Thank You

It was on the 29th of May

When I saw you on the way.

You seemed like a gay

Because of your hips' sway.

Then I tried to figure out

What was your purpose about.

My feet led me to an office

Where you sat and looked hopeless.

I grabbed the chance to help

Because I really felt your yelp.

I asked the staff on the front desk

Who fortunately wasn't a grotesque.

You stood up and followed what I did.

Oh, you were such a cutie tall kid!

You're told to come back on Wednesday.

And then you went out right away.

So I walked as fast as I could.

Yet fate was not that good.

I didn't get the chance to ask you.

Perhaps timing was out of true.

Yet I decided to talk to you tonight.

Unfortunately I did not follow the light.

I should have laughed with your wisdom.

You should have said "You're welcome."

Dead Stars

               I would probably get BITTER every time my friends would talk about love (or shall I say heartaches?). I prefer to keep quiet and pretend they’re not around. It seems to me that they have only one perception of it – love is when a boy and a girl would fall for each other. It sounds romantic, isn’t it? It gets into my nerves though. No doubt I would really nod if my teacher would mention that she’d prefer to watch horror movies than romance. Then she had to talk about the story again and I had to sit there and listen to my classmates’ may-pinaghuhugutan-answers.

                I don’t understand why love is so complicated. Human beings made it that way, I guess. Love, love, love – what does it really mean?

Love – it’s what everybody is chasing for. People thought it can only be found from others. They would tend to forget that it should start within them. As what the song sings: learning to love yourself – it is the greatest love of all. It’s actually my view of the word at the moment. You might feel so loved by other people and yet there’s always something that is missing. Someone might love you because you are lovely, kind and happy. You know you are supposed to appreciate those things. However, you would end up being bothered. Why? Because you seemed to disagree with what have been said. You don’t find yourself that way. Something is missing – the greatest love of all.

                Love is what people thought what love is. That’s why some of them could not move on easily. They are so attached to that thought which drives them to a feeling that may actually not exist anymore. They find it hard to fully accept the real situation.

                There are people who are living at present because they have no choice. Truth is – the past still lingers on them. So, they find some ways in order to let go. Sometimes, it isn't just enough. They crave to see the persons involved and to make things clear or else they will remain empty.

                Yes, past is past. However, we can’t say goodbye to memories. These are the things which may be dead yet so alive in an individual’s mind – this is what I understand from the story Dead Stars.

                Love occupied most of our memories perhaps. That’s why it is so complicated because our memories have different shades of color – and these shades may turn us into someone we didn't expect to be.

WE STEAL SECRETS: The WikiLeaks Story

What is WikiLeaks? According to the American independent documentary film I watched, WikiLeaks is a machine (for linking secrets) built by Julian Assange. The website has an electronic drop-box which could receive secrets sent by people who did not want to reveal who they were. Anybody can post to it, anonymously and untraceably. WikiLeaks exists to help people safely reveal important material to the world. They have an unbroken record in protecting confidential sources.

Why WikiLeaks created? Julian Assange said he likes to be creative, he is adventurous and most of all he wants to defend the victims. According to people’s opinion as shown in the film, Assange is clever, brave and hardworking. He has a brilliant idea that he managed to execute. No doubt WikiLeaks has been successfully built.

Julian Assange is he a hero to freedom or is he a terrorist to judiciary? Well, for me WikiLeaks has both negative and positive effects. It would be unhelpful if the source is telling a story that it is not true. And it would actually lead to a problem, to a problem and to a problem. Meaning, the issue would be more complicated. Anyhow, I’m kind of a pro-WikiLeaks. As a mass communication student, I must be in favor to public access of information. As shown in the film, WikiLeaks is giving us the truth when everyone else refuses to. Assange said “if we are to produce a more civilized society, a more just society, it has to be based upon the truth.” And I, Carmen Jonahville Matarlo, strongly agree with him. But what is happening in our society right now? Those who are in the authority abused its power to make the citizens blind. The issue of the pork barrel could be the best example. I came to think of: what if WikiLeaks also exists in the Philippines? Then there would be a big possibility that someone would confess who really killed Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, Jr.

If WikiLeaks already existed during the American Period, then early Filipinos could have discovered that Spain and America made the Treaty of Paris. With this, I can relate the film to what happened when Philippines was under America. There is an event in the film when the Army killed many people including the innocents. I feel pity for the father and his 2 children who were killed while on their way to his children’s school. The Army was like playing computer games. They shoot who they wanted to shoot. Assange said “if those killings were lawful under the rules of engagement then the rules of engagement are wrong, deeply wrong.”  It’s sad to know that we could have prevented the Americans from controlling Filipinos. We forgot to seek for the truth. We should have known from the very start what their agenda were. Filipinos should have “talk of times of peace for all, and then prepare for war.”

Why call Julian Assange a terrorist to the judiciary when he is only dreaming for a better world. WikiLeaks – they still secrets for the benefit of all mankind.

Life Is Good

I felt the love at first sight

When we met in E-Mall

I asked my sister if I could have you

She agreed and my wish finally came true

Life was easier ever since you came

You made me so happy

I had to go outside

And catch my breath

And every time I am sad

You’re ready to capture

The moment I had to

Fake a smile and smile

Because of you I saw

My parents’ genuine eyes

You made them feel

Like you’re a great help in my studies

You were always beside me

Every time I had to go for an interview

You would hold my hand carefully

So I would feel like all is well

Yet I hurt you on May election

I swear I did not mean it

I gave you the pain and scar

Yet you chose to accompany me still

You are very supportive

I am so inspired to play soccer

Because you were watching

On the bench where I told you to wait

Yes, I told you to wait for me

Where were you when I came back?

I looked for you in every corner

But why, why did you leave me?

You don’t have an idea how sad it is for me

You don’t have an idea how I pity my parents

I even got muscle cramps on my legs

While walking and asking why were you gone?

We haven’t reached for a year yet

You left me like there’s nothing to lose

Oh what have I done? What have I done?

I should have not brought you to the field

I will miss each travel with you

I will miss the songs you sing for me

I will miss your wonderful features

I. Will. Miss. You.

Each day will never be the same

I can never again hear you say good morning

I hope conscience would knock Her

I hope Saint Anthony will bring you back to me

Windowpane

An old ant was standing

On the edge of danger

For ten minutes already

Yet he didn’t cry for help

He looked very harmless

On his clean polo and pants

Holding a brown envelope

But all eyes seemed so blind

No human bothered to offer

Or even give a little space

Is Selfishness that influential?

Can Somebody save the ant?

Waiting

People walked on the busy street
While new cars moved with their round feet
Tall and old trees stood on the ground
While their leaves fell without a sound


Saw a girl looking at those things
While sitting on the bench with wings
She is making a fantasy
While waiting for reality


Aliens passed by and felt so free
Their fierce eyes talked as she could see
She got scared and yet she didn't cry
For she knew they would just pass by


She is still waiting on the bench
Yet the one who came was a dove
Now that she is feeling a wrench
She is still waiting for her true love

Utos ng Hari

            I could still remember when Mrs. Uncreative asked us to write a reflection paper about Helen of Troy. I made a poem then. She returned our papers and my classmates said “Yes!”, “Yes!” and “Yes!” They asked me what my score was. I did not answer them instead I went to Mrs. Uncreative. I told her that she might have forgotten to grade my work. She got the paper from my hand, wrote something on it and said: “You got zero!” I was like “WHAT?” The words in every line of each stanza came out from my heart and mind after I watched the movie. “You got zero because you wrote a poem,” she added. I wanted to reason out that all she instructed was to write a reflection paper. However, I did not have the courage to do it – it’s actually one of the things that I’ve regretted in my life. She probably thought that she’s the most powerful person in town. I began to think that schools could kill the creativity of the students. It tells you to do this-and-that and you can do nothing about it. You might have something to say but your fear would swallow it before the air would hear it. So, to Jojo: I feel you.

            Just this afternoon, Mr. IronMan said creativity can be taught. He shared how some supervisors reacted. For them, creativity is a gift. Meaning, you could not have creativity if you did not receive it when you first opened your eyes.

            Now, I am trying to analyze how creativity can be taught. Then I remember how I learned a lot from the tasks given by Mr. Ironman. Yes, he did say do this – just this. He gave us a goal and that’s it. Meaning, we should find our own ways in order to achieve the goal instead of following the ways being provided. And yes, I actually did use my creativity (after a long time) in scriptwriting and marketing. It made me very happy. Then there will be no such thing as Utos ng Hari – just Kaligayahang Walang Hanggan. However, there’s always a limitation of everything of course. Let’s not forget about that.

            Jun Cruz Reyes’ Utos ng Hari is a very good piece. Students could really relate to Jojo. Teachers would also be more open-minded – not judging the capabilities of a student because he is this-and-that.

            One thing I have learned from the story: if you want to learn, do not be afraid to get wrong.