The Future We Want: An Autobiography and Compilation of Letters, Essays, Various Literatures, Arts, and Other Controversial Works + 12 Rules of Power

By Dexter Baño

In 2022, Dexter P. Baño Jr.'s "Bisikleta ni Pepe" provided us a glimpse of how the young author and leader sees Dr. Jose Rizal. Now, Baño will take us to the depth of his mind, his unpopular opinions on various topics, and his colorful life. This follows an unconventional way of writing by compiling different forms of literature into a single book. If you are interested in understanding how he sees the world and the Philippines, you will be captivated and taken to a new world based on THE FUTURE WE WANT.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dexter Baño
• Release date: Jan 8, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215762158

Book preview

Dexter P. Bano Jr.

The Future We Want

An Autobiography and Compilation of Letters, Essays, Various Literatures, Arts, and Other Controversial Works + 12 Rules of Power

First published by OrbitX Book Publishing 2022

Copyright © 2022 by Dexter P. Bano Jr.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

Dexter P. Bano Jr. asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

Dexter P. Bano Jr. has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-party Internet Websites referred to in this publication and does not guarantee that any content on such Websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.

Designations used by companies to distinguish their products are often claimed as trademarks. All brand names and product names used in this book and on its cover are trade names, service marks, trademarks and registered trademarks of their respective owners. The publishers and the book are not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. None of the companies referenced within the book have endorsed the book.

First edition

ISBN: 9798215762158

This book was professionally typeset on Reedsy

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To my beloved lola Meding… In the bleak midwinter.

The future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of sixty minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is.

- C. S. Lewis

Contents

Preface

1. Poems, Prose, Sonnets, and Haikus

2. Letters to Friends, Family, and Folks

3. Rants, Proposals, Speeches, and Essays

4. Controversial Opinions, Suggestions, and Takes

5. Short Stories

6. Photo Collection of Arts, Projects, Life, People, and Boredom

7. 12 Rules of Power To Make A Better Future (Power Rules For A Better Society)

About the Author

Also by Dexter P. Bano Jr.

Preface

Dear reader,

Welcome to The Future We Want, a collection of my personal accounts, stories, and thoughts on how society should work, particularly in the Philippines.

Throughout this book, you will find a variety of styles and formats, including short stories, proposals, controversial essays, personal essays, rants, speeches, poems, sonnets, letters, academic curriculums, arts, photos, and more. Each piece is a reflection of my life journey and the struggles I have faced, as well as my point of view on how we can create a better future for ourselves and future generations.

I hope that through reading this book, you will be inspired to think critically about the world we live in and the changes we need to make to create a more just and equitable society. Whether you agree or disagree with my perspectives, I hope that this book will challenge you to consider your own values and beliefs, and to consider how you can work towards creating the future you want.

Thank you for joining me on this journey. I hope that The Future We Want will leave a lasting impact on you, and that it will inspire you to take action and make a difference in your own way.

Sincerely,

Dexter P. Bano Jr.

1

Poems, Prose, Sonnets, and Haikus

ENGLISH WORKS

SONNET 1

From the temple pure with love so divine,

The beauty shattered like a painted piece,

Thy creation is precious like a wine.

Like a music by a sober fellow,

The fairest lines dig to the deep sorrow.

Thou shall be kept breathing with happiness,

Thou shall not be covered with emptiness.

If the sun rises from the west not east,

Hope will be over, sadness will be beast.

Weep of the man melted an ornament,

Please not by any plead by the lady,

Threw thy scarf across the lilac river.

Past not be counted, hopeless and shady,

Not too cruel and love is forever.

* * *

Untitled

On the unfinished pavement I wrote an uncertain melody,

filled with lyrics but with empty harmony.

Her tiny droplets of sweat when she goes to work in a hurry,

oh how I love to treasure those sweet memories like a bee on its honey.

I saw many flowers down the garden of Eden,

I chose to pick the beautiful one with petal uneven.

The lingering touches oh they felt like heaven,

to me she is the lady and I am the gentleman.

* * *

Dear Generation

This ode I have in faithful reverence,

in manners we take a simple reference.

The gaps, the borders, the years of existence,

we listen and absorb with glimpse and substinence.

Lilacs and lilies in the rivers of Manila,

humbly witnessed the stories of Bonifacio, Rizal and Luna.

The histories and morals from mamá and papá,

you bow and listen to them hijó and hijá.

The gates of your mind should be tranquil like a dove;

soaring the sky unbothered, enraptured but with love,

no matter how big you are and what riches you have,

you should balance your insights and open your soul in halves.

Wisdom bestowed by gray men are mostly relevant,

tested by time, endured like servants.

Let thy goal be achieved and seen as a plant,

make every mission purposeful like a hungry ant.

* * *

Sir Lured Amor

It is like a clown that laughs are deceiving.

Seems an untrained warrior that doubt is uncertain.

Trails are broken for every being,

but you need to smile and go out of your den.

Sorrow that prevents the sun to shine,

chills of fear that run down the spine.

Champagne that flows down through the throat,

a broken vessel but unsunken boat.

The queen is shivering in a hot summer night.

Sweating while walking on the roads of snow.

Leaving the moments with her beloved knight,

telling her not to love her and to wait is no.

Gold might be precious but the queen is priceless,

the knight is smiling and will wait for her endless.

The roses may rot but promises are forever,

the death of love will make the volture go nearer.

The tiks of the clock will not pull him back,

collects pails of tears and flowery words in the stack,

he wants to be in the castle while he fakes his smile,

but the queen prefers the knight to go hundreds of mile.

* * *

If I Try Again

I have seen a different world.

A chaotic one.

I nearly abandoned my thoughts and things that I learned.

What is your world?

Is it peaceful?

Is it filled with love?

I asked because I do not know the meaning of I. L. Y.

My alphabet only has twenty-three and I don’t know why.

These letters form words and the words form thoughts,

I hope with you I can say, This is a life well fought.

* * *

The Toils of the Filipino

In this land of sun and sea, we labor on

Beneath the weight of poverty and strife

Our struggles never ending, always drawn

Into the mire of history and life

We fight for justice, for a better way

To lift ourselves from the depths of despair

But always we are held back, kept at bay

By those who seek to keep us unaware

Yet still we rise, our spirit unbroken

Defying all the odds that stand before

For we are strong, a people unspoken

With courage and resilience to explore

So let us stand, united as one

And fight for the future, our journey just begun

* * *

FILIPINO WORKS

Walang Pamagat

Dati, ayaw ko ng kape.

Ang pait eh.

Tinikman ko sabi ko,

Ano ba ito? Lason ba ito?

Pero sa kape ko naranasan ang pagmulat.

Kape ang dumamay sa akin sa mga panahong mahirap magbanat.

Iyong mainit at mapait na kape ang tumatabi sa akin sa bawat pangarap.

Kape rin ang karamay sa bawat paghihirap.

Sinubukan kong minsan tumikim ng tsaa.

Okay naman pero walang sipa.

Ganoon kasi ako eh, naghahanap ng hagod,

ayaw ko ng pwede na, gusto ko iyong mahusay dumamay sa lahat ng pagod.

Ang kape, iba’t iba ang tapang at timpla.

Pero kahit ano pa ang iyong panlasa, lagi kang maiintindihan ng masa.

Gaya ng kape, sana manggising din tayo ng iba,

iyong tipong, Hoy pare! Bangon na! Kailangan tayo ng bansa.

Translation

Untitled

I used to hate coffee.

It’s bitter.

I tasted it I said,

What’s this? Is it poison?

But with coffee I experienced awakening.

Coffee helped me through difficult times.

That hot and bitter coffee accompanies me in every dream.

Coffee also sympathizes with every suffering.

I once tried to taste tea.

It’s okay but no kick.

Because that’s how I am, looking for a caress,

I don’t want anything, I want you to sympathize with all the tiredness.

The coffee has different strengths and blends.

But no matter what your taste, the masses will always understand you.

Like coffee, I hope we wake up others too,

you’re like, Hey man! Wake up! The country needs us.

* * *

NAGLALAHO ANG BULA

Mahilig akong maglaba.

Kusot dito, banlaw tapos sampay na.

Kapag natuyo, ito’y titiklupin pa.

Ipapasok ko sa lalagyan ng may pag-iingat dahil baka magusot siya.

Magaling akong magkanaw ng sabon.

Hinahalo ko ng dahan-dahan at hinahayaang bula ay maipon.

Ibubukod ko ang mga damit na may kulay at mga puting nasuot ko kahapon,

Kahapong napagod ako sa kakatawa kasama ka, kahapon iyon.

Sa pagkanaw ko ng sabon at pagtakbo ng aking mga kamay sa mga bula,

Tanda na lahat ng dumi ay lilinisin kong simula.

Parang tayo noong una kitang makita?

Pagkasulyap mo sa akin, nagbago akong bigla.

Hindi ko alam kung papaano ako lalapit sa iyo,

Noong una kasi, talagang nahihiya ako.

Sa bawat hakbang na gagawin ko,

Parang humuhuni ang mga ugat sa pusong ito.

Sa tuwing kasama kitang kakain,

Daliri ko’y iniikot sa labi ng baso kasi sabihin na nating, oo ako’y kinakabahan din.

Pinipilit nating damdamin ay totohanin,

Palala ng palala, pasakit ng pasakit din.

Sa paglipas ng panahon, napaglipasan din natin ang isa’t-isa.

Nagkakapaan sa mga bagay na wala tayong dalawa.

Gusto mong ganito ako. Gusto kong ganito ka.

Hindi ko alam kung papaanong aangkop sa pag-ibig nating dalawa.

Dumating ang araw na ang lahat ng bula ay nawala na.

Lahat ng naipong alaala na kasama ka ay naglahong bigla.

Pinagbukod ko pa naman ang mga makukulay at mga maputlang memorya,

Pangalan mong ipagsasama sa pangalan ko? Maglalaho din, mawawala din ang bula.

Ilang buwan lang, may kasama ka ng iba.

Ganyan ka katinde, ganito siguro ako kasama.

Napaisip ako, Ganito ba ako tinakda?

Pangit ba ako? Kapalit-palit ba ako? Para iiwan mong bigla?

Ikaw at ako ay isang piraso ng labahang hindi na kailan pa man malalabhan.

Isang labahang walang kulay at saysay na pipiliting makalimutan.

Hindi ka na paglalaan ng sabon at pagkakanawan,

Walang tupi, walang banlaw, walang kusot, itatapon ka na lamang.

Translation

THE BUBBLE DISAPPEARS

I like to do laundry.

Wrinkle here, rinse and then hang.

When dry, it will be folded further.

I will put it in the container with caution because it might get tangled.

I’m good at washing soap.

I mix slowly and let foam build up.

I will exclude the colored clothes and the white ones I wore yesterday,

Yesterday I got tired of laughing with you, that was yesterday.

As I washed the soap and ran my hands through the bubbles,

Note that I will clean all the dirt first.

Like us when I first saw you?

When you glanced at me, I suddenly changed.

I don’t know how to get to you,

At first, I was really shy.

With every step I take,

It’s like the veins are humming in this heart.

Every time I eat with you,

I run my finger around the rim of the glass because let’s just say, yes I’m nervous too.

We force our feelings to come true,

Worse and worse, pain and pain.

Over time, we also passed each other.

Sharing things that we both don’t have.

You want me like this. I want you like this.

I don’t know how to adapt to our love.

The day came when all the bubbles were gone.

All the accumulated memories with you disappeared suddenly.

I still excluded colorful and pale memories,

Will your name be