One more take on Poverty: Gabi. This was a hard topic to tackle. While poverty is manifested in practically every corner of Manila, it surprised me that I had trouble funneling my thoughts. It got to a point that thinking about the country’s poverty was so overwhelming I didn’t know what to start with, what to rally for, what to amplify… and then it hit me. The evenings. Streets. Children. Sampaguita. The other side of the window. Read with me, and maybe together we can do something about the play that goes between red light and green light.
My poem is written in Tagalog. If you don’t understand the language, I’ll be more than happy to translate it for you; just let me know.
P.S. Tito Rolly wrote a poem in response to this. BongK wrote one too. They are two of the most brilliant minds I’ve met online. I am immensely flattered that my piece inspired them to write their beautiful poems. Salamat mga ka-berks.
Hi! I'm Toni Tiu,
and I've been blogging at
at Wifely Steps since 2003. This started as a blog to help newly weds adjust to married life. It has evolved into a home and parenting blog. I write about things close to my heart -- good eats, good reads, family, marriage, and the little things that make everyday happy.
BabyPink
March 21, 2006 at 12:02 pm (18 years ago)maganda ang mga tula.:)
Toni
March 21, 2006 at 1:11 pm (18 years ago)Baby P: Sulat ka rin
Joey
March 21, 2006 at 3:06 pm (18 years ago)Aba ang husay mo pala! Ipagpatuloy mo, ha! Galing, Toni! Mapagmuni ka pala!
Tuloy, napaisip mo ako.
Toni
March 21, 2006 at 6:35 pm (18 years ago)Joey: Heehee, salamat po! May mga serious moments naman po ako. Actually marami akong munimuni moments throughout the day. Hindi lang kita dito sa blog ko!
iska
March 21, 2006 at 11:15 pm (18 years ago)ganda talaga pati yung galing sa iba… tumayo mga balahibo ko…
bh
March 22, 2006 at 5:58 am (18 years ago)you kill me, Toni…
you drive the nail home
with your sweet
sad poem
Toni
March 22, 2006 at 9:26 am (18 years ago)iska: Thanks. I’m blessed to be part of a fantastic group of writers!
bh: Aww, thanks for the kind words. To move, to connect with readers, that matters a lot to me.
Meeyagirl
March 23, 2006 at 3:25 pm (18 years ago)totoo, poverty is a very difficult topic to talk about, and i know that some writers, although sincere, end up appearing detached from their own opinions, or naive, or sometimes even messianic for lack of a real grasp on the issue. i’m glad you took this approach. the only experience we could ever really talk accurately and genuinely about would be our own, which you did, speaking as the person on the other side of the window. ang ganda, toni, and brilliant
Toni
March 24, 2006 at 8:54 am (18 years ago)Meeya: Thanks sister. I feel like I talked to you before writing this piece. *LOL* Can I just say we’re on the same wavelength?! Hirap ako sa umpisa kasi while I didn’t want to write about statistics, realities and corruption, I knew I had to write about something very obvious. And then yes, just as you said, I talked about an experience I accurately know — sitting inside a car, with a tinted window to mask me from the rest of the world, having all those thoughts when street children come a-knockin’. I was scared while I was writing it. I felt like a horrible person. But that’s the reality of it. I’m sure others have had this experience at least once in their Manila life. Now whether you do something about it, that’s entirely up to you. I’m in no position to preach what the next step should be. Well I can give one some ideas, like give money or volunteer in a program to help street kids, but you know, I wouldn’t do that because it’s entirely up to you, the reader. We each have different ways to deal with this. To ignore? To give? To participate? To carry on? It’s your call. One just has to deal with the consequences of their decision. At least I had made known what happens behind those tinted windows. If it moved you in any way, I’m good with that.
Ay ang haba. Hehehehe. Pasensya na. Basta, same WAVELENGTH tayo! Aliw!