An Ode to a Maverick Dad

Sleeping quietly
And passing through eternity
That’s how he went one quiet afternoon.
Hardly a sound, so smooth and calm, the way he always was
A maverick until the very end.
But nothing ends,
I know nothing ends,
For him whose spirit is free,
For him who has unquenchable desire to live a life so full with adventures both real and imaginary, almost like a child,
Whose dreams were lived in the lives of those he raised, both daughters and roosters alike,
Whose one goal is not to hurt anyone but help others in his little way.
In riches, he did not have much,
But in stories lived, in battles won, in soaring intelligence, fun, laughter, wit and love,
he had a lot to share.

I see him smiling with his handsome rooster, up there somewhere, contented with the life he’s lived and the memories he’s made.

Tonight, I miss you ever so fondly, my Tata (Father).🌹 

          ~30 Apr 2016, Rowena Isidro, pic by Daniel

Why is Loneliness More Acute at Christmas time?

Source: Why is Loneliness More Acute at Christmas time?

Musings on a Rainy Night

Slumber

but suddenly
i had the urge to write
about nothing, yes nothing,
except to say it is late,
and my lids are heavy now,
lights out, it is late,
good night.

Paper Boat

Paper boats sail
on rainy nights….
Like childhood dreams.

Sunflower

And why is it that when I see those sunflowers
No amount of gloom and sadness can stay?
There are things that make our mundane life
a little brighter, a little chirper.
Like the sun, a friend’s hello, that little smile…
I was sad for awhile, then you came…..

The Sun Never Sets

In memory of my cousin who was gunned down serving his country in January 2011. He was a fearless journalist, a passionate environmental activist whose only mistake was serving the country he so loved…

“The sun never sets
It only hides beyond the mountains
And in times of darkness
It rises again in the hearts of men.”

.

Grace

Grace is a word that has always left me in awe – it is such a big word. As a human being, it is hard to fathom. It is about humility, love, compassion, unmerited favour, a word that is like a gentle whisper yet powerful, releases
forgiveness, liberating and teaches how limited we are. It is about love, identified with real beauty, and describes the giving heart of God.

Grace has seen me through my best days and my worst.  

In times of trouble, I access grace to dig at my innermost reserve to find strength to go through life and survive;
In times of stress,  I turn to find the grace to navigate the turbulence whirling in my head to find peace and quiet repose;
In times of disappointment, grace allows me to smile, understand that I can’t always have life the way I want it and move on.

In happy days,
Grace teaches me to release love to the people around me whether I know them or not, whether they love me back or not;
In times of peace, grace makes me realise the blessings that I have to give me the strength to share it around;
These moments shake me to realise I have received unmerited favour that I don’t deserve;
Grace keeps me grounded that I am not perfect and so can always forgive;
Grace allows me to stop striving, trying, agonising over things I cannot change;
Grace liberates…..it sets me free.

– 5 Jul 15, Sydney

The Magic that is Philly

Such fond memories of Philly…

rowena2020

I will always have fond memories of Philadelphia, lovingly called Philly by its people.
A few years ago, I was assigned in this beautiful city  to do some training and consulting work for a month. I thought I will be so bored and lonely, as I did not know anyone, and expected my work was not going to be fun. I came from Sydney via San Francisco, which was more than 10 hours flight, and then a few more hours to Philly. It was a long flight. I was alone, stayed in a modest accommodation, which was quite an old building yet maintained well. I felt so calm though, just at peace, and surprisingly at home. Maybe it was the historical vibe, the old places, maybe BF (Benjamin Franklin’s good ghost) that made me feel comfortable. But maybe, it was also the fact that I was by myself, the first…

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Excerpts from: ‘Haikus of Despair’

There was a time I used to write dark poems…..I have not in a long while….this is just revisiting some & sharing again….and at the end of it, there is hope….

rowena2020

Some poems are featured in my book ‘The Forsaken Muse, a Woman’s Journey from Sorrow to Hope’.  

Disclaimer: The characters, stories,  & poetry depicted are fictional. Most of these were written from a long time ago.  They don’t necessarily meet the haikus’ strict measures of syllables.

Tragic Love
You are hers, me his
While we think of you and me,
Tragic love we have.

Paper Boats
Paper boats sail on rainy nights
Like childhood dreams.

Your Hand’s Warmth
I miss the touch of warm hands
That give me a sense of ‘home’
I hardly see them now, even
Have they gone cold?

Storm
Dark clouds pregnant with rain
Remind me I need to take shelter.
Being wet and cold
is not a pleasant feeling.

Circular Motion
I go around in circles
No beginning and no end
Until I start to get dizzy
And realise my stupidity.

Box
We move confined…

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