A Jungle Weave

Roy Quiroz

the air abuzz in the palace by the swamp
the honorary king croc was badly ill, inside the icu
queen croc paced, edgy, sat by his side
wise owls readied thread and scalpel
outside, other big reptiles continued to gobble-up helpless preys
some chameleons shed crocodile tears
the monkeys rattled up and down, left and right
snakes hissed and some posed for the fatal strike
vultures crowed waiting for the carcass
a bald eagle hovered ready to swoop down for a tear
as a hotter jungle world awaits with bated breath,

the queen croc thoughts were

a mixture of what ifs and what nots
she truly owed her throne to the gentle giant croc
he was a smooth operator, fund-raiser, and financier
big and small crocs sidled-up to him
still, she knew he'd get over this as the
giraffes craned their necks to heavens for miracles
lions, tigers were on the prowl for wayward subjects
three weeks later, the king croc, pale and slim, checked-out
and went directly into the palace for much needed rest
meanwhile the caged ex-king croc commiserated as he knew
how it was to be under the devil's spell when one calls the shots
but life has to move on and they have to go

through another circus of an elections

the big-gentle croc pondered,

he cannot do anymore what he used to do
he has to report back to the wise owls for counsel and check
what a complete turnaround from the bad old days
might as well give it all back,

but no, there's no more turning back
he will only give a little back and that's the saddest part of all
as he fully knows others will soon follow-suit
reading the minds of the jungle's denizens, for them,

he's just another dead-croc walking and wading in the swamps

unless the jungle fairy turns him into the prince charming

he was once

Haikus (When Living Was Easy, WLWE)

Philvic Lubao

the kites flew higher

over open fields we ran

whiff of summer breeze

levee-framed sunset

bonfire, singing, and dancing

the moon took over

Lim # 1

Roy Quiroz

There seems to be chaos
In the land of the indios
As cheating, thieving, and killing
Are a daily happening
The leaders appear unperturbed like the big li'l boss

With the yearly disasters coming unabated
Priority environment problems are left unattended
The poor and the hungry couldn't believe it
When their leader too didn't have a meal to eat
Alas they say, "we might as well all soon be dead"

Quote of the Week

"Why beautiful sunset not beautiful sunrise? Because deep in our heart, a new-born baby's cry signals the long, excruciating, at times exhilarating, up and down struggle towards a ripe old-age, and then hopefully with enough grace, to face a beautiful, peaceful death." - anonymous-

Simple Moves

At one time or another
We were caught in a bind
Because of a simple, no brainer move
We got out of a mess
Because of an abrupt, unplanned action
If you are an athlete, a professional, or just
An ordinary guy, you' d know what i mean
So keep on living simple lives
It might lead to an adventure or
Save some lives
Funny thing is
The life could be yours
For someone's yoke is so light
He simply invites us to come to him
And feel the triumph of the Spirit
Over a weary mind and body

Colas Too Sweet But...

Remember when battle of the colas and uncolas commercials filled the airwaves and streets

Now they're gone and health drinks are taking over

Would they admit losing?

They are re-engineering frantically because

Iced teas are fast-selling

Maybe it's all a mistake

As my point of view now is that of an aged beer guzzling senior citizen

My grandchildren still love them colas

They're drinking behind my back though

Wish they have the rivers and the sweet little fish we had when we're as young

So not any of them go raging mad shooting

Bring back the time when life is fun

It still is but there's no coming back to life

We seem to be racing now to our end

Because the earth is getting very very old and heating up

Where are the calming streams and breezes of our youth?

Greenhouse Effect vs Thinning Ozone Layer

Climate change is caused by oversupply of carbon dioxide. So, what greenhouse effect are they worried about? If we are inside a green house, we would have lush rainforest by now as the main purpose of a green house is to control rain, snow, and sunlight so as the plants will not wither. On the other hand the ozone layer has been slowly but surely attacked by the oversupply of carbon dioxide and other fumes. What seems obvious to laypeople is tropical forests have been decimated in the past decades that oxygen supply which comes from trees is overwhelmed by toxic fumes and gases endangering the ozone layer. The ozone layer which is made up mostly of oxygen is thinning somewhere along its arc. The porous ozone layer is incomparable to a non-porous greenhouse cover. The super extra heat being experienced now is caused by the accumulated heat mother earth has been subjected to because of the decimated tropical forests. The heat rays of the sun penetrate mother earth to her very core and when she can no longer take it, volcanoes erupt, tectonic plates move, mountains collapse, groundwater dries up, floods and droughts occur alternately and so on. Without the trees, which are the no. 1 producer of oxygen, imbalance in the ecosystem is inevitable. Let us start regreening our planet. It was green in the beginning. In the beginning, we were few and crude so it was alright to fell them trees. Now, we are a few too many but creative and inventive, we ought to get back enough rainforests we lost through our own ignorance and greed. Let's add trees into the dimension where industrial revolution is seen as the main culprit to these climatic changes we are now getting a glimpse of. Trees are the only ones eating big amounts of carbon dioxide and giving-out life giving oxygen. Mother earth will get rid of us who would keep on felling trees even when the signs are right in front of us. Then, and it's only then, trees would grow back. If we don't do anything about replenishing our forest cover now.