Writers and Poets from Bais City Negros Oriental

Simon Anton Diego G. Baena

Penn Tulabing Larena

Rolin Migyuel Cadallo Obina

Fr. Rudy E. Villanueva

Give thanks, my soul

By Poet Rolin Migyuel Cadallo Obina

Give thanks, my soul, for the food on our table,
For the dried fish that’ve been served,
And for the bread the children shared.

Shout your praise, my weary soul,
And sing with gladness and joy,
For the bed you rest upon, and the roof above your head.

Leave your doubts behind for God will provide,
The sun will rise, the children will play,
Surely rain will pour on this summer’s day.

Throw your fears away, set it all aside,
Like the birds that flip its wings, playing with the fishermen,
A piece of fish when shared, becomes food for many and one.

The world is colorful, not just red nor blue,
There’s green and purple and all the colors of the rainbow,
When you’re happy and you’re grateful, the world will smile with you.

Soon this will be over, this fear of hunger,
Our questions of where to go after will soon be answered,
Never lose hope, my soul, for nothing is impossible, for God, the King of all.

Lift your worries to God for He will never abandon us,
Learn to share your gifts, even the little ones,
A bread divided can feed a multitude of men.

The Room

The COVID -19 Poem of Prof. Penn T. Larena March 2020


A dirty white covers the whole space
Feeling so sad, lonely, and broken-hearted
It feels my mind  of  things to do
The sound of the drama, dancing night and day

People are dying of the virus
Here we are praying day and night
Always thinking about money
and life within the day
How would you spend it and the world will stop for nothing
Thinking of our loved one
and Frontlines saving lives every day

Naked in the room
That feel the heart and soul
Looking at the calendar every day
For the days wasted
Your minds were savage

Touching your body with desire in mind
Looking the time to kill
Praying for everyone to stay healthy
Thinking about the next month's things to do

Only God will help
In a tiny room, you are so afraid
Thankful for the blessing you received
Just in the corner bare naked
Holding to yourself, what world the future brings

The River 1973

The river is a human being of pleasure
From the valley to the lowlands showing clear water
Carefree that she turns out at her best
And swans that cover her love’s measure
Flowing under the bridges showing her life of Free
Surrounding the trees seen its day and night
Hang around her naked to hear the sound of music and dance to please her self
Toughing the water so kisses her pleasure



The River is like spring the source of life on earth
Flashing in the wide green glade,
Hidden worlds kept from human being watchful eyes
Disaster to Sunshine appear with Grace and Beauty
Tempered with the lightning’s aid and charity,
To  touch the crystal clear water and endless connection
Witness to my endless love to the man I love
For life, I hope to see you end again flowing
From the mountain to show his precious treasures



A 1973  Poem by Baisanon Poet Leonaga H.Tulabing Larena a lover of World Literature and a member of Dumaguete Reading Club from 1971 to 1985. In  Summer of 1965 and 1966  she was sent to Manila thru a government scholarship to study Noli Me Tángere and El Filibusterismo at the University of the Philippines Diliman. 

Simon Anton Niño Diego G. Baena

In the Field of International literary arts

Simon Anton Niño Diego Baena currently lives in the Philippines. He spends most of his time on the road with his wife, Xandy. Some of his works have already been published in The James Franco Review, The Bitter Oleander, After the Pauseand its forthcoming Anthology, The Blue Hour Magazine, Mascara Literary Review, Shot Glass Journal, Off the Coast, Red River Review, Eastlit, The East Bay Review, Philippines Free Press,and Philippines Graphic Magazine. Catamaran Literary Reader, Osiris, UCity Review, Off the Coast, Off the Coast, and are forthcoming in Caliban Online, Cider Press Review, Saltfront, and Skidrow Penthouse.

Simon Anton Niño Diego Baena's work has recently appeared in The Cortland Review, Santa Ana River Review, Osiris, Chiron Review, Construction Literary Magazine, and Saltfront.