Poems by Fhen M

Fhen M.

I cannot stop for death

The smell of steak no longer holds sway. 

Monks live in the woods, I am told

– or mountaintop, a ladder reaching heaven

a sky showing the planet Saturn –

consuming wild plants and berries

Refrain from too much eating. 

Today, I started eating boiled squash, 

string beans drenched in soy sauce, 

slices of apple and seedless grapes. 

Indeed, I cannot stop for death

but I can deter oblivion. 

***

Mourning Field

Along gloomy paths into myrtle groves

Oh Cupid, hit her heart with arrow

with scented flowers, to shower me

to feed with grapes and mangoes, 

offer soft bed and tender kisses

a burning desire she'll have

But no,

she does not return my love

I write verses, she has no response, 

I build a world, she doesn't care, 

I offer eternity 

to which her reply: an eternal silence

I am not Aeneas, 

therefore my muse keeps evading me

travels to places I cannot follow, 

goes to an island I cannot cross

swims in an unknown sea, 

flies in a nameless sky. 

the clouds weep tears, 

leaves tremble here. 

***

The Triumph of Science over Death

tied your long black hair 

clad in a white cloth in a rural health center

test tube or beaker in hand, 

placed it in a machine

you were conducting an experiment, I think

to prove or disprove a hypothesis. 

I shall compare you to the fair maiden

supple breast, smooth skin, chiseled figure

holding a lit torch to illuminate, to enlighten

under her feet is a human skull. 

with your gentle touch and sweet voice

oh fair maiden, heal my aching heart.

***

Bio: Fhen M. studied the academic subjects Writing in the Discipline, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴, and The Literature of the World at Eastern Visayas State University. His Waray poem “Uyasan” (“Toy” in English”) was published in a collection of literary works entitled 𝘗𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘭𝘪: 15 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘸. His English verses appeared in 𝘗𝘰𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢 anthology series published by Clarendon House, including "Lighthouse," “Seaport,” “January Constellations,” among others.  Red Penguin Books’ 𝘈𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦: 𝘈 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨-𝘰𝘧-𝘈𝘨𝘦 𝘗𝘰𝘦𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘈𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺 will publish his piece “Outside the Block Universe". His poem “Sea Snail” will also be included in 𝘍𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘢/𝘍𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘢 𝘈𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺 by Open Shutter Press.  Fhen M. submitted verses in Waray for the 5th Lamiraw Creative Writing Workshop, including the 𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘺 “Duha nga mga pagtug-an” (translated in English as “Two confessions”). David Genotiva, Merlie Alunan, and Victor Sugbo were some of the distinguished panelists of this writing workshop held from the 5th to the 7th of November 2008. His Binisaya poems “To View the World,” “Those who were Left in Cancabatoc,” and other verses won the 1st Chito Roño Literary Awards. 

---

Setu, July 2024