?
It would seem that it was Jesus Christ who tried
Practicing 'common sense' religion, but died
In His attempt to correct the Pharisees'
Extremely stringent and outdated decrees...
Not even God may stop work on Sabbath day;
Can you breathe if He goes on a holiday?
Egregious religious beliefs--cast away!

CATCH UP

Climb up to your place in modern society.
Archaic rituals like female circumcision
Today are deemed unnecessary cruelty.
Continue to spread your nation's education.
Here, hold on to our hand as we reach out in Peace.
Unchain yourselves from ancient misinformation;
Protect and respect God's temples (our bodies), please!

ACROSTICS

As you will soon discover, the title may not
Convey at all the message in the acrostic.
Rather, it is like a cord and you see a lot
Of words hung together which could possibly trick
Some reader's eyes and (I hope) re-align his view
To my perspective; But certainly, dear Reader,
If you wish to trash it, that is all up to you.
Consider, though, the thought--and please reconsider,
Since tidbits for your soul may long be overdue...

WARFARE

We ought not to react and retaliate
Against brainwashed people blinded by hate.
Rely on our Lord God's retribution,
For His Judgment is the best solution.
All of us are part of His Creation;
Remember Christ's behest:- "Love thy neighbor."
End all bloodshed, engage in war no more!

RELY ON GOD

Regard all life on Planet Earth with kindness and respect;
Each time you are given nourishment, please say "Thank You Lord."
Let not each morsel of food be wasted. You must protect
Your resources, your garden, your herd from the thieving horde
Of scheming scammers, wolves, and/or locusts that seek to leave
Nothing for you to nurture, then to gather,and to share
God's bounty with your family and friends; Give a huge sheave
Of your harvest from God's treasures to those in need of care.
Do be the generous provider--like Him, if you dare!

CAREFREE DAYS

Close your eyes and in your mind you'll see me--
A five-year old boy, bright-eyed and carefree,
Running barefoot on our North Expressway
Empty of rushing traffic on that day,
For the year then was 1939...
Running fast on that road was safe and fine,
Except that on that quiet afternoon
Each time I looked up, there was still that wan moon
Daring, urging me to run much faster,
Always above me in mocking laughter...
Yes, now I know the world I can't outrun,
Since God's vast cosmos and myself are one.

LIKE GODS

Look to the not-so-distant future, my good man!
Is that our fate, our goal--that bright divine image?
Keep moving heavenward for we are at peak stage.
Evolution is flowing more swiftly; We can
Get Good Science and Religion integrated,
Omega-point attained and appreciated;
Death and demonic desires will soon be dissolved.
Separation from God will at last be resolved!

LUCKY GUY

Living as the Lord of all the creatures on Planet Earth,
Uncaring if a species will be doomed for extinction,
Callously destroying biospheres as tho' without worth,
Killing ourselves, both friend and foe, slowly thru pollution...
You and I may still have some time to try new solutions--
Globally effective if the peoples of all nations
Unite in PEACE and HARMONY, instead of spilling blood.
Your world also is my world, and my God--also your God!

GOD'S BOUNTY

God made this world so vast, mankind is still in awe
Of this boundless cosmos with its galaxies so
Distant, we need to learn how to travel at light
Speed and/or live and endure an eons-long flight
Before we could find out what wonders await us
Out there at the edge of 'mundi infinitus'...
Unknown to most of mankind, God gave us trillions-
Non-localized quanta of cosmic proportions
That bind us to God's Pavilions where you could share
Your musings and ponderings,Mr.Trillionaire!

RELIGION

Reportedly, the Devil claimed his name was 'Legion',
Explicitly showing this by the number of swine
Leaping out of and running from the human dungeon
It occupied. Thus, Christ again bestowed His Divine
Grace and Mercy to that maddened wretch who was possessed.
In this day and age, the Devil's name is still 'Legion';
Old and new religions have spread, but most are obsessed
Not with saving souls, just goals in Man's mundane region.

TRAVELLER

                  "...morir es descansar..."

"To die is but to rest"...awhile.
 Rizal, in fact, did not mention
'Awhile', but he would not revile
 Variations in after-life style.
 Eternal 'rest' is damnation!
 Lord, you know my trajectory;
 Lift up my soul in victory!
 Excuse my soul's exultation
 Re- its final destination...

EPHEMERON

Ed O., you are endowed with energy--
Powerful force that flows from the Divine;
Hence, Death can only slay your effigy.
Even your quarks and gluons will be fine.
My friend, all of us are bound together...
Every individual plays his vital
Role in this world, but God is the Tether
Of such Strength, He turns lives ephemeral
Not just to carefree bliss but ETERNAL!

Don't Get Me Wrong

Did you suspect that at times I, too, am an unbeliever?
Of course, you're right;  Doubt pierces thru my mind like a sharp sliver,
Not only when unjust or bad judgments are unrectified;
Truly, I am aghast when death penalties are justified.
God's command for us not to kill another human being
Except in self-defense now seems to have a broader meaning...
Too many senseless killings can turn doubt to apprehension:-
Misinterpreters of the Quran seek world domination;
Even brothers in faith seek each other's annihilation.
Where then is God's Divine Intervention and Retribution?
Return all stubborn wretches to the vile dust from whence they sprung?.
Out comes Doubt which can't stop asking where God's Mercy has been flung,
Not until that sliver will turn into a harmless feather...
God grant us enduring faith, wisdom, world peace.. and fair weather!

DISCOVERY

Discover God in a split second--as I did:-
I was driving my T-bird, just 'cool' like a kid;
Suddenly a black speedster swiftly passed me by...
Casting caution aside, I decided to try
Overtaking the show-off, but then another
Vehicle crossed and collided with its brother.
Eyes closed, I drove thru Death's grotesquely grinning mask...
Relieved to find myself unscathed, I had to ask:--
You saved me Lord, but why? God said, "Complete your task."

OBSESSIONS

Our President, if I may surmise, has a secret grand obsession.
Barack Obama may wish to achieve this as his main legacy:-
Survival of a less warlike, saner human race as a nation,
Evolving into a peaceful, prosperous global society
Sustained by self-sufficiency thru new energy discoveries,
Secure and shielded from nuclear bombs and viral misdeliveries.
In brief, to transform and leave Planet Earth to a new generation
Of courageous, enterprising, and peace-loving homo-geniuses,
Not to the Devil's minions filled with Hate and other toxic juices.
So may his dream come true:- Peace and Plenty spread world-wide with profusion.

BAD WEED

Bereft of close parental guidance,
A spoiled brat will take the easy way
Down Life's road to go look for romance
With night-blooming camellias who prey
Expertly on young innocent boys,
Except that soon Fate will have no choice;
Demonized, such a lad-- Fate destroys....

FLY HIGH

Flying high above the crowd, a champion golfer
Looked into what some pleasure domes have to offer;
Yet even in the most luxurious suites he found
Heartbreak, for his balls fell on rough and sullen ground.
It seems Tiger is again topic of the day;
Give the guy a break, he deserves it.  And I say:-
He has reconnected! Self-doubt has flown away.

PENITENT

Prideful human, only 4% of our world is perceivable.
Energy and matter, described as 'Dark', are in fact invisible;
Now, Mr. Know-it-all, know also that you are blind, so know your place...
Is it so difficult to concede that God works in mysterious ways?
True, a Triune God defies logic, but Science too has mysteries;
Every droplet of water and each material thing are congeries.
Never lose God's guidance, for we are all almost blind and fallible;
Tolerating diverse religious views is not being gullible.

CONDUIT

Convention compels me to declare I'm the author
Of all these acrostics in this book, and no other.
Nevertheless, my pen may just be a conduit
Deftly catching and writing these thoughts that flow thru it;
Unhampered by prolix scholastic disputation,
In a thrice they could be perused at my blog station.
The Source, of course, is the Author of All Creation.

STRENGTH

So live, for soon your final summons come
To join Death's horde:- that call you cannot spurn.
Rejoice instead for you are going home,
Except that if for you there's more to learn,
No such visits last long;  You shall return,
Go thru Life's cyclic route and try again.
To gather strength and wisdom, you must strain...
Heaven rewards those purified by pain

BAOBAB

Before Adam and Eve, God made the baobab tree.
At a distance, its branches look like roots flung skyward
Or like Medusa's hair... And its fruit, I must agree
Bears a rat's resemblance by its tail hanging downward.
Ah, but each part and product of this tree is useful;
By God, this ugly one is actually BEAUTIFUL!

FRAGILITY

Forbidden to be touched except by the owner,
Red-petalled flower blooming on that crannied wall,
Allow me to come close; I'm almost a goner...
Grant me a waft ere to the ground your petals fall.
I, too, am just waiting for my call, my last flight.
Like you, I can feel his icy clasp; Not for long
I know Old Winter will come prowling in the night...
The time is now to share your fragrance with the throng;
You have to flaunt God's gift before Death comes along.

CREDULITY

Continue to believe, tho' Doubt might give you pause.
Rely never on Mr. Dawkins' pronouncement;
Eggheads may deride you but your inmost heart knows
Divine energy (your soul) defies measurement.
Unguents, balm, and incense are not really needed.
Life, as promised, is eternal; you never die.
If Christ's command to love your neighbor was heeded,
Then you may scoff at Death and fearlessly say, "Fie!
"Your doorway open wide, so to God I may fly!"

A RANDOM THOUGHT

A trio of bedraggled street persons
Remarkably unperturbed, untroubled
As passersby ignored their orisons...
No one seemed to notice when one hobbled
Down to the corner to drain his old pipes
Overloaded with cheap gin and water...
Maybe he didn't need clean tissues or wipes...
Trashcan leavings all gone but no matter.--
He is home with friends; (the pavement--their bed.)
Out of the blue, this flashed into my mind:-
Unused talents make one useless instead.
God's gifts get lost through nightly carousing;
Here, but for God's grace, you might also find
This profligate asleep-- beyond rousing.

CHARISMA

Christ's commandment to all of us:-  "Love thy neighbor..."
However, some 'neighbors' are not that lovable;
Affection for rogues is acting or hard labor.
Rogues. in truth, could be destined for a nobler fate;
Imperfect humans are always improvable...
Since insincere displays are clearly abhorrent,
May we just do no harm, no hate, just tolerate?
A trickle may yet become a torrent.

SUBSERVIENCE

Stop following blind herds of wildebeasts,
Unless you can distinguish crocs from priests.
Be wary of those who line their pockets,
Secreting silver to their eye sockets.
Expose white sepulchers and Pharisees;
Rush never to judgment however, please;
View contested issues with circumspect;
It is much wiser to display respect,
Especially against majority
Numbers--like gnus crossing Iniquity...
Constantine's mandate is ignored of late,
Except that Christ's is never out of date.

IMAGINE

Imagine Christ's second coming to our hemisphere...
Must those at the other half then have to wait?  I fear
A plurality of Christ's "second comings" world-wide
Gives one more excuse for doubters to scoff and deride.
I believe Christ is with us for the rest of our days;
No need to wait for He is here now and for always.
Each moment we live, we live through His Mercy and Grace!

PUPPETS, DON'T BE...

Puppets today not only gyrate, they orate
Under the thumbs of moneyed/influential friends.
Presidential candidates and some Heads of State
Prate rainbow promises, then seek self-serving ends.
Even that frail-looking President of Iran
Talks tough, but who pulls the strings tied to that poor man?
Sad-eyed, he sees the hazards of their nuclear plan...

Dare, government leaders, to use sound discretion;
Oppose whover is giving misdirection;
No one should willingly fall down a precipice.
Tell your stubborn mule what body part he can kiss.

Be the true leader expected by your nation,
End puppetry or else face world ruination

Ash Wednesday Reminder

The priest says:-  "Remember, human, that thou art dust
                            and to dust thou shalt return."
Skep says:- "Remember, human, that thou art more than dust,
                   "For to God thou shalt return...have faith, do trust!."

OUR FATHER

Omnipotent and Omnipresent Deity
Upon whose Bounty and Magnanimity, we
Rely each day, nay, every instant to survive,
Fill us again with Your Blessings that we may thrive.
Allay our ailing brethren and our Planet Earth
That we may all be cleansed and given a new birth.
Have Mercy on and forgive us if we get lost;
Ever be our Aegis against that evil ghost,
Route our ship back to Your Safe Harbor when storm-tossed.

A Thank You Note

To thank You Lord, I'm offering this note.
How dare I even try, since You need naught...
Acrostic writing was a barren field,
No wordsmith thought it would give a good yield.
Kernels of tested truths and sage advice
You bade me to search there-- to my surprise.
Once hidden beneath the verbiage mound
Unread; Now friends can see what I have found.

My Two Cents Worth

   Never mind who among the candidates for Presidency is truly ramrod straight, absolutely unwavering in his expressed beliefs re the functions of the Executive Office, the Federal Branch of government, etc. It is not necessarily important that not one of the candidates has clearly indicated what he expects of the individual citizen:- Must the citizen be at least 55%  self- dependent, 40% government dependent, and perhaps 5% God dependent? Or should the dependency percentages be in the reverse order? Is a record of changeability or varying approaches to exigent circumstances or issues a liability? Isn't the ability to adapt, to be flexible like the bamboo a wiser survival mode than that of the stubborn 'sturdy' oak which prefers to be branchless or uprooted and blown to the ground rather than move an inch when confronted by Aeolus' wrath?  All these considerations aside, the handsomest among the candidates will not only win the nomination but ultimately the Presidency. Two cents, I bet you....

Chameleons

Chameleons would have been driven to extinction
Had they not achieved their 'quick-change' adaptation.
A politician too may have to bend his views,
Must not, when compromises are needed, refuse.
Emergencies occur in rapid flux world-wide;
Legal restrictions may have to be put aside,
Even Constitutional restraints shouldn't shackle,
Otherwise, we may have a global debacle...
No nuclear touchdowns versus a timely tackle!

AWAKENING

Ask God for what He knows is best for you,
Whatever it is and whenever due--
A prize perhaps or an epiphany...
Keep faith e'en when hindered by agony,
Endure the aches that mortals are heir to;
No peak can be reached unless we dare to.
In Winter, Spring is never far behind;
New dawn, new challenges soon you will find:-
Go, carve a brighter future for Mankind.

GRAVITY

Gravity reaches out to all of creation,
Ruling all molecular and stellar motion,
A pervasive power that can even bend light,
Verily demonstrating our Lord's awesome might.
I can stand safe and sound on this speeding planet,
Trusting God to hold me from sunrise to sunset.
You too are blest every instant, never forget.

I BEG TO DIFFER

Is God the Father that man with the white flowing
Beard, and is that Jesus Christ with halo glowing?
Excuse me, is the "Third Person" in avian form?
God as Holy Spirit dons a dove's uniform?
These pictures reveal the artists' difficulty;
One Triune God, though, didn't deter their piety.
Depicting on canvas or stone God Almighty
Is indeed per se an impossibility,
For He is a Boundless Invisibility,
Formless Power pervading His whole Creation,
Engulfing men's minds with His Illumination.-
Regard His Light within you with adoration!

TOMORROW

    Tomorrow, tomorrow, and tomorrow...
    Our leaders think there is more to borrow.
    More likely, to our grandchildren's sorrow.
    Our stewards strayed from the straight and narrow:-
   "Read my lips, no new taxes.  Nevermore...
   "Richer people, however, must give more!"
    Of course, the law-abiding billionaire
    Will simply move his funds where few can share....

SCUTTLEBUTT

   "Stay with us for a while,"
    Coaxed the green blades of grass
    Ungrazed over a mile,
    Tempting both deer and ass...
   "Take a moment to rest,
   " Learn to turn crass to class;
   " Everyone, be our guest;
   " Breathe in our gift--pure air...."
     Unnoticed, rarely blest,
     Trampled on without care,
     Their waste product--our share.

THE BLACK NAZARENE

     Perhaps the more enlightened members of the laity as well as the clergy were amazed to witness the millions of worshippers who attended the Black Nazarene procession recently. A more cautious layman
may be right in staying away from the crowd, particularly in view of earlier warnings of possible terrorist attacks or bombings announced thru the media. I suppose a materialist will point out that the Christ figure which is the object of so much religious fervor, nay, frenzy is just like all other man-like, man-made  representations. It is just matter--made of atoms which are in turn made of molecules which are composed of protons and electrons and which currently are known to be composed of subatomic quanta, i.e., quarks, neutrons, gluons, leptons, etc. The strongest microscope or x-ray machine obviously cannot show any tangible 'divine' component in the Black Nazarene. But what the skeptic or materialist cannot see is what the sincere devotees feel and/or perceive in their minds. They may not have read a single treatise in theology or scholastic philosophy, but our Compassionate and Omniscient God does respond to their devotion and child-like faith, for He knows His people will in due course realize He has always been with and in each and everyone of them all the time. Like the children in the Bible story, that barefoot Quiapo mob is not merely by yards or inches but in spirit closer to God than yours truly.

TWO TO TANGO

   The mad tango of graft and corruption
   Would cease or be substantially reduced
   Only if the fixer's terms are refused.
   The upright citizen has the option
   Of absolutely declining to deal.
   Thus, "Best to be Honest" is the maxim
   All must observe under this new regime.
   Never, I'm sure, will our President steal!
   Give bribes no more, so graft will fade away...
   Old palm-greasing customs are now passe.