tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78489559281948884272024-03-13T13:10:40.693-07:00HAIKU AND TANKA HARVESTFeatures various Asian poetic forms such as haiku, senryu, tanka, haibun, and haiga. Also American cinquain, Korean sijo, free verse and Tagalog poems.
All posts are copyrighted © 2008-2015 by the author, Victor P. Gendrano. All rights reserved. Created June 11, 2008.Vic Gendranohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17049390356721305659noreply@blogger.comBlogger511125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848955928194888427.post-33416914822657462622017-05-11T10:34:00.001-07:002017-05-11T10:34:21.997-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL!<br />
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Vic Gendranohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17049390356721305659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848955928194888427.post-50163423979522560842016-08-15T18:58:00.003-07:002016-08-15T18:58:42.462-07:00Preface to my 4th book<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Tentative preface to my forthcoming book, Despite my health condition (STROKE), I have labored to compile my 4th book,</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">STOPS ALONG THE WAY:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">HAIBUNIC ANECDOTES AND TRAVEL DIARIES</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Victor P. Gendrano</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>These diaries or short anecdotes are interspersed with poems, generally haiku and tanka, although I use other forms as well. I subtitled this as haibunic anecdotes for lack of a better term eschewing the use of haibun so as not to transgress the sensibilities of haibun purists. Some call this by the way as prose poems. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Sometimes I even add pictures to them similar to the haiga form. In my long life‘s journey, here are the many stops and varied observations I made along the way which I diligently wrote immediately after or close to their occurrences, akin to the present-day journaling. These are records of my life experiences, observations and reactionsto what I see and feel in my travels, whether just walking in my backyard, nearby park, or going to places far from home. News items too were significant sources of my autobiographical writings.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Their arrangement is purely arbitrary and not chronological; the table of contents and title index will hopefully help the reader easily navigate the volume.</span></div>
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Vic Gendranohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17049390356721305659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848955928194888427.post-60524413686542402202016-08-04T20:10:00.002-07:002016-08-04T20:10:28.281-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Notice to my readers:<br />
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The reason I have not posted here for a while is I had a stroke and up to now, cannot walk without a walker or a wheelchair. My speech is still garbled and am immobile, but I am looking for slow recovery through the help of God. I'll see you soon...</div>
Vic Gendranohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17049390356721305659noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848955928194888427.post-70160565752723436372016-01-14T16:47:00.000-08:002016-01-17T16:20:48.612-08:00ICY WINTER DAY<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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ICY WINTER DAY, a haibun</div>
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I experienced winter for the first time in my life in the early sixties when I was studying for my master's degree at Syracuse University in New York.</div>
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I eagerly anticipated its arrival having been born in a tropical place. My friends from the same and neighboring countries had a wild celebration of sorts with the first flurry of snow. We gathered in the yard behind our apartments and together jumped with outstretched hands trying to catch the white feathery stuff which melted gradually on our hands. Of course that was only the first half of the story as we later experienced real winter in the succeeding days.</div>
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One morning, I knew that it would be slippery that day when I started walking to school. Across the street I saw a car move unsteadily upwards on an incline only to roll down every time it climbed upwards. So on my way to school I was extra careful navigating the sidewalk with other students. Then it happened. </div>
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In front, a few paces ahead of me, a white American student suddenly slipped and fell down on the icy walkway. Without thinking of anything but to help, I rushed to her and offered my hand to aid her up. She started to take it, but immediately withdrew her hand when she saw the brown skin of mine. Surprised, I reluctantly left the scene and did not look back even after I heard a thud again.</div>
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icy winter day </div>
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she disdains my brown hand</div>
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trying to help her get up</div>
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as I turn to leave</div>
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she falls down again</div>
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Vic Gendranohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17049390356721305659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848955928194888427.post-53545698792709527372015-12-24T14:32:00.002-08:002015-12-24T14:32:34.270-08:00MERRY CHRISTMAS<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://haikuharvest.blogspot.com/2014/12/merry-christmas-to-all.html">MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!</a></div>
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To my readers and visitors here, I wish you all <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: small;">Merry Christmas and a peaceful New Year!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQwBKlUmCceH1Pr1lWRTw2ozfKJZtI0BG4SG5H-vfy6AkJSc19GR1tUPJllb8hpRwvSCrG4Bz3Z5LsUZ0pNbTfRubd1qBb5qSZNAtF4Q1eC6zW0hOrADkQy6qWCrL3vvpgokZiXYHUIgM/s1600/PDR_0034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQwBKlUmCceH1Pr1lWRTw2ozfKJZtI0BG4SG5H-vfy6AkJSc19GR1tUPJllb8hpRwvSCrG4Bz3Z5LsUZ0pNbTfRubd1qBb5qSZNAtF4Q1eC6zW0hOrADkQy6qWCrL3vvpgokZiXYHUIgM/s320/PDR_0034.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: small;">Also to my dear family who have been there with me especially after my recent stroke which hospitalized and rendered me immobile though I am gradually and surely getting better. Thanks be to GOD and my haiku way of living.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: small;">discharged patient</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: small;">he kicked the inert get-well balloons</span></div>
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Vic Gendranohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17049390356721305659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848955928194888427.post-3538743672952955242015-12-19T10:52:00.000-08:002015-12-19T10:57:04.099-08:00WINTER POEMS<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>WINTER POEMS</b></div>
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TANKA</div>
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around</div>
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the bonfire</div>
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of used Christmas cards</div>
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the homeless gather</div>
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hugging warmth</div>
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HAIKU</div>
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Christmas program</div>
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the deaf children sing</div>
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in sign languagee</div>
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day after Christmas</div>
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she gives a used card</div>
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to her shelter friend</div>
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chilly night</div>
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under its darkness</div>
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hides my loneliness</div>
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<i>Tagalog version</i></div>
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gabing malamig</div>
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sa iyong dilim nagtatago</div>
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aking kalungkutan</div>
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Published in my book,</div>
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Haiku and Tanka Harvest</div>
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<a href="https://www.createspace.com/3737478">https://www.createspace.com/3737478</a></div>
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Vic Gendranohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17049390356721305659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848955928194888427.post-78416684139269539792015-12-04T17:09:00.000-08:002015-12-04T17:09:17.077-08:00EIGHTEENTH BIRTHDAY<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>EIGHTEENTH BIRTHDAY </b></div>
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by Victor P. Gendrano</div>
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Jasmine dances the waltz with such grace that it aches my heart to watch her in a stranger's arms, she who is my favorite, my first-born granddaughter, bubbly in her recent 18th birthday debut. It doesn't seem that long ago that I was cuddling her to sleep...<i>Tempus fugit! </i></div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>growing pains</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>she dances with strangers</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>my daughter's daughter</div>
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And now, Jasmine is bound for college. She told her grandma that she will also be an elementary schoolteacher like her. Knowing her ability, I know she will turn out to be a good one and her students will have been lucky to have her. </div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>end of summer</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>the cocoon rides the wind</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>her empty room</div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>Published in World Haiku Review</i></div>
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<i>Vol. II, Issue 1, March 2002</i></div>
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<i></i><br /></div>
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<i>POSTSCRIPT:</i></div>
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<i></i><br /></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>True to her promise to her grandma that she will be also a schoolteacher, Jasmine has been a successful one for sometime now teaching in a public elementary school. To top her late grandma's achievements, she is currently finishing her Master's degree in Education. Grandma Lucy and I are indeed very proud of you Jas!</i></div>
</div>
Vic Gendranohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17049390356721305659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848955928194888427.post-26862341478153292022015-11-14T08:54:00.000-08:002015-11-14T08:54:21.704-08:00THAKSGIVING PRAYER<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Five years ago, I posted the following prayer in this blog. I just think it's still relevant and more so these days. So here we go again.<br />
<br />
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<b>Thanksgiving prayer</b></h3>
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Thank you<br />my Lord and God<br />for gift of life and health<br />remembering our lost loved ones<br />once more.<br /><br />Heed not<br />our weaknesses,<br />teach us how to forgive<br />and live in harmony with all<br />others.<br /><br />So that<br />once more this world<br />of hate will be again<br />a place of love and peacefulness,<br />Amen.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Vic Gendranohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17049390356721305659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848955928194888427.post-39580832307610742672015-11-11T09:48:00.000-08:002015-11-13T15:34:45.049-08:00Navy man's death<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b></b><br /></div>
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<b>NAVY MAN'S DEATH</b></div>
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<i></i><br /></div>
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<i>(For Gene de Guzman, husband of Nelia de Guzman in the tribute below, who passed away earlier as a Navy veteran).</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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I was there too under a shade</div>
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the gun salute shattered my pretense.</div>
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<br /></div>
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The bugle wail pierced the summer heat</div>
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for a moment drowning my grief.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Why is it that we only miss</div>
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those who are in their eternal rest?</div>
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<br /></div>
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<i></i><br /></div>
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<i>In my book, Rustle of bamboo leaves, but originally published in World Haiku Review, Vol. 1, Issue 2, August 2001.</i></div>
</div>
Vic Gendranohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17049390356721305659noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848955928194888427.post-45370038180570325562015-11-09T13:01:00.000-08:002015-11-14T15:44:06.130-08:00CONDOLENCE MARE<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">FOR Mareng NELIA DE GUZMAN</span></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(Condolence to her family and loved ones)</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi59DwOztA8sxyiffRYwWLMYfq6g97yRuZbsSyPI0QGy_5t8iaPIbGNe7wNhcDM5vUEaLAqYk51a_TFL9F24XHbAGYeopFwDYeGSPGgv7mHVfyMTZh9U9ZkgKYw-fMtnINaegPm3CBzTjk/s1600/IMG_0036_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi59DwOztA8sxyiffRYwWLMYfq6g97yRuZbsSyPI0QGy_5t8iaPIbGNe7wNhcDM5vUEaLAqYk51a_TFL9F24XHbAGYeopFwDYeGSPGgv7mHVfyMTZh9U9ZkgKYw-fMtnINaegPm3CBzTjk/s320/IMG_0036_edited-1.jpg" width="196" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /><i></i></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> autumn advent</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> the last remaining leaf</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> falls down from the tree</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> on the gentle prodding</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> of Santa Ana wind</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> in unison we join</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> our collective prayers</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> for the eternal repose</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> of her soul, mercifully now</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> in a pain-free world</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> from Pareng Vic Gendrano</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> 9 November 2015</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">On the passing today of Nelia de Guzman, the mother-in-law of my daughter Juliet.</span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
</div>
Vic Gendranohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17049390356721305659noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848955928194888427.post-73856949299636347872015-11-02T19:57:00.000-08:002015-11-04T15:32:01.971-08:00SENRYU AND VANGUARD HAIKU<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/notes/victor-gendrano/senryu/183008721741720">Senryu</a> and Vanguard Haiku </b></div>
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<b></b><br /></div>
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<i>A senryu a day drives your shrink insane. - V. P. Gendrano's aphorism.</i></div>
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Senryu, a close relative (sometimes I refer to as a cousin) of haiku is another Japanese poetic poem dealing with human foibles, usually humorous and satirical. Whereas haiku is serious, senryu is light-hearted.<br />
<br />
Here are samples of senryu and vanguard haiku which I have written and some published throughout the years. In my book, Rustle of bamboo leaves, <a href="http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/rustle-of-bamboo-leaves/246155"><span style="color: #3b5998;">http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/rustle-of-bamboo-leaves/246155</span></a> I devoted no less than a whole chapter about it.</div>
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Facebook</div>
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the new public place</div>
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to bare yourself</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<i>Sketchbook, Vol. 6, No. 3</i></div>
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<i>May/June 2011 </i></div>
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<i></i><br /></div>
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uncontrolled laughter</div>
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grandpa's dentures fly </div>
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in my bowl of soup</div>
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<br /></div>
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behind her mom</div>
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she parries deftly</div>
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his flying kisses</div>
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more subdivisions</div>
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the distant echoes</div>
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of bird songs</div>
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<br /></div>
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texting while driving</div>
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he wakes in the hospital</div>
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with only one leg</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<i>Sketchbook, Vol. 6, No. 3</i></div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<i>May/June 2011</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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young mother</div>
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she scolds her son</div>
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and joins him crying</div>
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<br /></div>
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he takes viagra</div>
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and almost died in bliss</div>
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his wife's wish</div>
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<br /></div>
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chilly morning</div>
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she grabs me back to bed</div>
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a little longer</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<i>World Haiku Review</i></div>
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<i>January 2011</i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
she sneezes once</div>
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twice then three times</div>
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girl with the nose ring</div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>Sketchbook, Vol. 5, No. 4</i></div>
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<i>July/August 2010</i></div>
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Vic Gendranohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17049390356721305659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848955928194888427.post-10921593179126393602015-10-22T17:11:00.000-07:002015-10-22T17:11:16.732-07:00PEOPLE WATCHING<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>PEOPLE WATCHING </b></div>
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<i>by Victor P. Gendrano</i></div>
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A typical Sunday morning scene unfolds before me in my favorite eatery which I usually frequent after church mass service. Seated together on the right table is a young couple evidently so much in love with each other, oblivious to other people around them while safely ensconced in their private world. Holding hands, they let their free hands tend to their food and drinks.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Next, to their left, is a father and his well-behaved daughter in her Sunday clothes, slowly munching her french fries. In between sipping her drink, she glances at her dad with an adoring and loving smile. During a lull in their eating, he gently brushes a wisp of unruly hair upwards to her child's forehead. </div>
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<br /></div>
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On the next table are two middled aged men boisterously rummaging a found newspaper left on their table by a previous customer. One is looking for sales in a local store while the other is busy perusing the sports page. </div>
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<br /></div>
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At the farthest table, an old couple, obviously married and used to each other's ways, are quietly eating with nary a conversation but with a happy and contented demeanor.</div>
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<br /></div>
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People watching like this is becoming a pleasant diversion for me lately, unobtrusively observing the action and flow of humanity seemingly in slow motion.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>dining alone</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I forgot to feel sorry</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>for myself</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
</div>
Vic Gendranohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17049390356721305659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848955928194888427.post-6832828561801613962015-10-16T16:05:00.001-07:002015-10-16T16:08:15.346-07:00OLDTIMERS<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i>(For the Filipino American History Month observed each October in the US). </i><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Oldtimers, a cinquain poem</b><br />
<br />
by Victor P. Gendrano<br />
<br />
Across<br />
the vast ocean<br />
they came in waves and droves<br />
leaving behind their native land<br />
for good;<br />
to Hawaii, California<br />
even to Alaska<br />
for better life<br />
they hoped.<br />
<br />
Too long<br />
they have endured<br />
so much hostility<br />
and outright discrimination<br />
galore.<br />
They're my ancestors who, alas,<br />
the young people today<br />
unknowingly<br />
ignore.<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>From my book, Rustle of bamboo leaves,copyright 2005.</i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #131823; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal;"> <span style="color: #3b5998;"><a href="http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/rustle-of-bamboo-leaves/246155" style="color: #336699; text-decoration: none;">http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/rustle-of-bamboo-leaves/246155</a></span></span></i><br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Vic Gendranohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17049390356721305659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848955928194888427.post-55809966680277829232015-10-09T19:59:00.000-07:002015-10-09T19:59:54.127-07:00A Pause in Time<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
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<br /></div>
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<b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/notes/victor-gendrano/a-pause-in-time/163522547023671">A PAUSE IN TIME</a></b></div>
<div style="color: #242938; font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
by Victor P. Gendrano</div>
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<br /></div>
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Tarry a little while</div>
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and let those jaundiced eyes</div>
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pierce the unseen wonder</div>
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of nature's bounteous beauty</div>
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<br /></div>
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which in civilization's </div>
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suicidal dash to extinction</div>
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neither could pause nor ponder</div>
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or otherwise reflect on the</div>
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spontaneity of the moment</div>
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<br /></div>
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or the cherished charm </div>
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of a dew-draped flower</div>
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the mesmerizing melody of a song</div>
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the wishful whispers of a sigh or</div>
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a budding brave and shy smile</div>
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<br /></div>
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For once</div>
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let feelings and emotion</div>
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reign supreme over reason</div>
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and embrace these arrested</div>
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moments like long-lost lovers</div>
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<br /></div>
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Then let the soul sustain</div>
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itself of those magical moments</div>
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pulsing with life again.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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In my book, RUSTLE OF BAMBOO LEAVES</div>
<div style="color: #3b5998; font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="color: #131823;"> <span style="color: #3b5998;"><a href="http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/rustle-of-bamboo-leaves/246155">http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/rustle-of-bamboo-leaves/246155</a></span></span></div>
<div style="color: #3b5998; font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="color: #131823;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #131823;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Vic Gendranohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17049390356721305659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848955928194888427.post-20295692395446364242015-09-16T11:19:00.000-07:002015-09-16T11:25:16.935-07:00IN THE NAME OF LOVE<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h4>
<br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">IN THE NAME OF LOVE</span></h4>
<h4>
<br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Inspired by titillating and tragic news headlines some time ago, I wrote the first two related tanka and posted them in the Summer Haiku Blog, a world-wide community of poets with the common love of the Japanese poetic forms. Then I added the third and fourth ones later after a similar headliner.</span></h4>
<h4>
<br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>she gunned him</span><br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>in his sleep</span><br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>as she can’t bear </span><br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>to share her lover</span><br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>then she killed herself</span></h4>
<h4>
<br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>mystery solved</span><br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>he disappeared</span><br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>only to admit later</span><br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>he’s with his other love</span><br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>living abroad </span></h4>
<h4>
<br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>their vow of love</span><br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>remains unbroken</span><br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>to the very end</span><br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>when both submitted</span><br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>to euthanasia</span></h4>
<h4>
<br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>she with terminal cancer</span><br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>he with hale heart who chose</span><br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>to die with her together</span><br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>in a foreign hospital</span><br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>sanctioning self immolation</span><br /><br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px color: #424242;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">While having dessert in a restaurant after a late lunch, I wrote these lines on the back of the sales receipt, fresh from the memory of the poems I wrote above. </span></h4>
<h4>
<br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Being a wordsmith that I am, my poetic persona meandered to a familiar magical and homey place where the past and the present mesh and time stands still. With just a bit of remembered lives or events, an avalanche of words spews out from nowhere and weaves themselves into a poem, like this one. </span></h4>
<h4>
<br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>the entwined ivy</span><br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>and blooming rose</span><br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>reach for the sun</span><br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>the entanglements</span><br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>of forbidden love</span></h4>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div>
<div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Vic Gendranohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17049390356721305659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848955928194888427.post-87800967017492463812015-09-08T19:03:00.000-07:002015-09-08T19:03:07.077-07:00REMEMBERING 9/11<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><b>REMEMBERING 9/11</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;"></span><br />
<div class="_5k3v _5k3w clearfix" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-top: 16px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; word-wrap: break-word; zoom: 1;">
<div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i>A haiku sequence</i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
simple math</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
six hijackers</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
to six thousand dead</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
innocence crumbles</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
among New York rubble</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
September rain</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
patriotic fervor</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
the geraniums</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
remain in bloom</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
blood-stained sun</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
sinks in the rubble</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
twilight of hopes</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
the Vietnam vet buys</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
red, white and blue tulips</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
memorial garden</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i>In my book, Rustle of bamboo leaves</i></div>
<i></i><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i>but first published in</i></div>
<i></i><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i>World Haiku Review</i></div>
<i></i><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i>Vol. 1, Issue 3, November 2001</i></div>
</div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
</div>
</div>
Vic Gendranohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17049390356721305659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848955928194888427.post-52716196589950759412015-08-28T19:37:00.000-07:002015-08-28T19:37:28.287-07:00People watching<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
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PEOPLE WATCHING </div>
<div style="font: 16.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<i>a haibun</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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A typical Sunday morning scene unfolds before me at my favorite fast food place. Seated together on the right table is a young couple evidently so much in love with each other, oblivious to other people around them while safely ensconced in their private world. Next, to their left is a father and his well-behaved daughter in her Sunday clothes, slowly munching her french fries. In between sipping her drink, she glances at her dad with a contented smile. During a lull in their eating, he gently brushes a wisp of unruly hair upwards to her child's forehead. </div>
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<br /></div>
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On the next table are two middled aged men boisterously rummaging a found newspaper left on their table by a previous customer. One is looking for sales in a local store while the other is busy perusing the sports page. At the farthest table, an old couple, obviously married and used to each other's ways, are quietly eating with nary a conversation but with a happy and contented demeanor.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>dining alone</div>
<div style="font: 16.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I forgot to feel sorry</div>
<div style="font: 16.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>for myself</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Vic Gendranohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17049390356721305659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848955928194888427.post-69737226220360159922015-08-16T11:01:00.001-07:002015-08-16T11:01:40.094-07:00Bilingual poems<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="color: #627aad; font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span style="text-shadow: 0.0px 1.0px 0.0px #000000;"><b></b></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;">
Having constantly used a borrowed language since high school and beyond, I am sometimes torn by uncertainty as to whether to use one in favor of the other or end up writing in both idioms in my poetry. </div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px; min-height: 17.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;">
I like to think though that I have some readers who understand both Tagalog and English hence my decision to use both as much as possible. Any comments or feedback on this matter would be greatly appreciated.</div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;">
Here is a bilingual sample.</div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px; min-height: 17.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;">
from a distance<br />
at the appointed time<br />
I wait for your glance<br />
to bask once more<br />
in your smile</div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px; min-height: 17.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;">
<i>Tagalog</i></div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;">
sa abot ng tanaw<br />
at takdang panahon<br />
hintay and sulyap mo<br />
nang muling mamasdan<br />
and iyong ngiti</div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px; min-height: 17.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px;">
<i>Published in my book, <br />
Haiku and Tanka Harvest</i></div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px; min-height: 17.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: 18.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.createspace.com%2F3737478&h=yAQGWSwrC&s=1">"Haiku and Tanka Harvest" by Victor P Gendrano</a></div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Selected Haiku and Tanka poems, 2006-2011 A selection of over 200 haiku and tanka poems previously published in various online and print journals as well as book anthologies, written from 2006-2011.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Vic Gendranohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17049390356721305659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848955928194888427.post-69491321180270660892015-08-04T16:51:00.000-07:002015-08-04T16:51:32.994-07:00Cinquain Trilogy <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="color: #131823; font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Because</div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
I showed my grief</div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
you were surprised yet knew</div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
there's inner hurt gnawing inside</div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
my soul.</div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
But then</div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
aren't we forced</div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
by social norms to hide</div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
our fears lest our loved ones suffer</div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
from them?</div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
I take </div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
my manly role</div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
seriously as I can.</div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Yet do they know that I also </div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
feel pain?</div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i>From my book, RUSTLE OF BAMBOO LEAVES</i></div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #3b5998; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<a href="http://www.lulu.com/shop/victor-p-gendrano/rustle-of-bamboo-leaves/paperback/product-246155.html">http://www.lulu.com/shop/victor-p-gendrano/rustle-of-bamboo-leaves/paperback/product-246155.html</a></div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="color: #131823; font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 17.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #131823; font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 17.0px;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Vic Gendranohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17049390356721305659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848955928194888427.post-54717001030099063512015-08-03T10:08:00.000-07:002015-08-07T09:06:52.327-07:00CACTUS<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
the cactus plant<br />
outlives and outlasts<br />
even man himself<br />
who then is the master<br />
of the universe<br />
<br />
<i>from my book,</i><br />
<i>Haiku and Tanka Harvest</i><br />
<i>available at Amazon</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<i>Tagalog</i></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
ang cactus ay</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
nabubuhay nang matagal</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
sa tao, sino nga kaya </div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
higit makapangyarihan</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
sa mundo</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Vic Gendranohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17049390356721305659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848955928194888427.post-27386508627561802502015-07-30T08:26:00.000-07:002015-07-30T08:26:08.286-07:00Friendship <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
my neighbor mows<br />
the grassy edges<br />
of my unkempt lawn<br />
in the shade I try to write<br />
this friendship poem<br />
<br />
<i>from my book,</i><br />
<i>Haiku and Tanka Harvest</i></div>
Vic Gendranohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17049390356721305659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848955928194888427.post-79838963209835864292015-07-17T19:47:00.000-07:002015-07-17T19:47:19.170-07:00MORE BILINGUAL POEMS<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<b>HAIKU</b></div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 17.0px;">
<b></b><br /></div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
lack of rain</div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
still no news</div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
of their runaway daughter</div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 17.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<i>Tagalog</i></div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
kulang sa ulan</div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
wala pa ring balita</div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
lumayas na anak</div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 17.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
a fly on top</div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
of the carabao</div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
the mighty one</div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 17.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<i>Tagalog</i></div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
nakasakay</div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
sa likod ng kalabaw</div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
makapangyarihan</div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 17.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<b>TANKA</b></div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
from a distance</div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
at the appointed time</div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
I wait for your smile</div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
to bask once more</div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
in your smile</div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 17.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<i>Tagalog</i></div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 17.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
sa abot ng tanaw</div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
at takdang panahon</div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
hintay ang sulyap mo</div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
nang muling mamasdan</div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
ang iyong ngiti</div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 17.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
From my book,</div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<i>Haiku and tanka harvest</i></div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 17.0px;">
<i></i><br /></div>
</div>
Vic Gendranohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17049390356721305659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848955928194888427.post-29175080953369276242015-07-08T12:15:00.000-07:002015-07-08T12:15:56.534-07:00Trilingual Haiku<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="font: 15.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 18.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 15.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
TRILINGUAL HAIKU</div>
<div style="font: 15.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 18.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 15.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
KALUNGKUTAN (Tagalog)</div>
<div style="font: 15.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 18.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 15.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
gabing walang bituin</div>
<div style="font: 15.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
hinihintay kita sinta</div>
<div style="font: 15.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
kahit sa panaginip</div>
<div style="font: 15.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 18.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 15.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
SOLEDAD (Spanish)</div>
<div style="font: 15.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 18.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 15.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
la noche sin estrellas</div>
<div style="font: 15.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
esperare por te amor</div>
<div style="font: 15.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
aun en mi sueños</div>
<div style="font: 15.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 18.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 15.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
LONELINESS (English)</div>
<div style="font: 15.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 18.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 15.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
starless night</div>
<div style="font: 15.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
l'll wait for you my love</div>
<div style="font: 15.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
even in my dreams</div>
<div style="font: 15.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 18.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 15.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
From my book,</div>
<div style="font: 15.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<i>Haiku and Tanka Harvest</i></div>
</div>
Vic Gendranohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17049390356721305659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848955928194888427.post-85219070310424878342015-06-27T12:46:00.000-07:002015-06-27T12:46:02.456-07:00Moving Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="font: 15.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 18.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333233; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 17px;"><b>MOVING DAY, a haibun</b></span></div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 17.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<i>by Victor P. Gendrano</i></div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 17.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 20.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 17.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<i>World Haiku Review, August 2013</i></div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 17.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 20.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 17.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
watching me watch</div>
<div style="color: #333233; font: 17.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
the remnants of my past life</div>
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my daughter whispers</div>
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it's alright Dad to be sad</div>
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on your moving out</div>
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On my daughter Juliet's insistent demand that it's time for me to enjoy my retirement, I moved to a senior community place euphemistically called Leisure World. On the early morning of that first day, I thought I smelt the aroma of a freshly brewed coffee, so half-awake, I hurriedly walked to the kitchen dreamingly half-expecting a homey breakfast with my late wife.</div>
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Unfortunately, I accidentally bumped my head on the bedroom's slightly open door and felt blood oozing from my forehead to my eyes. I sidestepped to the bathroom, snatched a bunch of toilet paper and pressed them tightly over the wound. With my right hand on my forehead, I used my left hand to dial for help.</div>
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A paramedic examined the wound and, obviously to lessen the gravity of the situation and put me at ease, he proclaimed with impish grin and studied flair that it was only a cut and no stitches are needed. He then cleaned, dressed and bandaged my head wound, while softly humming a tune.</div>
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Blurting repeated thanks while escorting him to the door, I glimpsed a shaft of early morning light gradually piercing and bathing my sleepy neighborhood.</div>
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no time nor place</div>
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could weaken the memory</div>
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of my first love</div>
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Vic Gendranohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17049390356721305659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848955928194888427.post-25343733618880803202015-06-21T11:20:00.000-07:002015-06-21T11:24:20.249-07:00Ode to my father<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>ODE TO MY FATHER</b><br />
by Victor P. Gendrano<br />
<br />
Gnarled hands reveal<br />
The toil of countless years,<br />
Unceasing care in raising us<br />
From carefree days.<br />
Warm them on mine, let us,<br />
In peace, relive the bygone days<br />
With no regret. Let's not lament<br />
The rare instance when we snatched<br />
From fleeting time a few minutes<br />
Then being one, sharing one's soul<br />
In man-to-man's togetherness.<br />
<br />
Oh memories!<br />
Time-warped and distance-dulled<br />
We seem only to dwell on those<br />
We like and dump away the rest<br />
As if in so doing we wash our guilt<br />
Of things undone, unspoken words<br />
Which might haunt us in our sleep.<br />
<br />
Your frail body, which now is sapped<br />
Of all strength lay bedridden<br />
Creased brow, etched lines<br />
On aged face my hands<br />
Nor love, cannot erase.<br />
<br />
Hearken, I'll sing our song<br />
When as a child you soothed my fears<br />
I need it now to steel myself<br />
Still sorrow, and sad swan song<br />
Inchoate yet escaping<br />
From my burdened breast.<br />
<br />
And when the thief of life<br />
Finds us apart, take heed<br />
With you my thoughts, my love<br />
My memories remain always<br />
As with Mother who you precede<br />
Rest peacefully, peacefully rest<br />
We commend you to heaven's grace.<br />
<br />
<br />
<em>In my book, <a href="http://www.lulu.com/content/185280" style="color: #336699; text-decoration: none;">RUSTLE OF BAMBOO LEAVES,</a> but first published in Heritage magazine, Vol. II, No. 1, March 1988.</em><br />
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Vic Gendranohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17049390356721305659noreply@blogger.com0