Mangga Days

I remember the mangga days,

When we would gather, a family united,

For the season of abundance,

Knowing the mango trees awaited,

Their branches heavy with golden fruit.

Twenty trees stood tall in our yard,

And my father, a climber with grace,

Would scale their heights with skill,

Shaking the branches with all his might,

As mangos rained down like heavy drops,

Sometimes hitting our backs and arms,

If we didn't dodge their path.

Those mangga days were a symphony,

Of laughter and shared labor,

Filling sacks with the sweet bounty,

Feasting to our hearts' content,

And selling the excess at the market.

Though those days have slipped away,

Their memory remains ever vivid,

A time of togetherness and joy,

Etched in my heart forever.

(c) mnrivera

The power of smallest achievements can be profound

In lands where ancient cultures dance and sing,

Where stories are woven, and bells do ring,

Lies a truth, both ageless and profound,

In whispers of winds, and in the ground.

"Even the smallest achievements," they say,

"Pave way to great success," guiding the way.

From mountainous peaks to the vast sea's crest,

It's the little steps that pass the test.

In vibrant markets, under golden sun's caress,

The potter's first pot, the seamstress's first dress,

The farmer's first grain, the painter's first stroke,

All are tiny feats, yet hope they evoke.

The dancer's first step, the singer's first note,

The writer's first line, the sailor's first boat,

Though minuscule they seem in the grand parade,

They're the pillars of dreams, on which futures are laid.

For in every culture, tale, or song,

This universal truth carries along.

Greatness isn't birthed in leaps or in bounds,

But in silent, small steps, 

Because the power of smallest achievements can be profound.

(c) mnrivera

/Micronesian Poet/

Healing Prayer

Don't give up! 

Trust in the Lord. 

Trust that He will heal you and others 

Who most need His help. 

Pray for healing.

(c)mnrivera

/Micronesian Poet/

Guam will prevail!

Guam poets 

Guam authors 

Guam stars 

Guam storytellers 

Guam masters 

Guam teachers 

Guam wisdom is all around us. 

If we just take the time to see the richness in the hidden gems 

We can experience wonder like no other 

To impact generations 

To save our dying CHamoru language  

To save our identity  

To show the world that we are survivors and 

We will prevail!

(c)mnrivera

Hope will lead the way

 "Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement:  Nothing can be done without hope."

                                                                  -Helen Keller

Biba Anu Nuebu!

Happy New Year from around the Pacific! May the year 2022 bring you many blessings filled with much love, joy, peace, and happiness!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! - English
Biba Añu Nuebu! – CHamoru
Feliz Año Nuevo! – Spanish
Peren En Parakapw! – Pohnpeian
Ameseighil ubwutiiwel Layúi Luugh me raagh féé! – Carolinian

Engan ke ya sasu! - Kosraean

Jeramman ilo iio in ekaal! – Marshallese

Pwapwan Ei Ier Mi Fo – Chuukese

Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu – Japanese

Ungil Beches Er Rak! – Palauan

Selsalan Ebéach e duw! – Yapese

Maligayang Bagong Taon – Tagalog

Hauoli Makahiki Hou – Hawaiian

Sehe Bokmanee Bateuseyo! – Korean

Gung Hay Fat Choy – Chinese

Cung-Chuc Tan-Xuan! – Vietnamese

Achieving Success

*It is easier to resist at the beginning than at the end.

*Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.

*Triumph — “umph” added to “try.”

*Success is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.

-Winston Churchill

*If you have built castles in the sky,

your work need not be lost;

that is where they should be.

Now put foundations under them.

-Henry David Thoreau