RIGHT AFTER my three months in the Philippines, I visited a friend in Vancouver.
I went to Vancouver in a crazy state.
I was kinda in love with a Filipino boy.
But also, I was kinda getting over him.
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I mean, I was leaving him in the Philippines.
Probably wouldn’t see him in another six months.
He left me hanging.
I left him hanging. (Hanged?)
He hasn’t really said the big Yes to me.
But he said yes, I can continue to court him.
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I don’t know if I wanted to do that.
I mean, Seriously?
Still, I have feelings for this boy.
So, I wrote lyrical stuff about me, and love.
The Vancouver scene made it all so easy for me to write.
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Because I took photos, and posted them on social media with these lines, I got a lot of encouragement from my followers.
Here are the most popular ones.
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“These totem poles at Stanley Park —
What stories do they tell, what myths about love? Do they know the great journey of my heart in search of you? Do they understand the joy you give this little heart of mine every time you smile at me? Do they feel the real pain that wrenches my soul when you turn your gaze away? I do not want you to look at me forever. I only want to stare at you, look at you from a distance, maybe watch over you, even when you sleep.” — Peter Solis Nery, Poet in Love
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“I know you will never be mine. But I feel so much is lost in the world if I don’t say ‘I love you’.” — Peter Solis Nery, Filipino Poet
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“Staring at The Inukshuk at English Bay —
I wish I can say I came here, saw this, and felt nothing. But instead, I thought about you, and felt hopeful, big, and powerful. I thought about what we can be, what we can make together, what good we can do to the world. I want us, together, to leave marks on this planet. I want the world to remember there was us. And we were beautiful together.” — Peter Solis Nery, Filipino Poet
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And on Canada’s Remembrance Day:
“I remember, and honor, those who have died for our freedom and liberties. And in red poppies, I recognize the blood they spilled. And without taking anything from their valor and sacrifices, I also remember the everyday heroes, and warriors, who lost in their individual battles for love. Those who died for love in their hearts. Those killed, rejected, by love. I remember the dead lovers walking. Because no one should forget those who ever loved. Whether they be lovers of freedom and sovereignties, or grand lovers who only loved their sweet, dearest beloved.” — Peter Solis Nery, Filipino Poet
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“I believe in love without age, and sex, discrimination. I believe in love without shame. I believe that when you love me as I love you, what people think, or say, shouldn’t matter anymore. The world should just disappear, and make us shine like a big bright star — an inspiration for others to share tongues, and breathlessness, and good sex. I want my old body to be comfortable with your young body as my soul embraces you without hesitation, without embarrassment. Because Love is love, and we don’t need to overthink it. If you love me, who needs the world?” — Peter Solis Nery, Love in the Golden Age
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And this one written after seeing “Knife Edge”, the abstract bronze sculpture by Henry Moore (1962), Vancouver City —
“My heart is not stone. You cannot break it. You can bruise it, and cut it. Wound it with a knife like you scratch bronze, and silver, and gold. My heart is metal. Seemingly hard, seemingly indestructible. But really I’m just metal, malleable, able to take your punches. Without breaking or cracking, you can hurt me, press me permanently out of shape. I’m just a heart, and my heart is not stone.” — Peter Solis Nery, Poet Spurned, But Not Broken; Stirred, But Not Shaken
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“You are stone. Hard, cold, unfeeling. And still I love you. And still I like you. Like stone wanting to be near stone. Wanting to be less stone, more love, and even stone no more, strong no more for you. For you!” — Peter Solis Nery, Poet in Love
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“Most of the flowers are gone now, but I still see beauty in the things around me. I still see you in the colors of autumn, in these plants that persist like my love for you past our moments together. I love you though you are far away from me, far removed from November like April showers and daffodils. I love you with the wisdom and strength of autumn. I love you with desire like a longing for spring. Like love eternal, and ever growing.” — Peter Solis Nery, Poet in Love
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“Trust me, I know that sometimes, my love for you sounds like it is impossible, invincible, incredible, unbelievable. How it tries to boldly defy public opinion, how bravely it announces itself, and proudly proclaims we can truly be happy in this life. I know it sounds like I’m promising forever and happily ever afters (Oh, I would die for those!), but really, sometimes, it’s just about you and me having coffee, and I making you smile, and I smiling more, smiling bigger, because I knew I made you smile despite of yourself, despite of the world.” — Peter Solis Nery, I Am Love
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“I just want you to know that anywhere, and everywhere, I go, I always think of you. When I pose and smile for a photo, it’s not because I’m always happy. But mostly because I don’t want you to worry about me. Please don’t worry about me. Don’t worry about you. Let me just worry for the both of us.” — Peter Solis Nery, Traveler, Thinking Like OFW
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Look at where I am. And here, all the while, I’m thinking about you. I’m thinking, and wishing hard, you were here with me. I’m thinking you would love this place. I’m thinking you would love me more in this place. You would be cold, and you would seek my hand, seek my embrace. And I would hug you, and keep you warm. And we would be a prettier sight than this place. This is love. And this is me. — Peter Solis Nery, Poet in Love
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I will not apologize for loving you like crazy. No one should apologize for any kind of loving, period! — Peter Solis Nery, Poet
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”When I said I love you, I meant I wanted to see sunsets and sunrises with you. I wanted us to inspire each other to paint, or describe in words and poetry, or to sing to, or dance to, and pray to, and make love to all the sunsets and sunrises that we will lovingly share together. I want to make love to sunsets and sunrises with you. Only with you!” — Peter Solis Nery, Poet in Love
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”Let us run these hills together. Better yet, let us race against each other on this trail. If I win, I’ll kiss you where you want it. If you win, I’ll let you kiss me everywhere, and in any way, you want. But first, let us run. I mean, these hills, this trail, has you and me, and our sweet little sweaty kisses, written all over them.” — Peter Solis Nery, Lover & Marathoner (500tinaga@gmail.com/PN)
