Elevated eyes can see the throngs of the wheeled machines this morning. Like row of soldiers, though not marching nor moving under the 9 a.m. sun burning.
Feet need not to tiptoe to see the jeepneys, cars, and buses, wearing the colors of the vibrant Philippines, yet tainted with the grey blanket of Manila’s dust and dirt. Honking to complain of the many minutes wasted, as if noise can widen the paved yet narrow road.
After a few steps from the rusted footbridge to the equally rugged jeep destined to be my carrier today, I embarked on my own journey to start the day’s routine. Perhaps, vehicles are armies with different passengers and captains.
Tired rubber wheels screech
against sunbathed, asphalt road,
destination reached.
—
You captured perfectly well the chaos in the streets of Manila…and you ended it up with probably your own “chaotic world” as you embark on a new working day..
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Oh Mich! How are you? I am so happy to see you here. And sigh. Thank you. This is a daily occurence. 🙂
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I am fine and we are all settled in a new land..lol…
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Ohhh. Where is it? 😊
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vehicles as armies struck a chord, informs me that war was the first mass immigration of humans – really liked your description of the city
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Oh so true. You got it. Everyday is like a modern war..Thank you, Gina!
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Another commute, but so very different – echoing the prompt in a way. I was right there with you, in the heat and dust and chaos.
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Thank you so much, Sarah. I am quite unsure if I did it in line with the prompt. But thank you!
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I agree with Sarah, out of all the ‘commute’ haibun, this one is so different to the ones I know. I hadn’t come across ‘jeepneys’ before, so I’ve learnt something new, and I like the phrase ‘tainted with the grey blanket of Manila’s dust and dirt’ and the underlying hints of past conflicts, especially in ‘Perhaps, vehicles are armies with different passengers and captains’.
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Oh I am happy to introduce you to the king of the road in the Philippines—jeepneys. It was another American influence, etched since World War II. Thank you, Kim!
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I hate the traffic and congestion in the GMA specially with the havoc of jeepneys and motorcyles. If your destination is reached, cheers for you!!!
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Oh dear. I just figured that you have visited (or you are from?) the Philippines, Grace. I feel the same but it is the daily chaos I have to endure. Thank you!
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The comparisons are beyond epic. Seldom a normal writer can think of such comparisons. This is like a painting, depicting the standstill dust laden Manila traffic, with only this girl, full of life, moving across to her one room apartment, with the hem of her dress dancing in the sultry smoke coming from the exhaust pipes. How can I not fall in love with this girl?
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Your comments make my heart full, sweet one. I cannot thank you more. You are an epic writer yourself!
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Loved the imagery, and all the noise and chaos of Manila! That was really great.
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Thank you so much, Sir!
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Wow, you took the reader on a journey indeed! Loved this fresh look on an ordinary commute turned extraordinary!
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Awww. Thank you, dearie. The hustle and the bustle of city is our everyday chaos, no?
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It is, indeed!
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How are youuuuu?
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Interesting perspective of vehicles as armies with their own captains. And they all move together orderly.
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Aha. You got the message clearly, Frank! Thank you!
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“as if noise can widen…” – this describes so well any congested city. You have invited all the senses to participate, and I like the hint of vehicles as armies. So well written.
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Thank you so much, Ma’am. Perhaps I have inhaled the chaos of commute. 😁
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With a poet’s sensibility!
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Oh thank you!
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This Haibun is filled with feet and allusions to feet – love that you worked in that motif! Nice writing
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Aha. That is a fresh perspective. Thank you!
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[…] the individual in a crowd. Three people wrote about their commute to work – Bjorn, Grace and Rosma – it was wonderful! I got to travel to Sweden, Canada and the Philippines. I don’t often get the […]
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Yay! Happy to have the commute journey with dVerse!
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[…] individual in a crowd. Three people wrote about their commute to work – Bjorn, Grace and Rosma – it was wonderful! I got to travel to Sweden, Canada and the Philippines. I don’t often get the […]
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