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Tino del Rosario

IG: @teaknowspoems

"My name is Tino del Rosario and I am a Filipino American poet. I am a California Bay Area native, and though I currently live in the Bay Area I lived in Brooklyn for some years. I find inspiration for poetry in everyday life. I find this to be such a broad topic that is never devoid of a point of interest; whether it is the passing reverie of a daydream, the incessant needling of anxiety, or the introspective peace found in emotional balance. My goal is to bring honest feelings to the forefront and make a connection with my reader. Sometimes I aim more to amuse or to intrigue in a playful fashion. I however do not hesitate to bring challenges and aches into play. I try to write with a lyrical and quality similar to some of my favorite poets; Sappho and Emily Dickinson. The poetry of Japan has also had a profound influence in the shape of both haiku and tanka. Because of this and my heritage I do try my best to create something that can positively influence the Asian American writing community, but I focus more on imparting personal strength on a level that can hopefully transcend cultural and racial boundaries."

1.

Please

I don’t at all know what I am doing

Cooking?

Cleaning?

Laundry?

Yes I can do these simple things

But is this living?

Job?

Check

Home?

Somewhat

Love?

Damn

But here I still am

Clueless as always

I don’t at all know what I’m doing

Please

Cooking?

Cleaning?

Laundry?

And Working?

I can easily keep myself alive

But I wonder

Is this truly living?

​


 

2.

Butterflies taking flight from a face pollen laden

Petal eyelashes pushing up and outwards

Unfurling blossoms, reveal bright budding eyes blooming

Besides the golden grasses swaying

Wheat, oat, barley

Stalks bending under palms passing over

Wading through golden oceans

Flowing fluidly

Hiding the earth like

Mists unfurling

Hazes clearing

Moving to the side with the winds motions

Of the breath invisible

From an unseen sigh 

Escaping celestial lips

As she closes her divine

Starry eyes

​


 

3.

Baby, please capsize my boat

I want to drown in your waters tonight

Waves crashing over my head

As you squeeze my lungs so tight

I want your kisses on my face to drown out the moonlight

Drag me down by my hair and hold my hands as I reach out

For jewels of glimmering bubbles as promise diamonds instead of shouts

As those kisses drag me deeper and deeper

Into the abyss

​


 

4.

Growing maples 

Can be a curious thing 

Scratching my head at

Gardening zones

Shady spots

Drip irrigation

I toss up my hands

And wonder why I didn't

        go to botany school

But that line of thinking 

        is not so curious

As it is exasperating 

But growing maples

Touching their leaves everyday

And feeling their bark as it grows

Or watching as a branch worryingly withers

Is as curious as taking my palm

And holding it just touching

        the topmost shoots of my "kaede"

They lightly brush the bottom of my hand

As a wind passes through them

I can only grow more curious

As they shoot up higher and higher

Despite it seeming like so little time passes

Maybe I am simple

         easily overjoyed

By what some see as small changes

But working day by day

And watching the maples grow

Can be such a curious thing

​


 

5.

And even in the most

Darkest and ancient of the

Times of we bound

Brothers and Sisters

Huddled around the 

Buffeted fire

We had that warmth

Of the hands that gather

Stone and branch and together 

Bring a spark to life

For we can share

From our hearts overflowing

Another source of warmth

That which too must be

Tended, lest it ever go out

And so in the darkest

Coldest of those nights

When all the ancient horrors 

Our forebears fought back

Creeps back upon

Look to the darkened sky

Look to the un-shadow

Of the steady rising sun

As its light reaches from

Out of our sight beneath the horizon

​
 

6.

We love hard things

Not easy people

Beautiful scenes

But hardly scenic situations

Reel from truth

To drown in a pool of lies

And the irony of our hearts is

Uncontrollable

But so easily consolable

Is it not?

So easy to please this bag of flesh

Slake lust on viral media

Whilst inner cynics

Brood over the futility of this

Or any exercise

Like disturbed children

Looking for the answers to questions

That don't have a single sum

Not fully there

We love these hard things

Not easy questions

Only impossible answers 

We pull out of thin air

​


 

7.

I want to give up hope

You

Charlatan

Full of sweet, sweet fantasies

And what I always suspect are lies

Even if I try to stamp out your light

It scurries like a roach out of harm's way

And is much too keen to survive

Any firepower thrown at it

No I can't snuff you out

Hope

You Charlatan

Full of sweet, sweet promises

And what I always suspect are lies

Even if I try to stamp out your light

I still find you by my side

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