Please come dine with me
Among the wild flowers,
Where we can forget
About etiquette and manners,
Where time we care not
Nor how good is the hostess,
In a place where you and I
Is the only thing that matters.
(*photo and set up courtesy of missus, my lifetime muse)
Parang kumot na sumusuklob sa damong giniginaw,
O balabal na bumabalot sa paligid kong tanaw,
At parang kurtinang tumatabing sa araw na sumisilaw,
Ang mga ulap na humahalik sa lupa at nanliligaw,
Gaya ng pag-ibig na tila hamog sa pusong nauuhaw.
(*photos taken with an iPhone during my morning run)
*******
Post Note: since a reader asked, here’s the English translation for my non-Filipino readers and followers:
Dew
Like a blanket that covers the shivering grass,
Or a heavy cloak that the surrounding it wraps,
Or like a curtain that veils the sun’s glare,
Are the clouds that court and kiss the earth,
Just like love is like the dew to hearts that thirst.
Ako’y tumakbo kaninang umaga,
Sa amin dito sa Iowa,
Habang humahangos sa daan,
Ay aking pinakikinggan,
Maiingay na halakhak,
Ng mga ibong taratitat,
At sa aking paghingal,
Aking namang nalalanghap,
Ang mabangong halimuyak,
Ng mga bulaklak ng lilac.
Pero miss na miss ko na,
Mag-jogging sa Maynila,
Kung saan naghaharana,
Mga traysikel na umaarangkada,
At aking muling masasanghap,
Usok ng tambutsong kay sarap,
At takbo ko’y lalong bumibilis,
Parang anak ni Hagibis,
Dahil ako’y hinahabol,
Ng mga asong nauulol.
(*Hagibis means speed in Tagalog, it is also a Filipino comics hero, and the name of an all-male pop group.)
Hithit ubo, hithit ubo,
Pabili nga ng Marlboro,
Hithit ubo, hithit ubo,
Pahiram din ng posporo.
Hithit ubo, hithit ubo,
Butas na ang bulsa ko,
Hithit ubo, hithit ubo,
Butas na pati baga ko.
Hithit ubo, hithit ubo,
Hirap na hirap na ‘ko,
Hithit ubo, hithit ubo,
Tang’n@ng yosi ito!
Hithit ubo, hithit ubo,
Adios! Malupit na mundo,
Hingal ubo, hingal ubo,
Hingal……hingal……aaagghh.
(*image from the web)
My head is light and the walls spinning,
Too much of the “happy hours” again,
Staggering down Manila’s dark alley,
My steps and dignity are both shaky.
I know I have passed this way before,
Promising a change, I will go for,
But my will is weak to the intoxicating spirit,
I am but a spineless fool! Damn it!
My family have long gave up on me,
I’m at the point I’m giving up on me,
Am I beyond redemption? Can’t get free
From the quatro cantos that enslaves me.
Heeding the call, fumbling in the night,
I am desperate to seek the light,
Then the writings on the wall, I saw
It reads: Hoy, Bawal Umihi Dito!
(*dedicated to all who struggle with the bottle; photo from the web)
Pansit ay napapanis,
Hopia ay inaamag,
Alahas ay kinakalawang,
Maganda ay nalolosyang,
Katanyaga’y nabibilasa,
Lakas ay humuhupa,
Awit ay napapaos,
Kuwento ay natatapos.
Bulaklak ay nalalaglag,
Ngiti ay lumalayas,
Tangkay ay yumuyuko,
Damdamin ay natutuyo,
Araw ay lumulubog,
Hininga’y nauubos,
Panaho’y lumilipas,
Pag-ibig ma’y kumukupas.
(*photo taken and edited with and iPhone)
One dreary morning,
I was slowly traveling,
The world I cannot see,
For everything was blurry.
I turned the wipers on,
Yet the haziness remain,
For it was not the rain,
It was my tears and my pain.
(*This poem is brought to you by ibuprofen. My body aches again. Damn that volleyball!)
(**photo taken with an iPhone)
(The following photos were taken during our recent trip to Palawan, and also inspired these haikus, which are short poems, with traditional 17 syllables, in phrases of 5, 7, and 5.)
Dalampasigan
Dalampasigan,
Hawak ko iyong kamay,
At ‘tong tsinelas.
(Shadow selfie with wifey at a beach in Sabang)
*******
Katig
Hindi tataob,
Alon ma’y maligalig,
‘Pagkat may katig.
(In the sea of life, we also need “katig.”Photo taken at Honda Bay, in Puerto Princesa.)
*******
Lulubog Lilitaw
Dito sa Luli,
Sa Lulubog-lilitaw,
Phone, nagtampisaw.
(The island was named so, as it will appear and disappear depending on the tide. The water here was so inviting that even my cellphone tried to swim. It drowned.)
*******
Bayawak
Mga bayawak,
Mayro’n sa gubat, at sa
Gobyerno’t syudad.
(Bayawak or monitor lizards are “cold-blooded animals” that prey on smaller creatures and their eggs, or their balikbayan box.)
*******
Dagat at Gubat
Dagat at gubat,
Ng lupang pinagpala,
Ba’t ginahasa.
(Acres of virgin forest in Palawan are being ravaged due to mining.)
*******
Kulang
Likas na yaman,
Ngunit paraiso man,
Ay mayro’ng kulang.
(Part of our trip was a medical and dental mission in Narra. Here I observed the lack of health care for the people in this paradise island, especially the natives, known as “natibo.”)
*******
Boatman
Hindi si Batman,
Ang nakita sa kuweba,
Kun’di si Boatman.
(That is what our bangkero called himself, when we explored the Underground River, which is named one of the New 7 Wonders of the Natural World.)
*******
