Directions: The students will write an essay or journal entry on how they can apply the values discussed in their own lives, drawing inspiration from the poem and the poet's experiences.
About the Author: Inigo Reuel Ynarez
Born in the quiet town of Bocaue, Bulacan, cradled by misty traditions and ancestral whispers, Inigo Reuel Ynarez was a poet who believed that dawn held the world's most sacred truths. Raised by a grandmother who greeted every sunrise with a prayer and a cup of salabat, Inigo grew up learning that silence and small things held deep meaning. He studied philosophy and folklore, often blending both into lyrical meditations on life, time, and memory.
Ynarez's poetry is marked by its reverence for stillness and its quiet confrontation with impermanence. His piece "FREEDOM" exemplifies a soft invocation of morning where breath, breeze, and dew become metaphors for life's ephemeral beauty. Like much of his work, the poem moves gently through the liminal space between sleep and waking, death and life, reminding readers that hope is often found in the hush, not the clamor.
Inigo never sought fame. His works were handwritten, passed between friends, and left in library books for strangers to find. To read his poetry is to listen to the world exhale.
"FREEDOM"
by Inigo Reuel Ynarez
Beneath the hush of waking skies,
The world stirs slowly, breath by breath.
The breeze is stitched with lullabies,
In moments small, we cheat the death.
In golden hush, the day is spun.
Of dreams undone before they've run,
The sun begins its soft ascent,
And dew clings close in sweet lament.
A single bird takes flight above,
Its wings cut paths through painted air.
It sings of freedom, loss, and love;
A melody so rich and rare.
Discussion Points:
1. How does the poet demonstrate a sense of responsibility or duty in their work?
2. In what ways can the themes of the poem inspire us to take on our commissions in life?
3. What personal goals or responsibilities do you feel committed to, and how can you pursue them with a sense of purpose?
