The End of Good Things
I guess that's that. Yesterday I have decided to give up PowerPoets completely. To the curious, yet that was the group I was talking about at the earlier post. After initially forging the group, breaking down barriers and gaining the trust and cooperation of Powerbooks, Makati to host monthly open-mic poetry readings, I was acutally accused of racism, being a "drama queen" and other more painful things I rather not repeat by the very same people whom I had befriended, loved, cared for, trusted, helped in times of emotional distress, and abandoned by some who I actually really felt attached to. Painful words were tossed my way, and others just turned a blind eye to it all.

On the off-chance that anyone from that group visits my blog, I decided to post a few final parting words to those who did mean much to me whom I doubt I'll be in contact with anytime soon... or possibly ever.

Tom
Thanks for the memories.
We went through a lot of rough times together. Heck, we were practically inseperable at some point in our lives. I guess this just shows us that things do change. And people do become someone else. Though we both had made major mistakes towards one another in the past, I do hope someday we bump into each other and discover we were friends much longer than we were anything else... and maybe that's what we should have kept in mind.

Don't ever let go of your child-heart. Though you were never childish, you never let go of that intrinstic part of you that made you special. And sing! Always sing to your hearts content. Jaya will never compare to what you can accomplish.

Eroica
Its good to know you're feeling better. And more confident now.
I only wish you could have helped me out too when I needed it, but I guess its hard to when a majority of voices seem to do otherwise. I watched over you for quite some time, even to the detriment of personal relations with other people in the past. I am happy though, knowing you've gotten much further now on your own two feet. I only hope it does lead you to better things. I recall so much those times we'd speak on the phone for hours. And those letters back in college. Its sad to realise this was how the story ends.

Nikka and Paul
I guess I never really knew either of you.
And now I guess I never really will.

Yce and Alain
When we were strangers, I saw good people whom I'd love to have as friends.
And now we shall become strangers who at some point in time could have become those friends.

To the others whose names I cannot remember
To you who always reminded us of the need for spiritual growth, I thank you! I never forgot to praise God for giving me the gift of writing poetry.

To the group who loved to sing and make sound and poetry one, I shall always remember how you opened my eyes to the range that poetry can be diverse. And I shall never forget the power that sound can offer to poetic expression. Thank you!

To the silent ones in the group, I hope you all find it within yourselves to share the inner poetry you have most likely kept hidden, unread and unshared. I hope you never feel intimidated by the clique-ness the group has now. I hope you never be made to feel as if your works are not good enough.

To the others whom I still actually can reach either online, through cellphones, text messages or actually meet up with face to face... there's always tomorrow, the day after that, and today to make plans and enjoy each other's company. To those who were empathic of the situation, thank you for your concern and support. To those who were at least civil enough to still treat me as a person, thank you for your sensitivity.

Powerpoets, for me, shall always be remembered as those shining nights of sheer passionate readings where everyone was happily sharing their works, newcomer walk-ins would suddenly share long hidden works and nobody felt like he had to fit in... because everybody did.

Maybe Powerpoets live on.

Tom
Thanks for the memories