Heart of clay a collection of love sonnets - Puyat, Nina Estrada (Quezon City University of the Philippines Press, 2005)
Make me the liquid by your vase contained -- One glance at you and all my peace is gone -- When I remember how I closed against -- Once more this anguish seethes within my breast -- I burn your letters into ashes gray -- There is no answer to this "Whereforen Whyn'' -- And yet beneath the heart's disquiet lies -- My heart beats in remembered harmonies -- I wonder if you'll ever realize -- I keep remembering your eyes somehow -- No sleep upon these eyes can ever descend -- By candle-light you held my hand. Gently -- Depart from me. The likes of you and I -- Here will I lie expecting you, dear love -- Yes, come to me tomorrow. Come and try -- Wear high and proudly your defeat, my heart -- But how can pride exist between us, love -- To think that once within these hand was cupped -- How can I drink of lesser waters, I -- If there be neither soul nor life hereafter -- I saw the lights of Hongkong glinting gold -- "Your eyes of velvet."Thus you circumscribed -- Here then your picture. Here the kiss that I -- Your letter came. With fumbling fingers cold -- Beckon with but your eyes and I shall fly -- Dearest, it is for you alone that I -- For you have made a fool of me, destroyed -- I have but heart to give, my precious one -- If beauty excites you, then I wish I were -- So like a starled maya bird, away -- But, love, I did not ask that you explain -- Confused, perplexed, you watch my eyes grow dim -- Here where the blazing brilliant blues of sky -- Say not that we are far apart, beloved -- Across the land and seas that separate -- How can you prate to me of love, when love -- With the blush of virgin day you shall yet come -- A fairy died somewhere, somehow today -- If we must part, beloved, let us part in peace -- When we shall part (for this we surely shall) -- Farewell, my love, the end is yet to be -- Dearest, I wake. The dream is gone and now -- I heard the bells of Kyoto ringing clear -- Stifle back the sob. It is worth naught -- Who said the mind rememberedn Ah, no lie -- And so we smile: forlorn, estranged, resigned -- A world stands between us now. Across -- Confess your love, 'tis all I need to known -- Shall I, with smile recieve your smile; my hand -- 'Tis not the loss I mourn since I possessed -- Come, come down, Heloise, for you and I -- I shall not yield although he storms my castle -- Betrayed, the coward heart upon its knees -- On one another yet we shall in time -- And yet when all is done, why speak of vengeancen -- Who speaks of death when life is in the offingn
Keywords: Sonnets, Philippine (English); Love poetry