Raise The Glass
“Sir, isn’t it upside down? Are you sure with the tattoo position?”
The artist hesitated before starting the inking session.
With my arms down, the top half of the hourglass tattoo is going against gravity
But there is no north, south, east, west in space, you see.
“Nah, it’s alright.” I then raised my hand.
With one simple gesture, it made sense. That’s all I had to do.
The granules of sand will keep on moving and flowing as long as I raise my hand to…
Ask a question
Write on the board something I can teach
Gesture my hand as I speak
Raise my fist, to fight, to protest
Clap for everyone’s success
Reach out for a high five, cheers, or a hug
Hold on to something to pull myself up when I’m down
Search for a view so majestic
Sway my hands, with a light up, and enjoy the music
Praise the Higher Power
Point at the stars, the Universe and wonder
So cheers! Here’s to living a beautiful life! And here’s to a dignified death!
I’m alive, so I’d raise a glass, but to be specific an hourglass
Sand at the top are possibilities, the ones below are my past
And as the cosmic dust pass through the tiny tube in the middle
It represents my ongoing battles, life’s mysterious riddles, the stories I write and tell
So I’ll shake the hands of time, make amends, of what this world has to give and what I could get
Now I know for a fact that the greatest proof of life is being at peace with the reality of one’s own death
Andrew Beso is a Manila-based content creator who is exploring different ways of sharing art — whether it be written, spoken, and visualized. Aside from being in Medium, his work can also be seen on Youtube, Instagram, and Tiktok.
He is using his undergraduate and master’s degree in Economics and Political Economy, respectively, in discussing social issues through creative expressions.
