I had written this poem way back 1998 when I was in fourth year high school for our school paper. I was awestruck by the fact that I’m going to finish high school and pursue college in another school. I had written this for the purpose of imparting a legacy to the juniors before I graduate, after all, the poem is about leaving and cherishing what you have before you leave. Of course, to a deeper sense, death is the topic of the poem. I sort of, sugarcoated the topic by using the word, life, in the title, and not the other way around, so as not to disappoint the readers. I compared life to a garden, and connected the actual everyday garden activities to death.

This poem is poems within a poem. It is a trilogy of poems actually, by which, each has its own separate meanings but unified message. I employed one of the Japanese’ way of writing poems which is the tanka technique.

It is very strict when it comes to syllabication. A poem should be composed of five lines only, in which, the first line is composed of 5 syllables, the second line with 7 syllables, the third line with 5 syllables, the fourth line with 7 syllables and the last line with 7 syllables.
This is published in our school paper only. Also, I have not yet entered it in any contests.

Tankas About the Garden of Life
by Jocell Siyangbigay Maranan

I
Everytime I pull
Those stubborn and growing weeds
They keep coming back
Whenever skies cry too hard
So everyday’s a workday.

II
If you come to pass
Seeing an orchid yonder
Smell now its fragrance
As long as humans can breath
Because it blooms once a year.

III
Prune those large branches
If you please, Sir Gardener?
So I can pass through
And pick those roses over there
Where are you, Sir Gardener?

About the Author: Jocell Maranan’s Short Biography: Jocell Siyangbigay Maranan was born on February 9, 1982 in Batangas City. He is the third of the five children of Mr. Juan A. Maranan (deceased), a public school teacher, and Mrs. Cecilia S. Maranan, a registered midwife. His father died at the age of 62 when he was 14 years old. Because of this, his mother struggled in raising him and his siblings solely. At an early age, he showed signs of eagerness to go to school. He spent his kindergarten days in Bauan East Central School, elementary in St. Theresa’s Academy and high school in Sta. Teresa College.

Source: www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=921&ca=Poetry

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