Tiger Stripes

knowledge gained in school
books read besides the pool
experience thorns and wool
stripes worn survive all cool

character from times abhor
soft heart born times adore
conviction in times of lore
hear a lone tiger as it roar

wisdom from complexity
serenity born of adversity
perseverance in severity
feel a lone tiger's flexibility

life is a jungle full of mystery
yet a circle of unending story
tiger needs its stripes to survive, 
but it is his roar and flexibility that keeps him alive.


To Arms

More often than not, 
It is those who have not seen war
That would shout in his top voice
To Arms! To Arms! To War's Glory!

For a true soldier,
Who has crawled in bloody field
Who has kissed Death's cold lips
Knows of Hell and all it is about

Call not a scarred veteran coward,
When he fears to raise up his gun
When he seeks for a compromise
When he would hold down his pride

To Arms! To Arms!
Guts and brains to nourish farms
Fool's gold the paupers charms
Arrogant Alpha the pack harms

Yet when storm comes
Iron thunders and acid fogs
Who faces Death with sad smile
Who hides in metal room down?

Woe to soldiers true
Who fights so cowards may live
Whose children are orphaned poor
To Arms! To Arms!

Lilian Dipasupil Kunimasa was born January 14, 1965, in Manila Philippines. She has worked as a retired Language Instructor, interpreter, caregiver, secretary, product promotion employee, and private therapeutic masseur. Her works have been published as poems and short story anthologies in several language translations for e-magazines, monthly magazines, and books; poems for cause anthologies in a Zimbabwean newspaper; a feature article in a Philippine newspaper; and had her works posted on different poetry web and blog sites. She has been writing poems since childhood but started on Facebook only in 2014. For her, Poetry is life and life is poetry. 

Lilian Kunimasa considers herself a student/teacher with the duty to learn, inspire, guide, and motivate others to contribute to changing what is seen as normal into a better world than when she steps into it. She has always considered life as an endless journey, searching for new goals, and challenges and how she can in small ways make a difference in every path she takes. She sees humanity as one family where each one must support the other and considers poets as a voice for Truth in pursuit of Equality and proper Stewardship of nature despite the hindrances of distorted information and traditions.