Fhen M. became a staff member of the publication paper 𝘈𝘯𝘨𝘚𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘨(𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘓𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵) at Eastern Samar National Comprehensive High School – a public secondary school in the Philippines. He received his first poetry award while a sophomore student at Leyte Institute of Technology. Fhen M. was a member of 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘦𝘭, the official publication paper of LIT. Fhen M. studied the academic subjects Writing in the Discipline, 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘓𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘰𝘧𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘗𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴, and The Literature of the World at Eastern Visayas State University. The Waray poem “Uyasan” (“Toy” in English”) written by Fhen M. was published in a collection of literary works entitled 𝘗𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘭𝘪: 15 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘸. His English verses “Lighthouse,” “Seaport,” “Barbeque Stalls along Boulevard,” and “Tetrapod” appeared in 𝘗𝘰𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢anthology series published by Clarendon House. Red Penguin Books’ 𝘈𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦: 𝘈 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨-𝘰𝘧-𝘈𝘨𝘦 𝘗𝘰𝘦𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘈𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺 published his piece “Outside the Block Universe”. One of his poems is 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. 

For All Seasons

shivery rain poured down from dark sky
mom slurped a burning bowl of udon
that dad stewed, drenched in sardines
warmed her heart from freezing weather
I was told, udon was invented by the Japanese.

a stone’s throw from his shanty
at large Luis Capito Cultural Stage
my missus and her fellow female teachers
staged a play about the town’s past:
enfolded in embroidered Filipiniana
peddled pancake from glutinous rice flour
men in Japanese outfit 
with riffles and fire
burned houses of wood and nipa,
tore women’s clothes, 
ate their pancakes.

now, to taste rice cakes and noodles
not through guns and ammunitions 
but thru exchange of coins and currency;
build her decent house, 
feed her decent foods
and she may learn to live with you
in spring, in summer, 
and for all seasons.

Twilight

under crimson clouds of evening twilight
forest trees stashed rifles and swords
trails hidden to the fishers of the island
shadows of stones hang from cave ceiling;
a Japanese lieutenant who hated Americans
with worn-out boots, uniform in tatter
believed the Second World War 
persisted in the decade of the seventies.

like a time-traveling soldier 
or spy from time passed
The Twilight Zone song is eerily played:
palm fronds decorate the stage
summer wind blows white banners:
Long live Kalibapi!
an old microphone echoes in the square
a Tarlac plantation owner hates Americans 
with shabby shoes, long-sleeved of fading white
the Second World War continues
for thirty years and more.

like a lover who sailed to the ocean
promised to return
like the returning spring after winter
before twilight dawns to one's mortal life
and the beloved left on the island
stands on the shore 
sings the same old song.