Arts & Letters • Page 3
TheAdamsonChronicle • VolumeXIV No.1
Towers of Ivory By Justine Denise S. Cruz Cries are heard from a hundred million souls Living in the troughs and lows, “Lay down your sheets of silk And let us sleep in warm linen just until dawn.” Countless floors with countless doors, Not a single one is ours, While they bathe in liquid gold, We are left to freeze in the cold. As whiskey pours from a century-old bottle, Cold blood sheds from those who fight a losing battle,
With the poor silently perishing at the sight of the stars, The people of Croesus are just fiddling with cigars. Towers of ivory standing proud and tall Only made for emperors, not for all And when the wails are loud enough to wake the dead, The royalties dance to this tune instead. Mothers, men, and children With howls echoing the walls Keep everyone up at night Except for those who live in turrets of ivory and gold.
Klasmeyt, Kumusta ka na? By Paul Adrian D. Hular
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amamagang mga mata, kumikirot na likod, puyat, lutang, sabaw at iba pang uri ng pagod. dagdag kalbaryo pa ‘pag umattitude si Blackboard, Klasmeyt, kumusta ka na? Internet na mahina, kuryenteng mawawala bigla, maingay na kapitbahay, mga sasakyang bida-bida bumusina, kasabay ng pagkaubos ng data ang pagkaubos ng aking pasensya. Klasmeyt, sana okay ka pa. Put a finger down, kung ikaw ay nahihirapan, put a finger down, kung sa academic break napagkaitan, put a finger down, kung may kilala kang nagbubulagbulagan. Klasmeyt, pilitin mong lumaban. Open your mic, open your camera, patay, ikaw ba ay nakahiga? O nakatulog sa Google Meet at ikaw nalang natira? Klasmeyt, pagod ka na ba?
S y n c h r o n o u s asynchronous, bitbit niyo mental health abuse. Anong one week? Pasa niyo ngayon. Klasmeyt, bakit kaya ganoon? Pula, kahel, dilaw at berde, sa bawat notification kami’y napapa-“awts gege.” Sa Among Us may impostor, sa online class may network error, Klasmeyt, ‘wag panghinaan ng loob sa mga color. Hindi lahat ng laban ay kailangan ipanalo, Klasmeyt, hindi masamang unahin ang sarili mo. Pare-parehas tayong nangangapa at nadadapa, Klasmeyt, kapit lang para sa inaasam na diploma. Klasmeyt, kumusta ka na? Sana ay sapat pa ang iyong tulog at pahinga. Klasmeyt, kumusta ka na? Sana sa next Google Meet ay nakaligo ka na.
Photos by Aleckine Troy N. Rada