Leaves of the Same Tree by Gabriel S. Gates   There goes another one, and another one, and another…   Each precious moment, one leaf withers Falls on the ground feeling helpless, lifeless Seemingly useless but has a purpose A living creature arose More beautiful than the last Vivid colors Subtle and clean veins Passion,…

Words of Encouragement by Claire Denise H. Arada You’ve cried to me countless times, But I never knew what to do. All I could do was comfort you, And tell you what I usually do. You don’t need my words of encouragement, But I’d like to think of it as me repaying you, Because you’ve…

Someday by Claire Denise H. Arada Love followed her around, Disabled, injured, and unable to speak. Hope came after.

Aatish by Claire Denise H. Arada He was a woman A mother A friend A warrior A female A victim of patriarchal social norms Raped every night by the law.

Being a Woman is Easy by Claire Denise H. Arada   They say that being a woman is easy That a flick of my wrist Or a kiss on their cheek Can send even the strongest men swooning, That the fact that men open doors for me Gives me an unfair advantage Over the same…

In Hopes by Claire Denise H. Arada   Uncomfortable in the pit of your own thoughts, You decide to stop your suffering. With fear in your head, and a friend that understood, You are not alone. Never lose hope.

To start things off, I find the novel a bit hard to comprehend and a little bit confusing. Why? A lot of strings were needed to connect every persona mentioned. However, it is not enough reason for me to say that it is a bad piece of literature. Every work of art has its own…

In the hypocritical world of “The Woman Who Had Two Navels,” prestige and social status are the only things valued by the people. The war has taken over the morality of the society and has swept away the houses of the patriots who fought for absolute freedom. The society has shifted into modernity wherein the…

“The Woman Who had Two Navels” is a novel that should only be regarded as simply one of the hundreds of Nick Joaquin’s surrealistic writings during his time, but also a reflection of his life experiences from his light and gentle childhood to his seemly dystopian survival during the wars in the Philippines. A number…