Last night we talked about childhood Walked down memory lane to recall past antics You painted a picture of your early years: Smart kid, chubby cheeks— Probably a little too plump coz you were constantly teased, But you used your wit to you your advantage— Traveled far and wide Winning contests. Here’s a boy who likes solving puzzles, reading newspapers, raising hands
You got a treasure trove of bests And I wish I could say the same.
You see, I have very few memories of childhood I have images lacking backstory And voices with no picture in mind At a young age, I was torn Between two languages— Tagalog and Bisaya, clashing, twisting my tongue which is probably why I came to love silence— And English Here’s a girl who likes Edward Lear, book reading reports, hour hands
I’m a hunter of the treasures of my past And I wish you stick with me ’til I find them at last.
LUNES Binukas ang mga mata sa bagong umaga Muling umaasa sa panibagong sana Sana mabigyan ng pansin ang mga hinaing Pakinggan ang mga boses na humihiling
MARTES Itong gusaling umangat sa rurok ng kalingitan Tila biglang nakalimot na kami ang pumasan Bawat suntok sa tagumpay kamao namin ang gumalaw Ngayong kami’y nangangailangan bigla kang bumitaw
MYERKULES Sadya namin ay tinapay, umulan ay bato Hindi ka kumilos, ni hindi kumibo Nasaan na ang bangkang sabi mong lulan natin? Bakit kami lang nakakapit sa dulo ng patalim?
HUWEBES Simpleng mangagawang binulag mo ng pangako Pinaasa, pinabayaan, pinagkanulo Dukhang marapat sana’y dakilain at itanghal Tinanggalan ng pag-asa at natitirang dangal
BYERNES Kaya ‘wag mong sasabihing pantay ang ating halaga Kung hindi ka kaisa sa hirap, dusa’t luha Kung hindi ka nangambang mawalan ng tirahan At naranasang matakot para sa kinabukasan
SABADO Ipikit ang mga matang pagod nang umaasa Tama na ang paghihintay sa malinaw na wala Panahon nang isigaw ang aming bulong Hindi na aasam sa iyo ng tulong
LINGGO Sa mapanghamong buhay makikipaglaro Ang sistemang baluktot dudurugin ng pino Liwayway ng paglaya ay darating din Pag-unlad at tagumpay sa iyong inalipin
For a long while I chose not to write poetry because, with what I’m carrying in my heart, I know nothing positive will come out of it. And I didn’t want that. I would love if my words can inspire or bring a smile to the few readers who take time to notice my writings. So I chose silence for the meantime. Until, perhaps, I genuinely feel happy about life and living again. But the struggle is real. And I need to unload it, even just this one. </3
5:10 Tila hindi na sila nasanay sa bigat— ng muta.
5:14 Makapagkape nga.
5:17 Teka.
5:17 Walang tubig.
5:18 Itutuloy ko pa ba?
5:22 Wow. Iba din.
5:23 Binuhusan ba ‘to ng pintura ni Van Gogh?
5:23 Ang ganda ng langit.
5:24 Naalala ko na naman.
5:25 Wala pa akong kape.
5:29 Wala ka din sa aking tabi.
5:30 Ba’ t bigla kang nasama sa usapan?
5:31 Sabagay.
5:32 Simula’t huli, hindi ka naman nawala sa isip. Sa paggising sa umaga hanggang sa pagsapit ng gabi. Matamlay man o makulay ang langit. Maging sa eskinita ng 6th st. Sa lamig ng ice cream. Sa init ng kape.
5:33 Kape.
5:34 Kailangan ko pala ng kape.
5:34 At ikaw sa aking tabi.
5:39 Kailan ba ito matatapos?
5:40 Ang tagal naman ng oras.
5:41 Mapanukso ang bawat segundo. Gusto ko silang itulak papalayo. Pabilisin ang pagtakbo ng mga minuto. Ayoko nang kumapit sa kamay orasan. At sa kung ano pang mga pangako ang hawak nito.
5:42 Nakakatakot.
5:45 Nakakasilaw na.
5:45 Natapos na pala ang pamimitak ng araw.
5:47 Kailangan ko nang tumayo. Ayaw mo nga pala sa mga hindi nag-aalmusal.
5:48 Tatayo.
5:49 Matutulala.
5:50 Kailangan ko muna kasi ng kape.
5:53 At pwede bang ikaw na rin sa aking tabi?
5:55 Limang minuto. Limang minutong pagnakaw ngiti. Pagkalaban sa oras na tila galit na tayo’y pagsamahin.
5:55 Itutuloy ko pa ba?
5:56 Oo na. Tama na.
5:57 Tatayo na.
5:59 Panibagong araw na naman ang haharapin.
6:00 Makapag-init nga ng tubig.
It has been a while since I’ve written a Tagalog Poem (or any poem for that matter). This piece is a poem and a story in one. A shoutout to the coffee lovers and to the lovers of dawn.
P.S. I tried to write an English translation but didn’t like how it turned out. So in defeat, with a hint of distress, I’m posting this as it is. Below is a snippet and probably the gist of the whole piece. 🙂
A poetic duet with a friend, a traveller, an all-time hugotero, an instant love guro, and team bang’s one and only IDOL wanderer. Here’s an early Tagalog hugot about leaving and being left behind…
Idolwanderer:
Sa ngalan ng pag ibig may dalawa kang pagpipilian. Ang mang-iwan o ang iwanan.
Ngunit sino ba talaga ang laging nang-iiwan? Kaming mga lalaki o kayong mga kababaihan?
Maria:
Sino nga ba ang nang-iwan at sino ang iniwan? Sa larong ito, sino ba ang may kasalanan?
Ako ba na walang ginawa kundi ibigay ang lahat. O ikaw na ang tingin sa akin ay hindi pa sapat?
Idolwanderer:
Ha! laro? Anong laro? Para sayo laro lang pala ang akala koy totoo?
Ang sakit isipin at kay hirap tanggapin. Ngayo’y alam ko na, na para sayo ako’y laruan lang at di pala dapat mahalin
Maria:
May totoo nga ba sa lahat ng iyong ipinakita. Kung napakadali mong nagbitiw at naglahong parang bula.
It has been a while since I’ve written a Tagalog Poem (or any poem for that matter). It was my recent hiatus that rekindled my love of writing poems in our local dialect and I couldn’t be any happier. Perhaps it was being one with nature that brought my muse home?
Hope everyone’s having a lovely day! See English translation below. 🙂
Bulong ng Hangin
Hiling ko na ibulong sayo ng hangin
Ang mga sekretong pilit kong kinikimkim
Na sana sabihin nito sa iyo na hindi ka nag-iisa—
Na ako man ay takot din.
Takot na baka magkamali,
Takot na baka ito ay mali.
Takot na masakatan na namang muli.
Ngunit para saan pa ang mga pusong daig pa ang ingay ng mga tambol
Kung hindi naman nito kayang mangahas?
Anong pang halaga ng pagtibok ng puso?
Kaya, heto ako, humihiling sa hangin na ibulong sayo ang daing:
Katulad ng paghagod ng mga alon sa baybayin,
Katulad ng paghalik ng palubog araw sa karagatan,
Katulad ng pagyakap ng dalim sa kalangitan,
Matuto tayong magpadala sa tadhana
Na wala ang mga takot ng nakaraan.
English Translation: Whispers of the Wind
I wish the wind whispers you the secrets
I’ve been trying to keep.
I hope it tells you that you are not alone—
That I, too, am afraid
Afraid to make another mistake,
Afraid that this is a mistake
Afraid to get wounded all over again.
But for what are the hearts that beat louder than drums
If they can’t be brave?
What’s the point of having hearts that beat?
So, here I am, wishing for the wind to whisper my plea:
Just as the waves stroke the shore,
Just as the setting sun kisses the sea,
Just as the darkness embraces night,
Let us give in to destiny
Without having the fears of the past.
“You don’t have to say everything to be a light. Sometimes a fire built on a hill will bring interested people to your campfire.” ― Shannon L. Alder
It was back in July when my dearie, Rosema of A Reading Writer, and I decided to build our small campfire called, Word High July, on a hill. None of us knew if our fire was bright enough to draw people or if it could last for the whole month. We had nothing to keep the fire burning but our passion in writing, our desire to meet new friends, and our pride, The 30 Beautiful Filipino Words.
But, in the midst of our doubts, all the forces of the blogosphere seemed to have connived and turned our fire into a blazing flame. The flame of destiny. We were all meant to meet. We were all meant be each other’s light. We we’re all meant to sit around a campfire.
And for that, I thank all the great writers and poets that I have come across through Word High July. It was a month of learning, inspiration, and building greater bonds among everyone.
Thank you for the poems and fictions Those gorgeous photos under the sun Those six-word tales and random thoughts That kept us word-high on July!
Let’s give ourselves a pat on the shoulder, we made it! Cheers everyone. Mazel tov! 😀 ❤
Fears and doubts today surround me
Endless questions I can’t comprehend
Darkened path, my eyes cannot see
Mind running wild as logic ends
These all I lay at the mercy of Your feet
My restless heart, my wavering faith
My rivers of tears and gnashing teeth
Your gift of love and wisdom, I will wait
Ang dalisay na hangin,
Sa aking pisngi dumadampi
Mga huni ng ibon,
Sa aking paggising inaawit
Ang amoy ng kape
Na timpla ni nanay
At mga halakhak
Ng aking tatay—
Ito ay ilan lamang sa binabalikan
Ng aking pusong nangungulila
~English Translation~
The undiluted wind
That kisses my cheeks
The bluebirds’ hymn
As I wake
The sweet aroma
Of mother’s coffee
And my dear father’s
Lively laughter—
These are just few things
My longing heart wants to relive
The sun shines brightly, a blazing ball of splendor
Its warmth enfolds me tightly, erasing my blues
But one look at you, the gorgeous sun is no more
For like a moth to a flame, to you I’m enthralled
Today’s Filipino word prompt is “makisig” which means “dashing, well-dressed, or gorgeous”.
P.S. To be precise, this word falls under the masculine category. In Filipino, this is an adjective subjected to men. The word, “maganda”, is it’s feminine counterpart. 🙂
Come on! Write a poem or a fiction
Snap a photo under the sun
A six-word tale or a long post, perhaps?
Let’s all get word-high this July!
Want to join the fun? Find the prompt words HERE! Don’t forget to pingback & use the tag WordHighJuly. Mazel tov! 😉
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