ANCY THE MINSTREL and Other Love Poems by Jose Antonio Cangco TABLE OF CONTENTS The Fairy's Touch - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- 3 Love Moves On - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 4 Sentimental Calling - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 5 Fancy the Minstrel - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 6 Eternity - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 7 Summer Interlude - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 8 Hope Eternal - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 9 Sweet Endearment - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 10 First Love Never Dies - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 11 Daffodils - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 12 Love's Eternal Spring - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 13 Gemini - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 14 Love After - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - -- - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 15 Our Song - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 16 Love's Better Left Undone - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 17 Ornaments - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 18 Impermanence - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 19 Still the Beholder - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 20 Sweet Nothings - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 21 THE FAIRY'S TOUCH Jose Antonio Cangco I thought I've lost my touch Writing a poem of such Short, light verses that it's For tired, broken heartbeats... Though I've lived eight more years, I'm still moved by your tears, As they're mine to abide, I'll always be by your side. None less to show my love Then your smile may reprove, That I can once again Be that of a young swain. You're closest to my heart Like a new sweet of tart While on a holiday, Or, whenever we just stay At home watching pigeons Fly 'round for the seasons. You're the best gift I've got, You're the verses I dot, The liqueur of my dreams, The fairy of my themes. Copyright by the Author 3 LOVE MOVES ON Jose Antonio Cangco Walking home from school one day I remembered what you said, That whatsoever which way We'd go, you'd be close ahead. I enjoyed the red sunsets We would watch on our way home, Colored lights on small droplets On the grass, shining like chrome; We would pass by the river And I would throw skipping stones, You'd hold me and deliver In my hands rocks shaped like cones; I breathed in the evening air Wondering why 'twas so sweet, Forgetting that you were near, All the perfume that was it. I see now the days ahead And the life that I shall find, For the many times you've led And grown, I was left behind. Copyright by the Author (Printed from Gulf Weekly, 10-7-93) 4 SENTIMENTAL CALLING Jose Antonio Cangco I like your name better When it was short and sweet, Not one tiny letter Had a harsh sound in it; Alone or in a set 'Twas plain music to hear On the day that you let The name reach my ear. Calling you by your name Was just like eating plums, Soft as a cherry, tame As the fruity perfumes Of Arabia; a picture Of long gone childhood days, And bridging a culture Different in many ways. Your name was a secret That no others had to Know; it's like a locket Of intimate value. Why did you change your name And wipe out yesterday? I know you're not the same For you have gone away. Copyright by the Author (Printed from (Gulf Weekly, 7-22-93) 5 FANCY THE MINSTREL Jose Antonio Cangco They call it lovers' quarrel, Old townsfolk, keen observers at a distance, Silent, prophetic, they dwell On us, the young, hence we ask from them guidance. We helped each other grow up, And talked of always being childhood sweethearts, A brown castle with a nice garden made up Of trickling sand, oyster shards, And of sun bleached shells. Above Seventeen, I believed in our tradition That we got the lovers' love, 'Twas nurtured in style and raised to devotion. On the island, we always Met at the beach where the first silence is crisp, We divined the coming days As happy, our old age brisk. You confessed that you must fly For the city, yet, attended by heartaches I gave the fondest goodbye, As steady as float until the water breaks. Now, we are separated Over distance, sentiments, by lovers' quarrel; Old Moon illuminated The jewel in me: I sent you a minstrel. Copyright by the Author (Printed from the Philippine Free Press, 1-18-92) 6 ETERNITY Jose Antonio Cangco My thoughts race ahead of me When I'm coming from your home - The rice fields I pass, the tea Shrubs growing wild on the loam, Become as a blur when I See them. I would walk slowly, But it's not to say goodbye To these; rather, to firmly Consign memories that may Arise when we shall pass here. Then, from the past to a day, From likes to dislikes, from mere Gestures or pitch of your voice, The different tones of your Face, I'll keep time and rejoice My feelings forevermore. Copyright by the Author 7 SUMMER INTERLUDE Jose Antonio Cangco Every time you gave me your smile, I remember when I was young, I would always sit near the aisle And listen to the hymns you sang; Melodies would play in my ear While waiting underneath a tree, Wishing at Christmas you'd be near To sing carols in rounds of three. My mother said that you are nice, And that you're welcome anytime, I ran back to invite you twice - For Christmas and on New Year's prime. Spring, of course, you were gone to school, Leaving me so sad and alone, Even prayed to hear the sounds of yule, Three months before you'd be home in June. Now, when you smile at me I'm sure, The songs of many summers past, Were then but a full overture Of a love we did not know would last. Copyright by the Author (Printed from Gulf Weekly, 3-21-97) 8 HOPE ETERNAL Jose Antonio Cangco Let me say goodbye Before the sun goes down, Daubed light in the sky Falls on the thistledown. In these last moments, I could smell the perfume And the spicy scents Of flowers abloom; What makes the day long When patience is not sweet? The hearth I belong Is empty with defeat: Let me find my way Where the lush violets grow, And hope that someday The road leads back to you. Copyright by the Author (Printed from Gulf Weekly, 8-11-94) 9 SWEET ENDEARMENT Jose Antonio Cangco When things go black, I turn to you - You have always been my strength, In the dark of the night, into The colors of the seventh Hour, into the chill of the moon, Into the heat of the sun; I need you when I'm out of tune To finish what I've begun And play the songs I cannot sing. I want you with me when I am Out in a Sunday morning, Or while at rest, talking flimflam; I remember calling you To prepare for the future, But you bestowed me wisdom to Better perceive man's nature; The times I'd been lost, you were there, Making me wish we were one, Then, come day and night my prayer Will always be heard and done. Copyright by the Author 10 FIRST LOVE NEVER DIES Jose Antonio Cangco You were my first love, At seventeen and fourteen, None could have been above A dream of a blissful mien; I said you were too young Behaving like a woman, Your love's a puppy's song While I was a grown-up man; You were very young, I said And your heart too was novel, More years would bring good spread To feelings which were fickle; So, I waited and hoped That you'd learn through the years, That you'd broaden your scope, Fix your heart and dry your tears; Gladly, hopes are wishes Which time then proves or defies, First love which flourishes Is first love that never dies. Copyright by the Author 11 DAFFODILS Jose Antonio Cangco Everywhere I turn I see you, From up here to the lakeside view, Down the valley then up the hills, I can see you with daffodils; I can't risk losing you again - The times I spent in my town when I was young and you're a fancy Flash in my mind to awaken me. Now, you have become my focus To share a life that's meant for us, And each May flower is new, Opening up slowly for you; You smile a child's gay abandon, Something I thought has long been gone, Telling me that time has unfurled Since I've been gone out from the world. Copyright by the Author 12 LOVE'S ETERNAL SPRINGS Jose Antonio Cangco Sitting down beside you, I listened to your dreams, I thought the world were you With tales of many themes; You spoke of brown houses In fields of green and gold, Birds in red warehouses, Home when they're weak and old; You showed to me cities, I thought were not alive, Big places, loud 'nineties, I wanted off by five. You talked of song and art I've never heard nor seen, Cultures so far apart, Lifestyles of wealth and sin, And you told me lastly, The feelings true love brings - The joys and cheers mostly, Like love's eternal springs. Copyright by the Author 13 GEMINI Jose Antonio Cangco My only memory of you Was that time while on our way home. It was noon, the sky, cloudless blue, The open land gave us one form And that was we were together. I enjoyed your good company, And I was hoping another Occasion in not so many Days would come; I'd then prepare for Stories you and I would enjoy; 'Twas the day when we'd walk on four Light, happy feet, when we're not coy, Nor cared for the grammarian's rule And kept our voices low, Our spirits joyous, our hearts full.