About the poet

my college life = my pen + my calculator

Marites A. Guico is currently (an exhausted) Accountancy student, at the same time, the editor in chief of Phoenix, official student publication of Lyceum of the Philippines University - Batangas.

She is a consistent winner in regional and Luzonwide press conferences since her freshman year in college. Her winnings include:

Regional Higher Education Press Conference

• 1st place Copyreading and Headline Writing AY 2005-06
• 2nd place Copyreading and Headline Writing AY 2006-07
• 4th place Poetry Writing AY 2006-07
• 2nd place Copyreading and Headline Writing AY 2007-08
• 6th place News Writing AY 2007-08

Luzonwide Higher Education Press Conference

• 1st place Copyreading and Headline Writing AY 2005-06
• 3rd place Copyreading and Headline Writing AY 2007-08

She is also the editor in chief of JPIAn Exclusive, official student publication of the College of Business Administration for two consecutive years and general secretary of Junior Philippine Institute of Accountants (JPIA) during her junior year.

Marites also actively participates in schoolwide contests. She was hailed as finalist in the Math-Sci Prodigy Quiz, as sponsored by the General Education department, AY 2006-07. She won second place in the Interview Contest, also during the GE days, AY 2007-08. Moreover, she was a member of the Debating Team which secured the championship in the recently held Mission Statement Awareness Week, AY 2008-09.

She finished high school in University of Batangas, wherein she was the managing editor of Westernian Pioneer, official student publication of the same school. She was also a consistent winner during the division schools press conferences. Her winnings include:

• 1st place Copyreading and Headline Writing AY 2003-04
• 2nd place Copyreading and Headline Writing AY 2004-05
• 9th place News Writing AY 2004-05

She won 2nd place in an essay writing contest sponsored by the Sangguniang Kabataan and was awarded Outstanding in School Paper, AY 2004-05.

Marites spent her elementary days in San Miguel Elementary School where she was consistent first honor. She graduated Valedictorian, and she also received the Edgar L. Mendoza Award for Academic Excellence.

Gee Martin, August 14, 2008

I wrote this 3 years ago for the inside back cover of the "Compilation of Poems" I made, and as I read it, I could just smile in disbelief.

I was like collecting credentials before! All throughout school days, I was thinking of my resume, how it would look like, what (and how much) I'll put there. Yes, I used to assess my value through my accomplishments.

I never really planned to be a writer. It just happened. All I know is that even at a young age, I can't express myself better than when I'm holding a pen.

Before I knew it, my pen has already brought me to various contests, where I got to know (and I felt like I belong to) smart people at my age. Then it has brought me to the stage, where I was being congratulated, applauded, and admired. It felt good.

And since it dawned on me that I excel in that area, plus I was enjoying it, I banked on it as my strength. It made me feel significant, that I'm not any other ordinary student, that I belong to the roster of achievers at the campus.

The innocent intention of my pen to express, turned into a desire to impress. I enjoyed the "glory of the by-line" whenever my articles are being published. I enjoyed being known, and my works being read. And slowly, it stole my posture of humility. Pride crept in me.

Upon graduation, naturally, I also graduated in campus journalism. I didn't want to have it as my profession, since I arrogantly wanted to prove that somehow, I am versatile. Pride. I had so high hopes for myself. I was determined to continue collecting credentials and prove that I am not a nobody.

And so when God touched my stubborn heart, one issue that I had a hard time dealing with is my already full-blown pride, especially when I would encounter verses in the Bible that directly speaks about it. ...That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." (James 4:6)

But God is forever faithful. He slowly removed my self-absorption that prevented me from really marveling in His greatness. He revealed more of Himself to me, that I may focus less on my ego. "When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom." (Proverbs 11:2)

One day, I was organizing my closet and I saw the various-shaped medals and various-sized certificates that used to be very precious to me. I have come to realize that yes, they gave me happiness, but not joy. Having them was fulfilling, but only temporarily. They are a big part of me, but they do not totally define who I am.

Then I heard a beautiful song "Who Am I". I actually put the lyrics as the "About Me" in my facebook page. The song tells us that no matter how small we are in this world, we are valuable in God's eyes, not because of who we are and what we've done, but because of who He is and what He has done on the Cross. (Please watch the following video).

 

Now, do I mean that the gift, which God has blessed me with, will just be useless? Shall I just take it for granted? No. Because the pen which had stolen my posture of humility is the same pen that I'm gonna use, not to boast* about myself and my accomplishments anymore, but to exalt the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

From now until forever, I am still on to accomplishing many great things, but not for myself already... but for God's glory.

          *Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 1:31)

Huwad na makata

Nakakabingi

…ang panghuhusga, ang mga halakhak

Nagsimula ang lahat sa isang pangarap

sa ilang gusot na papel at tinta

umungkat sa isip ng mga salita

ikinumpas ang lapis na hawak

Subalit nabuong mga tugma’y

tila salat sa kahulugan

walang damdaming nakalapat

HUWAD!

Pagkatao’y puno ng pagpapanggap

Buyo na sa papuri

Bingi na sa paghanga

“Magaling kang makata.”

Sa pagnanais na makawala sa ekspektasyon at kahihiyan

Isang musika’y pilit pinakinggan

Lumihis sa mundo ng kasinungalingan

Hindi ininda ang lungkot ng pag-iisa

Ngayon, musika’y unti-unting namagas

Mundong pinuntaha’y kumupas

Bumalik ang reyalidad na tinakbuhan

Ngunit prinsipyo ang pinairal:

“Kaya kong tapusin ang aking tula!”

Subalit paano mo wawakasan

Ang isang tulang walang simula?

April 3, 2003

Published Westernian Pioneer folio

SY 2004-05

Recently, headlines about a 13-year-old boy who shot himself after shooting a 16 year-old friend in a mall in Pampanga, captured public attention.

Well, it's a very sensitive issue and I definitely wouldn't want to go deep into the details. I'm sure everybody has at least an idea about it.

What happened may seem very absurd, but yes, it's real. At all seasons in a person's life, we go through different circumstances that test our character; I believe the 12-16 year-old bracket is one of the most critical stages. And I base this not only on observation, but also on personal experience.

"Huwad na Makata" has been my all-time favorite. I composed it when I was in high school, while I was so young and naive. And I will always regard it as the piece which started my journey in poetry, and the piece which witnessed how curious, how vulnerable, and how lost I was at that age.

Age 12-16 is actually the time when we start to step out of childhood and enter maturity. And I just learned later on that the loss that I felt during that time is what they call "identity crisis".

Wikipedia says "identity crisis" is the stage of adolescence when we are faced with physical growth, sexual maturation, and integrating our ideas of ourselves and about what others think of us.

During that time, all I remember is that I had no one to openly talk to about certain things that I am confused of. I didn't know where to go. I underwent peer pressure. I didn't know if I'll be the goody-goody geek or the cool bad girl that seemed so "in". (I guess I chose to stay at the middle). I didn't know if I should try some stuff that was being tried by people at my age. (I was afraid of the consequences, so I didn't). I didn't know in which group will I be with: the well-known group of "saucy" girls, or the insignificant shy-types' group. I didn't know where to get substance and acceptance.

And I suppose this scenario is not unique for me; this is the scenario that most, if not all 12-16 year-old's encounter.

But as it is written... "Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (Isaiah 40:30-31). 

Now, you have an idea where this text is going... yes, to Jesus. He is all that the young people need.

We celebrated Teacher Kirth's birthday at Victory Malate Kids Church.

www.victory.org.ph

I so love it whenever I see young people at our Kids Church, who as young as they are, are being fed by the Word of God. They play, they dance, they sing, and they shout the love of Jesus.*

Well, it doesn't mean that merely because they attend Sunday school, their lives will be perfect and they are free from the troubles in this world. My heart just leaps in joy whenever I think that these kids, as they grow up, will not have a worry-free life, but a worry-proof one because as they continue to walk with God, they will have Him as the foundation of their life...

As a children's song says: "The wise man built his house upon a rock." Shame on me, but I thought it was just any other nursery song, until I read this in the Bible:

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." (Matthew 7:24-27)

The former is my dream for every kid I see around. It is my prayer for my nephews and for my sons and daughters to be... That at a young age, they would know the love of Jesus, and as they grow up, they will be wise to build their life on a strong foundation: that is the Word of God.

My nephews, Marius and Marion.

With that, they would no longer look for love and acceptance anywhere else, they would not be lost and confused with who they really are, because they would know that their identity is not in this world, but in Jesus Christ.

          *Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Matthew 19:14