Tula – Filipino Poems and Other Literature in the Philippines

This Feeling When It Rains

I don't know this feeling when it rains; 
when the sky is heavy 
and the air is wet; 
when the leaves are fresh 
and the grass shiny; 
when crystals are all around 
and the weather cool; 
when the wind blows soft 
and whispers like a dream; 
when it is nice to sleep 
and build tales in the mind; 
when girls become pretty 
and their hair so smooth; 
when lovers become sweet 
and the birds sing cheer; 
when the farmers smile 
and trees grow tall; 
when the world looks beautiful 
and you know Someone cares.

The Songs of Levi

So sweet and pleasing
are the songs of Levi;
so full of love,
faith in God
and philosophy;
elegant in style,
creamed with rhetoric;
like a flower his lyrics,
like a fresh morning his melody.
Dancing in the tongue
are the songs of Levi; 
dwelling in the mind, 
tickling the bones,
glowing in the body.
The nation sings
the songs of Levi –
Christmas carols,
serenades, hymns,
folk songs and tunes of unity;
conveying motherly love, 
hope, peace, festivity; 
expressing grand ideas
about culture and beauty;
binding the voice
of a people;
turning day into spectacle
night into party
time into a flow
of memories and dreams.
So deep, yet so rich
are the songs of Levi;
making his people proud,
his nation happy.

I Died with Jesus

I died with Jesus 
And with Him was buried; 
Yet raised from the dead, 
With a new life to live. 

In the waters I felt
Him wash my body; 
The death He died 
He died for my sin. 

I was crucified,
Yet freed from my old body;
Together with Christ in burial,
United in resurrection. 

Jesus Christ died for me,
And now I live for Him; 
To Heaven He ascended 
My place to prepare. 

His throne of grace
My hope and salvation; 
His great power in me 
Incomparable to the world.

The new life I have
Is a life lived by Jesus;
At the right hand of God, 
He directs my path. 

I am dead to sin
But alive to God in Christ;
Possessing the glorious hope 
With Jesus in eternal life.

You Are Where I Need You

You love me but I don't care. 
I seek my own ways, yet You guide me. 
I choose my plans, yet You protect me. 
I honor my desires, yet You are still there.

You love me stronger than I can resist. 
I hate the world, yet You give me hope. 
I despise myself, yet You preserve me. 
I deserve death, yet You give me life. 

Why do you love me Lord?
My name belongs to lowly people.
I have been running from You 
Yet You are always beside me. 

You keep my sanity 
when I am about to give up;
You carry my whole weight 
Just when I am about to jump. 

You renew my trust in people
And give me a reason to live. 
You wipe away my tears 
And send angels to my relief.

You watch me day and night,
While I walk or sleep. 
Where I am thirsty 
You go with drinking water.

You are where I need you 
And I am where Your love is. 
Why should I ever worry 
If You are always beside me?

The Poor Boy

Angelo was a poor boy 
who'd never learned to laugh; 
he had a sick mother, 
and he was all she had. 

He asked the town doctor 
to come and save her life; 
but the rich man was busy 
and said "let your mother die"
. 
…and the doctor heard these words: 

Remember this rich man
you made a poor boy cry; 
you will lose everything 
when you grow old and die; 

there are rich, there are poor,
there's a name for everyone; 
in the end God will reign, 
He knows what you have done. 

Angelo came home 
to see his mother faint;
with final look, she touched his face 
and said live for me my son. 

Angelo buried her
in a forest down the cliff;
on her tomb he promised her 
to work hard to get rich. 

Twenty years had passed, 
all memories had gone; 
Angelo became rich, 
and began to live like one.

There's smile on his face 
when the town doctor passed away;
secretly he told himself 
his time finally came. 

One day at his mansion
someone knocked on the door;
Angelo was busy and said 
go away poor boy. 

…then Angelo heard these words: 

Remember this rich man 
you made a poor boy cry; 
you will lose everything 
when you grow old and die; 

there are rich, there are poor, 
there's a name for everyone; 
in the end God will reign, 
He knows what you have done. 

The poor boy left crying
because her mother was sick;
on her bed he promised her 
to work hard to get rich. 

…to work hard to get rich.

Here Come the Loggers

How many trees shall 
fall on the ground 
to kill a forest 
ten, a hundred 
or maybe more? 
The loggers surely know, 
for they've done it many times. 

Here come the loggers 
who've just slain a forest; 
they attack with machines 
until not a tree's standing. 
The green shall turn brown 
when the loggers come in; 
the leaves on the ground 
shall be blown by the wind. 

Not a tree is spared 
by the mighty logging men; 
they toil for the need 
Of their growing children. 

How many forests 
shall disappear 
until there's nothing left 
ten, a hundred 
or maybe more? 
The loggers surely know 
for that's what they fear. 

Here come the loggers 
who've just slain a forest; 
they attack with machines 
until not a tree's standing. 
The green shall turn brown 
when the loggers come in; 
the leaves on the ground 
shall be blown by the wind. 

But when there's nothing left 
when not a tree's standing 
the loggers shall starve 
and so shall their children.

…and everything shall end.

The King's Dream

There was once a king of a great empire; 
His riches and might unsurpassed; 
No one like him in all the earth; 
He created his own god. 

Nebuchadnezzar was his name, 
The mighty king of Babylon; 
His power reached the sky, 
And to faraway lands his dominion. 

Those he wanted to put to death, 
He put to death; 
Those he wanted to humble, 
He humbled.

He took away riches of the earth 
And brought them to his throne in Riblah; 
His loot of gold, bronze and silver 
Was more than could be weighed. 

He burned the Lord's Temple 
And enslaved the people of Jerusalem; 
Kings and peasants bowed before him, 
The rebellious cruelly punished.

The finest men served his court, 
The most clever his religion; 
His officials were highly trained, 
His advisers shrewd magicians. 

One day the king had a dream 
That troubled him on his bed; 
When no one could tell what it was 
He wanted all his wise men dead. 

Then came Daniel, the exile; 
And he was a man of God. 
He revealed the king's dream, 
The future of the world. 

It was about four empires 
That would rule over the earth; 
The first was Babylon, 
The head made of pure gold. 

The second was a silver chest 
The third, bronze belly and thighs; 
The fourth, iron legs and partly clay feet; 
And finally, a rock cut out of a mountain. 

"All empires would be crushed 
By the kingdom of God; 
In the end God will reign, 
And so shall He forevermore." 

Then the king made Daniel 
Prime minister of Babylon; 
And appointed his three friends 
Administrators of the land. 

But the King knew not 
Who the God of Israel is;
So he made his own god 
In the image of ninety-foot gold. 

The image was to be worshipped 
At the sound of music; 
Those who dared would be thrown 
Into the blazing furnace. 

Daniel's three friends 
Refused to worship the image; 
The king was furious and said 
"What god can rescue you from my hand?" 

The king ordered the furnace 
Heated seven times hotter. 
The three men in their robes 
Saw the Son of God in the fire. 

The guards who took them 
Died at the degree of heat; 
But God rescued the three, 
And let them walk out unscathed. 

Not a hair of their heads singed, 
Nor their robes scorched; 
The king changed his mind 
And praised God who saved the three. 

The king issued a decree 
That the people of any nation 
Who would say against the God of the three 
Be cut into pieces. 

The king's empire grew richer 
With the help of Daniel and his friends; 
The king's glory and splendor 
Reached the most distant lands. 

All peoples and nations feared the king, 
And anything he wished became the law; 
He was a tree who touched the sky 
Whose enormity the whole Earth saw. 

He built palaces and gardens 
That became wonders of the time; 
As he had everything he wanted 
Pride hardened his heart. 

One day on the roof of his palace 
The king was impressed by his own honor. 
He asked, "Isn't this the empire I have built 
By my power for my glory?"

The most powerful king was he 
But because of God he would not be; 
Pride was still in his mind 
When God humbled him like no other man. 

The king lost his sanity 
And was driven from his palace; 
With a mind of an animal, 
No one thought he was once a king. 

He lived with wild donkeys 
And ate grass like cattle; 
His body drenched with dew from heaven 
For seven years men despised him. 

After seven years in the wild 
He raised his eyes toward heaven; 
His heart repent 
And honored God the most High. 

When he acknowledged the Lord 
His kingdom was restored; 
He renounced his sins 
And became kind to the oppressed. 

He became a greater king 
And ruled with knowledge 
That those who walk in pride 
God is able to humble. 

The king said, "All the peoples of the earth 
are regarded as nothing. 
The Lord does as he pleases 
With the powers of heaven." 

The king knew that his throne 
Would only be temporary; 
But the Lord's great dominion 
Would endure forever. 

Such is the story of King Nebuchadnezzar 
Who had the world, yet lost his mind; 
When he acknowledged God the Most High 
He was restored as a king, yet only a man.

Ako' Tutula

Ama, ako'y tutula 
Makatang makata. 
Akoy' susulat 
Ng sanaysay, nobela 
Kwento at tula 
Susulat, tutula 
Ako'y tutula. 

Anak magbungkal ka 
Ng mayamang lupa 
May gulay, may bunga 
May prutas, may pera 
Sa taludtod ng lupa. 
Anak tayo'y dukha 
Hindi ka tutula.

Kapag Umuulan

Kapag umuulan 
Makulimlim, malamig 
Ang himpapawid. 
Makulimlim, malamig 
Ang silong ng langit. 

Kapag umuulan 
Basa, nanggigitata 
Minsa'y binabaha 
Ang kalsada. 
Basa, nanggigitata 
Minsa'y binabaha 
Ang banig ng bata. 

Kapag umuulan 
Malamig, basa 
Ang tiyan ng bata. 
Nanggigitata 
Ang bata 
Habang mga paa'y 
Nakasawsaw sa baha. 

Kapag umuulan 
Ang bata sa lansangan 
Habang nakadapa 
Nakatunganga 
Sa baha.

Tanaw

1 
Malamig ang haplos ng hangin sa silong ng Acacia; 
ang mga dahon nito'y bumubuo ng isang kaulapang humaharang 
sa pagtalsik ng liwanag na ibinubuga ng tanghaling araw. 
Animo'y pinahiran ng langis ang mga kumikisap na berdeng dahon; 
sa ilang siwang ng mga ito'y nakaulos ang mga sibat na sinag 
na nagpapahapdi sa aking balat kapag nadadampian. 
Sa sahig ng puno'y nakalatag ang mga tuyong dahon 
habang nakausli ang mga siit at damong umaahon mula sa pagkakaragan. 
Nakaumbok ang bahagi ng lupang nakadantay sa mga binti ng Acacia, 
samantalang nililingkis ang troso nito ng mga baging at galamay ng kadawagan. 
Mula sa lilim ay makisig at matangkad na katawan ng Acacia 
ang bumabayumbong sa bawat ikubli ng anino nito; 
ang mga sanga'y tulad ng mga braso ng boksingero 
na busog sa laman at bugbog sa ehersisyo; 
ang bawat sanga'y parang kidlat na sa kauunat 
ay tinubuan ng maraming kamay. 
Kulot na buhok ng dilag ang anyo ng mga dahon; 
waring inaalon ng hangin ang bawat hiblang nakalugay 
paakyat sa bawat sulok ng langit. 
Parang pakpak ang buong punong kahoy; 
kagaya ng ibon na lumilimlim sa mga sisiw 
na sa sandaling bulabugin ng hangin 
ay ikakawag ang mga sanga nito't 
animo'y nais makalipad. 

2 
Masarap umupo sa sanga 
ng punong Molave. 
Dito'y tanaw at halos kasingtangkad ko 
ang mga katabing punong kahoy. 
Ang mga ito'y parang mga batang 
nagwiwili sa parke; 
nakaupo, nakawekwatro, nakadukwang 
namimilipit 
nag-iinat o nakatindig 
na parang prinsesa. 
Ang bawat puno'y kulupon 
ng mga dahon; 
nakasalalak sa kanila 
ang iba't ibang hugis; 
hilaw o hinog na bunga 
sapot ng langgam, pugad ng maya 
at bulaklak. 
Iba't ibang kulay 
Iba't ibang puno ng buhay: 
Narra, Molave, Acacia 
Mahogany, Sampaloc, Mangga 
Ipil-ipil, Niyog, Avocado, Bayabas 
o anomang punong may dagta. 
Parang turumpo 
ang hangin habang umuumpog 
sa bawat punong kahoy; 
parang tubig sa batis 
na lumiligwak sa aking mukha 
ang simoy nito. 

3 
Abot-tanaw ko ang gubat
mula sa dibdib ng burol; 
ang mga puno'y 
parang kawan ng mga kambing 
na nanginginain sa parang. 
Nakapukol sa lupa 
sa iisang direksyon 
ang kanilang anino; 
walang tiyak na ayos 
ang kanilang hanay 
tulad ng mga kambing 
na nanginginain sa parang. 
Masinsin ang ihip 
ng hangin sa burol 
subalit hindi kumakawag 
ang mga punong kahoy. 

4 
Higit na malawak 
ang tanawin 
mula sa tuktok ng bundok; 
tanaw ko ang gubat 
na animo'y pitak 
ng mga kabute 
at berdeng bubog. 
Matingkad 
ang sikat ng araw 
at ang buong gubat 
ay hindi makagawa ng lilim. 
Humahampas 
sa aking mukha 
ang hangin 
subalit ang gubat 
ay hindi natitinag. 

5 
Sakay ako 
ng eroplano 
at sa munting 
bintanang 
salamin nito'y 
nasisilip ko 
ang mundo; 
sa pagitan 
ng mga ulap 
ay aking 
nababanaag 
ang lupa at dagat. 
Animo'y 
mantsa 
sa damit 
ang kagubatan.