Elizabeth Esguerra Castillo & Jonathan Aquino write

War and Peace

Elizabeth:

I dream of a world enveloped in utmost peace and unity

Where the fresh meadows commune with soaring birds in beautiful tranquility

A sacred sanctuary where precious lives are given due importance

And the rights of the people are recognized in every circumstance.

Jonathan:

I heard the news today

from a country far away,

a little girl, aged nine,

got her feet blown off

as she stepped in a landmine

Then there was this young woman,

the wife of a war hero,

she saw the death of her husband

and their two young sons

in a war full of widows .

Elizabeth:

An immaculate white dove flying freely across the skies of blue,

Bringing hope in the hearts of troubled souls in every avenue

The dawning of a brand new day, a glimpse of a colorful rainbow,

Setting forth calmness and stillness for a better tomorrow.

Jonathan:

We human beings pride ourselves

as the image and likeness of the Creator,

yet we have contaminated our small planet,

and we spent our entire history killing each other

Elizabeth:

Let there be peace in an ailing world which needs healing,

Put an end to all misunderstandings covering the land

Let a ray of light shine upon nations at war,

Set aside differences in beliefs, say no to discrimination of any kind.

I can see the beaming sun with its orb reaching out to everyone,

No more outcasts who feel lonely amidst a busy crowd

A world which gives no room for selfish motives to reign

But of extending brotherly love promoting a place of total harmony.

Jonathan:

From the time of the ancients,

when tribes battle for the land,

wars have been a curse, a pestilence

that has destroyed countless lives,

but we started it, and we can end it

or wait, until none is left to survive.

Elizabeth Esguerra Castillo & Jonathan Aquino write

Love Is…

Elizabeth:

I’ve always thought love is a soft whisper,

Breathing into life when it beats for another

Like when you first called by name,

And it had never sounded the same again.

Jonathan:

Love is the face that greets your morning,

the smile that takes you through the day,

love is the hope you feel when you're suffering,

it is what make you glad to be here, now, today.

Elizabeth:

Love is the dream that came true by just thinking of you,

The sweet, gentle voice of yours that brings me to my knees

One that awakens the sleeping senses

And leaves you daydreaming and defenseless.

Jonathan:

Love is like the clear and endless sky,

you can reach as high as you can soar,

it's there, just waiting for you to fly,

because love is life, yet so much more.

Elizabeth:

Love can take you to new heights across the horizon,

When all else fails and your world is beginning to fade

Love heals the weary and helps to pick up the pieces again,

Love is not just a mere word, not just a strong feeling, not a promise to be broken.

Jonathan:

Love is everything, it is the sea that you swim in,

that land that you tread on, the air you breathe in;

in this world we have our being, but our lives end,

 like dew in a misty dawn, yet love, true love, lives on.

Elizabeth:

Love is a gift from the heavens brought over by the angels,

The ray of hope that shines over an overcast sky above

Love is divine seen through rose-colored glasses,

And will bring forth peace and unity in a world of chaos.

Jonathan:

The spirit of love knows no boundary,

the essence of love is the fount of wisdom,

love is infinity, and love is eternity,

 and love is the source of all of creation.

Elizabeth Esguerra Castillo & Jonathan Aquino write

The River’s Ebb and Flow

Jonathan:

When I see a river ...

I think of two rivers ...

 not Tigris and Euphrates ..

 but one boat on two streams

Elizabeth:

The water that flows freely

Symbolizes life that goes on continuously

Its beautiful ebb and flow

Caught up in circles but always brings a larger tomorrow.

Jonathan:

I took a raft and tried to row

yet the raging waters beckons so,

but not to where I want to go

I'm on a ride, carried by the tides. 

Elizabeth:

The rhythmic sound the river water makes

A melodramatic scene when a leaf falls from a fragile branch of a tree,

And is carried away by the running water as if escaping its reality

While way up above, the sky meets the charismatic shadow of my reflection.

Jonathan:

I want to go not where the river is going,

there's are places upstream I want to see,

and this is mammon's lot, to keep struggling,

then, in a blinding moment, I had a epiphany.

Elizabeth:

At night time, the river may seem still and emotionless

But its tranquility echoes even in the darkness

As the stars in the moonlit sky bathes in their own images on the water

In the depths of deafening silence, the flow of time goes inevitably.

Jonathan:

Just let go, a voice said, as if I heard that,

there is something telling me I know not what,

Let go of the oar, it said, and, perhaps I'm mad,

to hear a voice, and a fool to believe it is right.

Elizabeth:

The river teaches us the art of holding on and letting go,

But it also sends a subtle message of just going with the flow

For if we force our way against the strong current

We may stumble at the wrong direction and hurt ourselves in the end.

Jonathan:

This river had seen all centuries past,

and will also see all the ages to come,

our lives is but a ripple in her surface,

and she will remain, forever, beyond time.