Appreciation Poems

Tunnels deconstructs the individual’s Romantic fascination with ‘love’ or the grammaticality of beauty. Ideally, the ‘tunnels’ in the collection are subterranean love poems from the suburban imaginary. These seemingly syntactic tunnels travel through one’s literary imagination or heterotopic dreamscapes, and while αγάπη (Greek for ‘love’) inspires these rhizomic tunnels to navigate the abysmal ‘meta-spectacle’ of gesture, language or moment of poemness, the mind like the many-colored jeepneys of Manila, where driving past roast goose restaurants in Shek Kip Mei or spotting stilt houses in Kampong Kleang, attempt to explore the transgeneric textualities of the everyday, alongside the unstructurality of time and space, the littoral and the liminal.

Karina Valerie Villamor lives a life almost everyone wishes for, having wealth, a happy and loving family, and friends. When she reaches the age of adolescence, however, things begin to change. Reality hits her. She gradually lost her loved ones until no one was left. Jacob, her long-time boyfriend who became her new world, cheated on her with her best friend. She made an unexpected decision in her life as a result of her grief. Karina became desperate for someone to be in her life. That is why she agreed to the agreement with a family she had never met. A contract that makes her a substitute bride for a ruthless man in town. Will she feel genuine love and appreciation as a result of this decision? Or will it make her even more miserable?

Hayley, the most powerful hybrid ever, finds that her exceptional abilities don't earn her love and respect. Instead, her older sister Elena, consumed by jealousy, steals Her powers after she gets mated to the Alpha. Lance, desiring a powerful Luna, was initially thrilled when he became mated to Hayley, the hybrid. However, his excitement turns to disappointment when he realizes that she has lost her powers. As a result, he no longer wants anything to do with her because he perceives her as weak. But as time goes on, Lance gradually begins to see that there is much strength and love within his mate. Can he set aside his pride and give Hayley the love and appreciation she deserves, especially with the looming threat of vampires, witches, and an overly jealous sister?

While cleaning Desmond Maynard's house, I accidentally knocked over his mother's keepsake. He once told me it was his most precious possession. But when I picked it up, hundreds of love letters spilled out. There were beautiful poems, passionate lyrics, and heartfelt confessions. He had written one letter a week without stopping. On the back of each one wrote a line: To My Love, Bunny. The nickname rang a bell. It was his junior in college. Things started to make sense. I slaved away for 13 years, running his household and caring for his family, but Desmond never even said he liked me. That was because he already had someone he liked. I sorted the letters by date, put them back, and grabbed my phone to make a call. "Mom, I'm in for the marriage proposal."

Wealthy and charismatic, billionaire magnate Gavin Villanueva has it all-- money, influence, and a forbidden secret. Behind the closed doors of his luxurious penthouse, he engages in a torrid affair with Yumi Estancia, his wife’s best friend. Yumi came from an unfortunate life, and she expressed deep appreciation towards Geli, her closest friend. Geli and her family’s support played a crucial role in enabling Yumi to complete her education. However, as she grew more ambitious in achieving her goals, she met Gavin, never knowing she would be entangled in a forbidden relationship with him. As their passionate connection deepens, they find themselves caught in a whirlwind of deceit, jealousy, and conflicting loyalties. The lines between love and betrayal blur. Whispers of suspicion grow louder, and the truth threatens to unravel. Can Yumi find the strength to confront her desires and face the consequences of her affair? Will she end her relationship with Gavin, or will her friendship with Geli crumble under the weight of betrayal?

Being an Alpha’s daughter should be amazing, rewarding even. After all, the werewolf society looks up to, admires, and even loves their reigning Alpha’s. Hierarchy was how the werewolves lived and died, it was what they breathed for. But Samarah Lynxmoon has had no such appreciation as the eldest child from the alpha of Moonriver, Paladin Lynxmoon. When she finally became of age and found her mate, her perfect love story began, or so she thought. After almost a year into their relationship he turned back to Aleah Gray, his high school sweetheart. What he didn’t know, was that the mate who left him behind would alter the very core of what it means to be a successful were without hierarchy. That she would bend the rules to her own favor and change the very nature of being a werewolf, toppling werewolf society in a big way. And her help? A young future alpha to be who is sought after like royalty. Will he regret his actions? Will she ever forgive him for his indiscretion? Will her parents ever acknowledge her as more than a thorn in their side?

Young Immanuel Gonzales roamed the streets at age seven. His mother died when he was three years old, while his father was accused of killing his co-worker at a construction site. His relatives did not bother to take him but instead, made a vagabond out of him. Hungry and tired, he met a young girl who gave him food to eat. He was grateful and told himself that someday he would show his appreciation for the good deeds done to him. Living alone, he had encountered lots who had hurt him, but he continued to live came one person who had helped him finish his studies and he became a lawyer. One rainy night, he helped a woman who got scared from a homeless person. The first time they met, both felt that there was something that would bind them together which would make or break them apart. He was a lawyer who came from a poor family, handsome and smart, whose father was a victim of injustice....and she, a rich and pretty heiress, who had been engaged to be married to a wealthy person. Both fell into the abyss of deep affection....a love that caused them to be apart...living their lives with regret and loneliness

An embarrassing incident took place on Jaylene’s Hall Of Vintage Collection opening day. While his grandmother was giving her appreciation speech with a proud smile on her face and was about to name Jaylene the next CEO. The light goes off and reappears with a sex video of him and his boyfriend displayed in the background. Jaylene was moaning and begging to be fucked by Lucas, his boyfriend. A public humiliation that left everyone gasping with disbelief. One night, one turn of events. His dream to become the next CEO is cut short as his grandmother had a heart attack and goes into a coma. Meanwhile, Alpha Rowan has been watching Jaylene from afar but he doesn’t go close to him. Not because he was an obsessed stalker, but because of his life destiny. On his coming of age, just like any other born of The Moon Valley Pack. He received his own fate and he is destined to find his fated mate but he can’t go close to him. He found Jaylene and decided to stay away from him and stay in the path of his destiny. Except, on that eventful day, when he had no other choices but to save Jaylene’s life from the crushing car accident by marking him which is highly forbidden.

Samantha had been with her husband Alex for 12 long years, dutifully raising his child from a previous relationship. Yet as the years dragged on, the deep resentment she felt could no longer be ignored. Alex took her endless sacrifices for granted, never expressing an ounce of appreciation for all she did to keep their family afloat. His domineering mother only fanned the flames of drama, inserting herself into every aspect of their lives. And their once passionate marriage had become a sexless, loveless obligation. Samantha's only solace was her job at the local hardware store, a seeming world away from the suffocating doldrums of her home life. It was there that she met Jack, her new boss - a charismatic man whose radiant charm and flirtations slowly but surely began chipping away at Samantha's resolve. At first, she dismissed the growing attraction as a harmless crush. But as the weeks ticked by, the chemistry between them became undeniable, an all-consuming force that made her feel truly alive for the first time in years. One fateful night, passion overcame reason, and Samantha surrendered to her desires in Jack's arms. The guilt was searing, but it paled in comparison to the euphoria of being wanted, needed, desired again. Thus began a torrid affair, one built on lies and deception as they stole away for clandestine rendezvous. Samantha was playing with fire, but she couldn't bring herself to stop.

When my colleagues find out that I'm pretty good at cooking, they start organizing dinners at my place. Lucy Holt, one of the junior accountants, suggests that we split the groceries evenly between us. As a result, I don't think I can reject their request without being rude. On my last day of work, the group gathers at my place for one last meal. "You're such a good cook, Jess! We'll all be transferring you 500 dollars later. It's just a token of our appreciation," Lucy declares with a bright smile. But the very next day, she sends me a message. "Hey, Jess. You know it's illegal to operate an unlicensed catering business from your home, right? Your house will get sealed off for further investigation. More importantly, the value of goods has passed the threshold of 10,000 dollars, which means the fine you'll have to pay is probably going to be about 20 times that amount. "Since we worked together, we decided not to report you to the authorities. We'll just settle this matter privately. All you have to do is give us the fine you would've had to pay instead." This is how I realized that, combined with yesterday's meal, the total amount they've given me for groceries thus far is exactly 10,001 dollars.