Dirge without Music
Edna St. Vincent Millay

I am not resigned to the shutting away of loving hearts in the hard ground.
So it is, and so it will be, for so it has been, time out of mind:
Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely. Crowned
With lilies and with laurel they go; but I am not resigned.

Lovers and thinkers, into the earth with you.
Be one with the dull, the indiscriminate dust.
A fragment of what you felt, of what you knew,
A formula, a phrase remains, — but the best is lost.

The answers quick & keen, the honest look, the laughter, the love,
They are gone. They have gone to feed the roses. Elegant and curled
Is the blossom. Fragrant is the blossom. I know. But I do not approve.
More precious was the light in your eyes than all the roses in the world.

Down, down, down into the darkness of the grave
Gently they go, the beautiful, the tender, the kind;
Quietly they go, the intelligent, the witty, the brave.
I know. But I do not approve. And I am not resigned.

The Letter I Would Love to Read to you in Person by Alexis Tioseco
*****
I hardly ever got to see you the past two years, and it hurts me so that I never went out of my way to see you. The things we take for granted, I swear. You were always there, though, quietly encouraging Chris and me in your own indirect way (how many conversations did we have about Chris going back to film?); you even linked one of my entries on this blog towards the end in this entry of yours, and it still remains to be one of my most read posts. My facebook wall tells me these are the conversations we had — However brief these statements are, they already show just what a sweet eccentric lovable dork you were. Seemingly frail and unassuming, but what fire, what passion, what fearlessness you had. Oh, Alexis. You were one of the Good Ones.

Maggie Costello alexis tioseco! at kumusta ka naman? marunong ka na magtagalog? ha ha ha
September 3, 2007 at 2:58pm

Alexis Tioseco maggie costello!
wag mo ako iloko hija! o po. marunong na po ako.
pati bisaya bai. kaon na uy!
…
you are in washington?
September 3, 2007 at 10:42pm
Maggie Costello PO? diba mas matanda ka sa akin?

yes, i am in washington dc.
September 4, 2007 at 9:19pm

Alexis Tioseco older, yes, but don’t you know that one must treat margaret costello with the utmost respect lest they incur the wrath of her brother, christopher costello?!
September 15, 2007 at 4:16am ·

Maggie Costello har har. why in the world is everyone afraid of my brother? hello. he’s not THAT scary. mabait yun (hi chris)!

Alexis Tioseco maggie! check your mail! chris wrote you about a possible article for you to write hurry!
December 13, 2008 at 1:59am ·

Maggie Costello hey alexis, shit thanks man, i’m really honored–and i’m sorry if i cant give you a definite answer, but i’ll really try my best to make the deadline. i’m in the middle of finals week right now but i swear to god i will try! what time is the deadline?

December 14, 2008 at 8:33am
Alexis Tioseco hi maggie! \:D/ <–ym icon for hug.

its ok, thank you for the message. would it be possible if you have a few more days? i met erwin yesterday and i think it may still be possible to extend the deadline. whatchathink? also, message me your e-mail address! if you think you can do it with a few extra days i'll put erwin in touch with you.

understand completely about schoolwork and priorities
Maggie Costello yes, you’re the bestttttttttttt!!!! apir, apir!
December 15, 2008 at 11:29pm