Heart of Stone

On the sandy wilderness I lay,

I watch as night consumes the day,

Alone I feel the cool breeze blow,

As sand beneath this rock flow.

In the midst of the night's darkness,

My eyes I set to the black expanse,

There I see the twinkling madness,

A feast of stars in a joyful dance.

Then a radiant star defied the rest,

Golden, glowing in its fullest,

Nurturing heavens with its light,

Standing out in the darkness of night.

Gently, the light reached my heart,

Touched my soul and to it impart,

The beauty of love in this strife,

To use one's heart in living life.

But this heart is molded from stone,

To the shadows I hid alone,

Away from the shinning glimmer,

My star lost its will to shimmer.

Without a light I was trampled upon,

Broken, shattered, I am none,

Scattered in pieces, I looked above,

I saw my star with enduring love.

“My light is dim but I am here,

Waiting for you to come near,

When thy heart is for mine to keep,

This light will shine for thy sight to reap."

photo from here

Shattered Pieces of Enmity

A sparkling diamond I am not,
Though I’m priceless, an iron, I can’t cut,
A sturdy marble I am neither,
For a majestic temple, I cannot shoulder.

You see me as a stone, for like a stone I am frozen,
Trample upon me, I would roll over but I’ll stay even.
But look keenly, closely and you will see,
I’m as scratched and wounded, as anyone would be.

I am a delicate glass; I contain your woe,
I beseech you, stop filling it, for it will overflow,
Your cold hands that shall touch this fargility,
Shall shatter me into pieces of acrimony.

An Ode to Maternity

From thy womb, thou shall bring forth,
A gift, a blessing, a divine bequest!
Oh precious life, my tribute is worth,
Thou shall restore thy fervor, thy zest!

Thy gift, is now, and shall be thy new life,
A being worthy of thy tears and strife,
For love eternally abounds in a heart of a mother,
An enchanting union with her young forever!

Gain strength, for thou art capable,
Turn a leaf, embark on a voyage anew,
With thy fair young, thy existence is endurable,
For thou art reborn as thypurpose renew.

photo from here

An Elegy to thy Memory, Father

This poem is inspired by the story of my father and I. He is now 81 and has Alzheimer's disease.

An Elegy to thy Memory, Father

In thy existence, a man He bestows,
An invincible figure, as mighty as bellows,
Endowed with prudence, wisdom and astuteness,
Bequeathed to steer thy path towards uprightness.

There was a moment, the gift faltered,
Breaking the chain, left wrecked and shattered,
Every link besieged with immense animosity,
Living stones, cold, bitter, numbed by enmity.

In the midst of achieving epiphany,
There’s no room for absolution and clemency,
For now, as thou rest on that elaborate lumber,
No kind of memoir could make thee remember.

For thy health has turned against thee, as well,
Subtly stealing thy reminiscence, as thou fell,
As I sit with thee, for thee, I am a stranger,
But a voice inside wishes that thou would remember,
That I am thy son and thou art my father.

photo from here

The Nightingale Lamp

I wrote this poem a year ago for my mom. It's my gift to her for Mother's Day. I used my previous profession as an inspiration and unified it with my mom's efforts and sacrifices for me. I integrated history, symbolism and reality in this poem.

The Nightingale Lamp


Through the perilous battlefield,
Pits of death, the soil has yield,
Shadows of darkness have come to reign,
Enthroning misery and nurturing pain!

In the gusty winds, light of hope flickers,
Gasps for breath rumble as monstrous thunders,
Muerte! The Crimean valleys resounded,
The cradle of death has turned thou astounded.

But in the middle of obscurity,
A woman comes with a light of placidity,
On her gentle hands, the lamp of faith rest,
A glimpse of vitality, thy life dearest!

Nightingale’s lamp has leadeth thou back,
To precious life, thou have almost lack,
That radiant glow that shone thy path,
Steered thy way against mortality’s wrath.

In life that is real, scores of battle abound,
The echoes of despair and despondency sound,
But through His grace, a being emerges,
Bearing the lamp of hope, with light that encourages.

In my life a Nightingale lamp has glowed,
From its radiance, thousands of dreams have flowed,
Fulfillment and success would never be bright,
Without the hands that held that luminous light!

Oh precious hands that protect the light,
May your lamp forever shine at human’s sight,
Like a Nightingale lamp thou have brought life,
In the midst of life’s dreadful strife

photo from here