Saturday, September 01, 2007

In September, I will be Five and O

Come September
when leaves start to fall,
die, wither, and be buried
by the winter snow
I shall be five and O.

I still have yet to earn
an obelisk to mark my grave;
a cusp of three gold stars
to catch rays of the morning sun
or the gentle breeze that echoes
firing of twenty one guns.

No crown rests on my head,
just streaks of silver
on my thin mane;
bulging eyes from sleepless nights,
traces of fat on my sagging skin.

Neither my words nor my brushes
have produced any lightning.
My pen is becoming stale
but the sun only rests
at night and sure to rise
in the morning,

Come September
when I shall be five and O
leaves may fall to die and wither
and be buried by winter snow
but my swan is not singing yet.

Fall is only at the northern hemisphere
not here in the tropics where I shall be
when I turn to be
five and O

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Papa,

Very touching.... well, welcome to the "GOLDEN' club, hehehe

Siyempre ako ang unang nakabasa, kaya ako rin ang Ist na magco-comment... I LOVE YOU VERY MUCH

rolly said...

Mama haha, marunong ka nang maglagay ng comment ha.

Seriously, ang layo na ng narating natin, no? Parang kelan lang, bago pa lang tayong mag-asawa, wala pang anak pero masaya na. Lalong sumaya nang dumating na silang apat.

I am so happy I am traveling the road to life with you. I LOVE YOU VERY MUCH, TOO.

batjay said...

uuuuy. may papa and mama comment na rito. hehehe. congratulations sa pag 5-0 bossing. galing ng tula mo.

sarap ng 50, ano? dami mo nang experience kaya di na mabilis uminit ulo mo.

cathy said...

happy half century titorolly.

rolly said...

batjay hehe, sabi ko nga kay misis, "Ma, para na tayong sina batjay at jet nyan, hahaha

salamat sa comment bosing. minsan mabilis pa ring uminit ulo ko but I know it has been tempered by time.

Cath Thank you. Musta ka na?

joyce said...

uuuyyy happy birthday!!! ang sweet naman ng exchange ng I LOVE YOUs naiyak ako dun ah!

Unknown said...

Happy birthday, Tito Rolly!

I like this poem because I turned 5 and 0 this year too and yes, I too have silver (and thinning) hair, bulging eyes from sleepless nights and traces of fat on my sagging skin.

BUT it's been a great 50 years and, judging from the Papa-and-Mama comments here, your cup runneth over. So we both have a lot to be thankful for. :)

rolly said...

joyce Thank you. KAmusta raw sabi ni nitz.

bugsy I couldn't complain. Just thankful for all these years and my very supportive family.

Just Another Day said...

Pare,

Welcome to the club. Happy 50th birthday.

From entire Talucod Family

ipanema said...

happy 50th tito rolly! that is so sweet...to be greeted by your beloved. :)

rolly said...

Pare Thanks sa inyong lahat. Sana uwi ulit kayo at hindi man lang tayo nagkita nung magsama-sama kayo dito. Kainis kasi kung bakit nuon pa ko nagkasakit eh.

ipaneman Thank you. Nagulat nga ako at nagcomment dito si misis. Halos hindi humahawak ng comoputer yun eh.

Rey A said...

Tito R
Maligayang bati sa iyong Ginintuang Kaarawan...September when...May the Lord Bless you and Keep you. May His face Shine upon you...

Dr. Emer said...

How did you celebrate your birthday, Tito Rolly? Most people I know who just turned 50 are already into telling lies about their real age. I salute you for your honesty. After all, when one is happy with life, there is no need to lie about the wonderful years spent. God bless you on your special day! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Unknown said...

"Neither my words nor my brushes
have produced any lightning.
My pen is becoming stale
but the sun only rests
at night and sure to rise
in the morning"

-- I love this stanza. Minsan naiisip ko rin po, when I'm old and gray, would I have offered the world something significant, something to be remembered by? Then again, fifty is hardly the end. Or sixty. Or seventy. The sun DOES only rest at night, and every morning it rises is another day to live, to work, to offer the world something significant, something to be remembered by.

And Sir Rolly, you don't need to create lightnings in order to impart wisdom. Happy 50th po. :)

Anonymous said...

Idol kumusta na?

Siyanga pala bago ang lahat HAPPY 50th BIRTHDAY sa yo, I wish you are in perfect health to celebrate another 50 he-he-he.

Ako naman I will be celebrating my 25th next year. Gulat ko 'no? Anyway I am not that young. That will be my years here in Saudi.

Ingat lang lagi...

Santi

Anonymous said...

hey, mr rolly! maligayang bati sa iyong kaarawan! ang sweet naman ng iyong kapartner sa buhay. sana'y abutin namin ang 5 and 0 years beeday.

rolly said...

Rey A Thank you, sir.

Doc Emer I think you should know by now that I spent it with family and friends. Ang saya! Me, lie about my age? OF course not. Why should I hide my age when kita naman sa mukha? hahaha

Thank you, doc!

Miki I do not have any doubt you'll make a very big difference. I still remember how awed I was with your valedictory speech to this day!

Santi Hey, what a surprise! So, you are blogging again? HAven't heard from you for a very long time.

25 years? I have only been working in my institution for 23 years... hahaha, baka mas matanda ka sakin ah, di kaya? hahaha

bingskee Sweet talga yan. Would you believe she planned to greet me 50 times on my fone? I told her to stop on the seventh. Sayang piso... hahahaha

Thank you

Anonymous said...

nax! bumabata na! 50 ka na! 'sing bilog ng ulo mo ang 0! hahahahaha! congrats sa atin papa! 50 ka na napagtitiyagaan mo pa rin kaming magkakapatid. wahahahaha

rolly said...

mickey Wag mong ubusin ang internet card ko ngayong wala kang pasok, hane

Anonymous said...

Kuya Rolly,

Ayan ha may Kuya na kaya alam mo na kung sino mas matanda sa atin (4 years pa bago ako mag five-o). Mas marami o mas mahaba lang mga puting buhok ko kaysa sa yo (he-he-he).

Before coming here I already worked in the Phils. for 5 years as a working student.

My wife is asking kelan daw ako mag reretire sa pagiging OFW. Sabi ko malapit na, papagtapusin ko lang ng medisina ang bunso namin. Right now she is in Grade I (hahaha o huhuhu malapit na nga di ba?).

Ingat lang lagi.

Santi

rolly said...

Santi Grade 1? Malapit na yun. Mga 17 years na lang. In he meantime, bat hindi muna ikaw ang mag medicine para matuturuan mo anak mo pag siya na, hehe