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Best Poems Written by Neldy Jolo

Below are the all-time best Neldy Jolo poems as chosen by PoetrySoup members

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Back To Origin

People are commonly different
Symbol of diversity piece
Pure race doesn’t exists

Color and creed are just an identity
Believe only in human history
God sculptured them from clay

People are equally created
Having many opposites
But respecting others taste

When everyone is treated equal
Nothing appears but peace in hand
Discrimination, disunity and, suffering won’t be born anymore

Written to advocate to suppress racism
Bandar Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia
10:30-11:00 am, November 13. 07, Tuesday

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Great Poets To Thanks!

Carol Brown  shall take the crown is now I found
Ernilando Tugaff to tap the top guides me to craft 
Deborah Guzzi to teach me the piece in the ocean sea
Jayne Eggins as my lens to lend to capture the good ends

Ruben Ortellao for me to bow and how to plough the romance of brow 
Adeleke Adeite I gained a solid bit to write a simple pit
William Kershaw shown me hope that shines through
Dane Ann Smith-Johnsen moving me to a den of gent  

Ciara Aiyana Gomez  never I missed what she said go far beyond ordinaries
Sara Kendrick thought me to trek the trails of diamond creek 
Jared Pickett inspired me to love a great vast of pike  
These great poets I shall owe the humble thanks!

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Borneo's Green Heart

A gem of a nation
An abode of peace
A treasure of empire
A haven of tranquility
A kingdom of treasures
An oasis of modern empire
A space of warmth greeting
A den of hospitable people
A neoclassical form of politics
A gateway to beyond comports
An avenue of understanding
An environment of treasures
An ancient Sultanate kingdom
An indeed pampering Brunei Darussalam


Bandar Seri Begawan
Negara Brunei Darussalam
December 30, 2008
Muharram 2, 1430

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Filipino Me Not

I don’t need to recognize you
I am conquered not 
I surrendered never to you
I fought till death
I cling to live for death
I enjoy dying to live 
I have nothing to owe you
I am right now to abandon you
I have my rights to do it
I am not your enemy
I am your neighbour
I am not your people
I can live alone in my home
I can never forget you
I know we are identical but not the same
So leave my home peacefully
Go...!
I am not a Filipino who fought
Spanish, American and Japanese
to death!
I am Tausug!
I repeat...
Yo no soy un filipino que luchó con 
el español de América, y el japonés 
hasta la muerte!
Estoy Tausug!
A message from me
The TAUSUG!



WM-KL 3:13PM

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The Name They Have

Kosovo means a ‘field of blackbirds’
From a Serbian place-name
The centre of a medieval Serbian empire
Assembly of Kosovo declared independence
17 February 2008 they win
It doesn't violate the law and not a sin
They are Albanians and Serbs

Sulu archipelago has its own people
With Mindanao with their own name
But some loved the Spanish-given name.
Not Sulu archipelago as the 'land of the currents'
And Mindanao as the 'land of the lake and flood plains'

Their names are more than enough
To name the region, at least they have
The names are from their origin
Not from the Spanish giving
The name of nation was unconquered people
Being colonized is not a clear indication.



KK-210615

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The Craft Can Capture It

Oh well I got an angry email to begin my day
Because of my last post on the Jabidah thing yesterday
Galit sa akin but greeted me with Assalamu alaykum.
And kung personal Moro friends ko naman ito 
They know I don't criticize Moro leaders
I always leave that to them to criticize their leaders
According to my friends baka nasa gubyerno or something
Next time I'll write na lang about the sea and the palm trees and the beaches 

Pray and pray nalang para walang provocation
ako nga ang daming nag-message sa akin nagalit sa issue ng Sabah standoff
Ikaw pa kaya na wala namanng masama na sinabi dun
Alam mo ‘buti na lang you verbalized that kasi iniisip ko rin ‘yun
I know you have reasons and you know better kaya; I just read your posts
I don’t have to go against parties kasi both have rights
And the issue must be solved

Wala, kasi sa akin kundi independence lamang ang kailangan
May ganyan din kasing realities? 
Minsan you are being asked or expected to take sides
Yes, my side is peace – with peace is independence
Yes, I heard that sa dating Jabidah Massacre celebration
Somebody said that, “Walang kapayapaan kasi walang kalayaan”
And that is very universal, kapatid.

Moro or non-Moro and writing should always geared towards humanity
That’s why for me it “anti-humanity” if you will not listen 
Or suppress when somebody will talk about freedom.
That’s the problem with Filipinos, they don't listen.
Kasi the leaders may sarili ring interests.

How do you see being Filipino?
Ako, it's a cage, Filipino nationalism 
Agenda ng mga oligarchs and landowners 
Filipino nationalism is violence against Muslims and lumads
Kasi ‘pag ako ang tatanunginmo I will never say I am Filipino
Because Tausug it’s not a name but an identity...
I understand but kaunti na lang kayo

Ako sasabihin ko na I am a Filipino but I have reservations
When I was a teenager hindi ako tumatayo ‘pag Lupang Hinirang
ngayon tumatayo na kasi napapaaway ang mga kasama ko sa sinehan
Yes and identity should be critically assessed and examined.
Kaya if they say Filipino ang mga Tausug masakit sa aking loob
But not all, kapatid. try mo pumunta sa Manila
Yung mga Moro na malalapit sa mga institusyon ng Pilipinas
Bakit iba ang Moro at ibang ang Tausug
kaya sila naging Moro at masaya na tawaging Moro 

May identity na naiiba sa Filipino
Pinag-aaralan ko rin yan and ino-observe ‘yung pag-yield sa 'Filipino'
‘Will give Filipinos a disservice
Because it is tantamount to be an accomplice to a corrupt system
And this system is the one that oppresses Muslims
At alam natin ang Tausug di lamang taga-Sulu
Pati Bisayan, Tausug din

As much as possible I am trying to make my writings 'away' 
Away from Filipino nationalism
That's the right way for me and my writing
I will ask first, “How it is to be human?” 
At super last na ang, “How to be a Filipino” 
And the Bangsamoro struggle is the greatest critique to the violence
And failures of Filipino nationalism

Ang problema kasi kaya di successful ang Bangsamoro struggle
Dahil nagdadala sila ng pangalan na di naman originally sa kanila
How come ang pangalan ko ay Abdul sa rights
Gagamitn ko ang Juan para sa aking bayan?
Kaya war of ideas ito and alam mo naman sa akin, ‘pag ideas 
And perspectives walang kompromiso and peace talks 

I do not compromise my language, my craft and myself, my writing
Filipino is an imagined nation, as well as Bangsamoro
Bakit di natin magamit ang orignal nation natin 
Na based sa Sulu archipelago and Mindanao
Yes, actually diyan ako papunta - papunta

Bakit hindi i-Bangsamoro-ized ang buong Filipinas?
It doesn’t mean na i-convert ang Pilipinas 
But the spirit, the struggle it should mean something to Filipinos
It should kasi ang dami na nagbuwis ng buhay
Kaya ko pa na tanggapin kung Maharlika

‘Yan ang gusto kong ma-achieve: Filipinos should listen to Moros
Siyempre marami pang madidiscover along the way
Indeed. Ikaw ba ‘pag sasabahin ko na ‘Tausug’ ano ang maiisip mo?
Tausug is Moro and Moro for me is something that predates 'Filipino'
But now, I would like to know the concept of “Lupah Sug”
I want to know it, I think there are more and beyond Moro on it

Before ‘Moro’ was named to Mindanao and Sulu people
It was first name to Aceh people, Melaka, Brunei and then Manila
Sulu and Mindanao were the last places to have been called the name ‘Moro’
Sulu archipelago was united under the name Sulu archipelago 
The name of people is Tausug. 
Tausug is composed of different ethnics:
Arab, Banjar, Dampuan, Buranun etcetera.
The concept of Sulu as part of dar al islam 
Is already a nation and state 
Where the government is the people and itself headed by sultan or raja

Yes, and I would like to feel this from the ordinary Tausugs when I get there
I would like to experience this from ordinary Tausug and on from place itself.
In the hinterland of Jolo, their laws still on the ground not of Philippine law

I believe in narratives
I want to hear and feel this from the place and from the people.
And then capture it; I have these thoughts 
That Lupah Sug has something that the Moro concept does not have
And it’s a bit metaphysical but sige lang.

I know my craft can capture it.
I think there is a language that can capture it 
And specific craft that can carry its soul
Not fictionalize but put it in a form like a novel or a narrative
Which have their own logic and truths as crafts.






This poem is made after the conversation and sharing with Filipino writer Rogelio Braga who also serves as the editor of the poem. He is currently in Mindanao, travelling and writing; he will then proceed to Sulu Archipelago soon. 2:28PM, 19 March 2013, Facebook Chat across Sulu Sea!

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Home of Tyranny

Blood of martyrs dried in the plains
Died in the Valley Mountains
Fighting for independence

Injustices felt when migration arise
In the island of pearls
And in the land of promise

People were put in chaos
When their land grabbed out of laws
Immigrants view as dominant foes

Once an oasis of freedom
Is now a doom of ignorance?
When tyranny became lord of the land

People were driven out of their post
Were given just pinch of hope
To live life in woe forth

Oh the never ending story
Of the endless tyranny
Please leave this home happy!

This poem is dedicated to the people of Sulu and Mindanao
Kg. Bahagia, Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia
5:35- 6:35 pm, November 13. 07, Tuesday

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Jabidah Peace Garden

Who died are the Sulus
not the so called Moros
They were the recruits
Were killed when refused

Sabah were to invade
They refused to take orders
Sacrificed not to kill brothers
Jabidah Massacre bolted

Jabidah Peace Garden
the name should be penned
part of the history and genuine
not to distort its tale

Not supposed ourselves
Supposed not to hide it
The truth of the fate
Shall come to take the lead

It is nice to be recognized
An honor was made
But think of the truth
A sincere hearts we should

We cried, laughed and proud
From the Mindanao plain
from the valley mountains
and from the breeze of Sulu currents.


I love you peace. Let's sail together. Layag Sug!
Nature City. 22 March 2015. 11:20AM

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In Tausug No Word Means Surrender

Are you asking the word surrender in Tausug?
Nope…
But what is surrender in Tausug?
There is no surrender in Tausug
No word for surrender in Tausug
Wow!
Then that’s great
Only adopted one "surindil" but not in actuality
Never in a Tausug vocabulary have mean surrender
I like that…
There is no word for surrender in Tausug
Yes there is no surrender in Tausug
Never will it be!




5:57PM, Friday, 8 March 2013
Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia
This is my tribute to the martyrs of Bud Dahu Battle happened in Jolo, Sulu Archipelago in 1906. The fight was with Tausug against American and Filipino troops. In this battle not even the children survive for any to listen to their cry. There were thousand people died, including children, women and old folks. The battle was known as “Battle of the Clouds.” A conversation with Zagi Hara.

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Cultural Sensitivity

We need to be open minded
Not being one will close our steps
our steps to sensitivity.

We are multicultural region
some eat halal some don't
but respect is here.

Different dishes need to be served
that of halal and others
Airlines need to it.

We respect faiths and beliefs
we tolerate and we accept
Still many are not sensitive.


I love you peace. Let's sail together. Layag Sug! 
Aloon. VTL. 200415.9:21AM.