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Looking back, at the end of WW II sometime in 1945, the Philippines was a big mess. Not only in the Philippines, but the whole world. I started school before the end of the year in 1945, sadly, in the First Grade at the age of 8. I am so hungry for education just like the other kids. We didn’t have classes in the school building , but in residential houses all over town.

 

In the First Grade, we learned how to write our names, the ABC’s, writing numbers, and started reading books in English. I had so much fun with younger kids and older kids. We didn’t have Nursery rhymes in the First Grade. It came in the Second Grade. I just came to like the Nursery Rhymes in form of songs. When I got home after school, I memorized them by
heart and sang them all.

Now came High School! It was a little different. Instead of memorizing Nursery Rhymes, we memorized poems. Some famous poems of English and American writers, like William Shakespeare, John Keith, Alexander Pope, Edgar Alan Poe, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Ralph Waldo Emerson, etc. These poets & writers had inspired me so much while studying in High School. My instructor, Mr. Eliseo C. was so good in the subject of Literature, Poetry & Writing Essays. I was drawn to his class, and then memorized all the famous poems in the book. We also studied Sonnets.

However, while I was in college, I forgot all about poems, poetry and sonnets. I was focused in Engineering where Literature doesn’t belong in it. It’s purely a science course. Now came my colorful journey in America. As everyone knows, life doesn’t travel in straight line. In Engineering, we graphed curves, all kinds of curves by using Calculus & Geometry. Life is full of curves, different curves. We just have to face them and hurdled them. Life must have an intrigue, or it could be very boring.

Well, everything has it end. Now, I am RETIRED in America, where I found all my dreams in a form of a song, “When You Wish Upon A Star.” I just started writing poems, short stories, doing photo journal & photography, and writing books in its entireties. I just loved to write poems. I made use of my brain energy…to refresh it, energize it, and to make life meaningful
by sharing my works, with friends, family, and the whole world. This is a part of my legacy that I will leave behind for the coming generations.