Poem text and context: https://www.brainpickings.org/2021/05/28/emily-dickinson-grief/

POEM TEXT / CONTEXT

"I measure every Grief I meet" (Maria Popova reads Emily Dickinson)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5FZ8JamrZU

"Sige Lang/Tao Lang/Hawak Kamay" by Quest (Dagsa 2012)

(para sa lahat ng ating pinagmulan at sa lahat ng ating patutunguhan / a love letter to the university of the philippines)

arranged and produced by ean aguila

ang daming nangyari
saan na lulugar
lahat na lang lumilisan
naniniwalang may pupuntahan

ang daming iniisip
paano nga ba nakarating
sa kinahinatnan, anong dahilan
may pumipigil sa suntok sa buwan

kay tagal ka namang kalimutan
kay tagal ko nang hinintay makawala
pero dito, nakatayo
sa bungad ng bagong mundo
ay lumilingon

ang daming bumabalik
alaala ng bukas
na inakalang darating
may magbabago, may matutupad

ang daming alinlangan
ngayon ay sigurado sa wala
pero patuloy ang laban
para sa kalayaang inaasam

kay tagal ka namang kalimutan
kay tagal ko nang hinintay makawala
pero dito, nakatayo
sa bungad ng bagong mundo
ay lumilingon

ang dami pa nating
landas na tatahakin, mahal
ang kapalit ng pag-alis
sa kailangan nang iwan

kay tagal kitang dinala
pinaglaanan ng lahat-lahat
kay tagal kitang idadala
dangal at husay saan man ang sabak
mula rito, nakatayo
sa dulo
sa pagtatapos

saan man

C
Hey stranger
G
What were thinking
Am
Waiting for me at the door
F
Making me look at the floor

C
Hey stranger
G
What were you thinking
Am
Walking me down the old hall
F
Talking about manny's news

C
Hey stranger
G
What were thinking
Am
Pulling me to line - up for lunch
F
Gushing about spaghetti

Bridge:
C                         F
It was jollibee spaghetti
C                    G
You were so unsure
C                         Am
And I was really blown away
F
with all the things
G
that happened

C
Hey stranger
G
What were you thinking
F
Talking about the meaning life
Am
Learning more about more strife

C
Hey stranger
G
What am I thinking
F
Still talking to you
Am
Still laughing with you

Tonight

Stranger

i never usually fuck with sax samples but this one was rly happy and made me <:)3

collab w the dude @limes-3

artwork by m1saka.tumblr.com

sunflowers (w/ Limes)

Dear you, so many things are left unsaid
Like the prayer to finally rest your head
To be chosen as you are
With your face, your voice, your smiles and scars

Dear you, you hold my tears from being unseen
Salty tears that touch the wounds on your brown skin
You’re more fluent with these tears than with words
But how much does it take to be heard?

Mahal ko, ipagtapatawad mo at hinayaan ko
Napunta sa iba ang respeto ko
Nandito na ako, at ika’y pipiliin
Nararapat sa iyo ang aking awitin

Translation:
My love, I ask that you forgive me
My respect belonged to someone else
I’m here now – choosing you
You are worthy of all my song
---------------
This song is written about my body and to my body—the body of a Filipino woman that is oftentimes invisible and misunderstood. 

As a minority in the United States, there have been countless moments when I intentionally assimilated in order to survive and to belong. This involved actively rejecting my body for approval and safety--which I wasn't aware were a false sense of approval and safety.

The song is a letter of apology and gratitude to my body. I apologized for the times I participated in the process of being invisible through my assimilation. Here, I also thanked my body for being the home that continues to hold me. It is  precisely the home that makes me resilient, and the home that has been holding my heart and keeping me alive. 

In the end, I combined this track with a song by Sam Cooke to emphasize how my personal experience with this type of injustice is a collective experience that minorities suffer from.

To: my Body

HAWAK by Tao

Recorded for Brain Pickings. Poem text and context: https://www.brainpickings.org/2019/09/23/amanda-palmer-mary-oliver-when-i-am-among-the-trees/

POEM TEXT

Amanda Palmer reads "When I Am Among the Trees" by Mary Oliver

Middle-class hermit comes to terms with pandemic on his birthday.

O What a Nice Surprise (Instant Noodles w/ Rice)

"Tinuturo ng katwiran ang tayo'y umasa sa ating sarili at huwag antayin sa iba ang ating kabuhayan. Itinuturo ng katwiran ang tayo'y maglakas na maihapag ang naghaharing kasamaan sa ating bayan.

Panahon na ngayon dapat nating ipakilala na tayo'y may sariling pagdaramdam, may puri, may hiya at pagdadamayan. Ngayon ay panahong dapat simulan ang pagsisiwalat ng mga mahal at dakilang aral na magwawasak sa masinsing tabing na bumubulag sa ating kaisipan; panahon na ngayong dapat makilala ng mga Pilipino ang pinagbuhatan ng kanilang mga kahirapan.

Kaya, mga kababayan, ating idilat ang bulag na kaisipan at kusang igugol sa kagalingan ang ating lakas sa tunay at lubos na pag-asa na magtagumpay sa nilalayong kaginhawahan ng bayang tinubuan."

—Andres Bonifacio

Stranger

Sarinarida