Author Archives: Su Layug

Telepono (Telephone) ni Grald Soda Alop, Translated to English by Su Layug

30 Saturday Nov 2013

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photo credit: Aqua Church flickr/Rennett Stowe
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This poem was orignally posted in The Hawak-Kamay Haiyan Disaster Relief Project https://www.facebook.com/groups/PoemsForThePhilippines/
https://twitter.com/haiyanpoems

Telepono

— Grald Soda Alop  © (all rights reserved by the author)

 

Kay tagal na isinulat kataga na dapat ,

salitang nais na mabasa nais maiulat ,

sa bawat buga ng sigarilyong nakasamä,

ang pag hingay malalim nakadungaw sa bintanä,

 

ang nais ng pandinig ,mata o pandama,

balitang mula sa iyo kumusta ka na ba,

ang sisiy sa akin hindi sa bagyo,

hindi rin sa dyaryo kundi

sa panahong sinayang ko

 

alumpihit sa upuan hawak ang telepono,

naghihintay ako kahit isang mensahe mo,

sa huli napagtanto ,

sa panahon na ganto,

 

telepono na hawak,

hindi pala bentahe no?

 

kailangan ay dasal kusang gawa ng mga kamay,

mga salita na kusa sa labi dumantay

 

pisi ng pag asa ,

lubid ng paniniwalä,

ang tanging kinapitan sa panahon ng sakunä

 

 

Telephone

(translation) by Su Layug (w/ author’s permission)

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How long it took for the word to be written,

a word I wanted read, I wanted posted,

for each cigarette puff that comes with,

is a deep breath, while staring out the window,

 

what the hearing, sight or feeling wants

is news from you, how you are,

the blame is on me not on the storm,

nor the newspaper but on

time that I wasted

 

unsettled in my chair, holding the phone,

I waited for even just one message from you,

in the end I realized,

In these times,

 

the phone in my hand,

is not of much use, no?

 

what I need is prayer, crafted with my hands,

words that willingly come to my lips

 

lifeline of hope,

rope of faith,

the only thing we hang on to in times of disaster

 

 

Please consider donating to UNICEF (verified Twitter Page) https://twitter.com/UNICEF

Or directly to UNICEF Philippines: http://www.unicef.ph/

Notes from Leyte (found poem from the news)

11 Monday Nov 2013

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photo: flickr/Patrick Hoesly


Copyright on TEXT/POETRY © 2013 Su Layug. All Rights Reserved.*

Notes from Leyte

(found poem from the news) http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/334829/news/nation/buhi-kami-tanan-yolanda-survivors-send-messages-to-loved-ones

On the rippled edge
of a half-moon paper plate —
perhaps kept dry in a bag
for a wedge of a birthday cake —
the scribbling says,
“Buhi Kami Tanan.”
(We’re All Alive)

On a narrow-ruled page,
ripped from a spiral
that used to bind school notes,
in curly manuscript:
“We’re fine. No house, no food.
Nothing.
Still looking
for Big Diding.
Don’t worry.”

A piece of brown bag,
kept neat, perhaps, to wrap
kan-on, sinugba or a sandwich
that mother or father would have made:
in bold, block letters, says,
“Ate, mom and dad are dead. Please
tell everyone.
No connection.”

I wish the world to write them back:

Mga Sulat Mula sa Leyte

(natuklasang tula, mula sa balita)

Sa alun-along gilid ng hating-buwan
na papel na pinggan —
na maaaring itinabi
para sa isang hiwa ng birthday cake —
nakasulat ito:
“Buhi Kami Tanan.”
(Buhay Kaming Lahat)

Sa makikitid na linya ng isang pahina
na pinunit mula sa alambre
na dati’y nagkukupkop ng mga tala
sa eskwela,
sa mapalabok na panulat:
“Ligtas kami. Walang bahay, walang pagkain.
Waray.
Hinahanap pa rin
si Diding Laki.
Ayaw la kabalaka.”

Sa pirasong paper bag
na masinop ang tiklop, siguro’y pagbabalutan
Ng kan-on, sugba o sandwich
na gagawin sana ni nanay o tatay:
Sa malalaki’t makakapal na letra,
“Ate, patay na si mommy at daddy. Pakisabi
sa lahat.
Walang koneksiyon.”

Pagnanasa ko ang balik-sulat ng mundo:

All The Words: October 2013 Poetry (excerpt) by @MagdaKapa Translated to Filipino by Su Layug

04 Monday Nov 2013

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Lahat ng mga Salita: Oktubre 2013 

ni http://notborninenglish.wordpress.com/

 

Isipan: isang tsiklet na minumuni-muni mo hanggang mawalan na siya ng lasa.

***

 

Pag-ibig: Ang pinakamalalaking katotohanan ay mga tugtog.

Pag-ibig: ang hindi binibigkas ang siyang nakababasag sa sarili.

Pag-ibig: Ang pinakamalulungkot na kapalaran ay mga puntod na.

Pag-ibig: gayunpaman.

 

All The Words: October 2013

by http://notborninenglish.wordpress.com/

 

Thought: a chewing gum you keep in mind as long as it takes to take all flavor out of it.

***

 

Love: the biggest truths are tunes.

Love: the unspoken leaves one broken.

Love: the saddest fates are now graves.

Love: and yet.

 

The full text of the English original can be read here:http://notborninenglish.wordpress.com/2013/11/01/all-the-words-october-2013/

The Moon Bit the Sun by Su Layug with Filipino translation| stringed haikus under the #eclipse theme

03 Sunday Nov 2013

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Copyright on TEXT/POETRY © 2013 Su Layug. All Rights Reserved.*

The Moon Bit the Sun
by Su Layug

The moon bit the sun
over the pi-legged docks~
sleep’s bonus hour

 

Mom in KSA
poses for half-smile selfie~
kingdom eclipses

 

A night crab scuttles
among eclipse tourists’ bags~
the apocalypse

 

Child sleeps in dad’s arm
under sun-and-moon mingling~
oceanic sighs

 

T’was hide-or-be-killed
sun-moon collapse among rocks~
a vet’s remembrance

 

The moon bit the sun
the earth goes hide-and-seeking~
a ship sails for home

 

 

 

Kinagat ng Buwan ang Araw
ni Su Layug

 

Kagat ng buwan ang araw
sa ibabaw ng daungang hugis-pi~
isang oras pa’ng pagtulog

 

Si Nanay sa KSA
pilit-ngiti sa selfie~
nagsaklob ang kaharian

 

Talangkang nataranta
sa mga bagahe ng turista ng eklips~
apokalipto na

 

Batang nahihimbing sa braso ni Tatay
sa ilalim ng pagsasanib ng araw at buwan~
dagat-dagat na buntunghininga

 

Magtago ba o mamatay
sa mga batuhan, sa nagsanib na buwan at araw~
alaala ng isang beterano

 

Kagat ng buwan ang araw
naglalaro ng taguan ang daigdig~
may naglalayag papauwi

*reblogging/linking as is usual practice, is encouraged and permitted. If you have questions, you’re welcome to email or comment right below the title of the post. Thank you.

Why I love the Dead Red Leaf by Su Layug (a prose-poem translated to Filipino)

02 Saturday Nov 2013

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Copyright © 2013 Su Layug. All Rights Reserved.*

Kung Bakit Gusto Ko ang Patay na Dahong Pula (pagsasalin ng hango) ~ ni Su Layug

Ang Aspen, gamit ang pulido nitong tangkay,  ay ang prima donna ng sayaw na ito. Kahit na bago pa dumating ang pagwawalis ng bagyo, itinatago nito ang kaniyang mukha, tumatalikod upang ihantad ang pinilakang gulugod, na wari’y nagsasabi kay Kamatayan: wala akong nalalabing maibibigay sa iyo,.  Simutin mo man ang buhay kong maputla, kakapit at kakapit pa rin ako bilang kalansay sa aking Puno, sa aking Tadhana.  Sa kalaunang pagkahulog, minumulto ng Aspen ang mga yapakan ng kagubatan. Hindi lang ito basta nakatingala mula sa lupa. Makanti lamang ng hangin, umiiling ito na parang nagsasabi: “Hindi, hindi, hindi!” Wari’y hindi nito matanto o matanggap ang pagkawalang-saysay ng kaniyang tunggali. Ang Don Quixote ng kaharian ng mga dahon, sinasabak ng dahon ng Aspen ang apat na patalim ng windmill ng pagpapalit ng panahon. Ang dahon ng Aspen ay isang kaluluwang pampurgatoryo.

Why I Love the Dead Red Leaf (excerpt) ~ by Su Layug

The Aspen, with its dexterous petiole is the prima donna of this dance. Even before the purge by thunderstorms, it hides its face, shows its silvery back, as though to say to Death: I have nothing left for you to take. Scrape me of my pallid life, I will still cling as skeleton to my Tree, my Destiny. The Aspen leaf, eventually fallen, haunts the forest footpaths. It doesn’t just lie there. At the slightest touch of wind, its body quivers so, “No, no, no!” It doesn’t seem to realize nor accept the futility of its struggle. The Don Quixote of the foliage kingdom,the Aspen leaf fights the four-bladed windmill that is the turning of the season. The Aspen leaf is a purgatory soul.

The whole prose-poem can be read here: https://medium.com/no-category-for-this/bad76a37eb71

*reblogging/linking, as usual practice, is encouraged and permitted. If you have questions, you’re welcome to email or comment right below the title of the post. Thank you.

Two Moths (excerpt) ( Dalawang Gamugamo ) by Aimee Nezhukumatathil translated to Filipino by Su Layug

01 Friday Nov 2013

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photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jkadavoor/5552747604/sizes/l/in/faves-95040014@N08/

Dalawang Gamugamo  (hango)

       

       May mga babae        sa kabilang dako ng planetang ito

 

                   ang hindi makakaalam         ng kagandahan

 

       ng lumakad      habang nakasuot ng sutlang saring krespon.      Kundi,

 

lilipas        ang mga araw nila                          na ang likod nila’y nakalapat

 

   para sa parada               ng mga lalaking          maituturing na nilang tiyuhin

 

       sa ibang buhay.  

 

Two Moths (excerpt)

 

      Some girls        on the other side of this planet

 

                   will never know        the loveliness

 

       of   walking      in a crepe silk sari.      Instead,

 

they will spend        their days                          on their backs

 

   for a parade               of   men           who could be       their uncles

 

       in another life.  

 

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The full, original poem in English can be read here: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poem/246686#poem

Read the author’s extended bio here: http://aimeenez.net/extended-bio/

 

Aside

It is Marvelous to Wake Up Together (excerpt) ~ by Elizabeth Bishop, Translated to Tagalog/Filipino by Su Layug

28 Monday Oct 2013

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Kamangha-mangha ang Magising nang Magkasama

 

Kamangha-mangha ang magising nang magkasama
Sa mismong sandali; kamangha-manghang pakinggan
Ang ulan na bigla na lang bubuhos sa bubungan,
Ang madama ang biglang paglinaw ng hangin
Animo’y dinaanan ng kuryente
Na nagmula sa isang hinabing itim na mga linya sa langit.
Sumasagitsit sa buong bubungan ang ulan,
At sa ilalim nito, ang magaang na pagbagsak ng mga halik.

 

It is Marvelous to Wake Up Together (excerpt)

 

It is marvellous to wake up together
At the same minute; marvellous to hear
The rain begin suddenly all over the roof,
To feel the air suddenly clear
As if electricity had passed through it
From a black mesh of wires in the sky.
All over the roof the rain hisses,
And below, the light falling of kisses.

A copy of the full text of the English original can be read here: 

http://deareditorpoems.blogspot.com/2013/10/a-previously-unpublished-elizabeth.html

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Lament for Earthquake-Ruined Churches

15 Tuesday Oct 2013

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Before the Oct. 15, 2013 earthquake: Interior of the Basilica de Sto. Nino in Cebu during a festival. (photo credit: Francisco M. Pajares, Jr. /Wikipedia)

Before the Oct. 15, 2013 earthquake: Interior of the Basilica de Sto. Nino in Cebu during a festival. (photo credit: Francisco M. Pajares, Jr. /Wikipedia)

Copyright © 2013 Su Layug. All Rights Reserved.*

Lament for Earthquake-Ruined Churches

Earthquakes are lullabies
to age-old stones, tired of standing
for God and man, tired
of echoing unheard cries
of children, tired
of lighting, weep-
letting candles
of crocodile*
tears

*crocodile is a Filipino folk symbol for corrupt politicians

Hinagpis Para sa mga Simbahang Nilindol
Lindol – isang hele-hele
para sa mga sinaunang bato
na pagod na sa katatayo
para sa Diyos at tao, pagod na
sa pag-alingawngaw
ng pag-iyak
ng mga bata, pagod na
sa pagpapatulo
ng kandilang luha
ng mga buwaya

An article on the ruined Philippine churches can be read here: http://elysplanet.com/2013/10/15/bohol-quake-damage-churche/

(On October 15, 2014, 8:12 A.M. the Central Visayas region of the Philippines was rocked by 7.2 M earthquake, killing and hurting people, damaging properties and destroying centuries-old churches. Roughly a month before, a social-media-powered movement, #MillionPeopleMarch, was started by ordinary netizens incensed by recently-exposed (alleged) widespread pork-barrel corruption by Philippine lawmakers and a person named Janet Napoles)

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“I’m Explaining a Few Things” by Pablo Neruda, English translation by Nathaniel Tarn

01 Tuesday Oct 2013

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Pinapaliwanag ko ang Ilang Mga Bagay 

~ni Pablo Neruda (salin sa Tagalog ni Su Layug mula sa Kastila at Inggles na salin ni Nathaniel Tarn)

At isang umaga ang lahat ng ito ay nasunog
Isang umaga ang mga sigâ
ay lumukso mula sa lupa
lumamon ng mga tao —
at magmula noon, apoy,
pulbura ng bala mula noon,
at magmula noon, dugo.
mga bandidong may mga eroplano at mga moro,
mga bandidong may titulo at mga padrinos,
mga bandidong kakampi ang may-suot-abito, na naghahagis ng biyaya
ang sumugod mula sa langit upang patayin ang mga bata
at ang dugo ng mga bata ay dumaloy sa mga kalsada
na animo’y walang anuman, gaya ng dugo ng mga bata.

 

I’m Explaining a Few Things

~ by Pablo Neruda, translated by Nathaniel Tarn

And one morning all that was burning,
one morning the bonfires
leapt out of the earth
devouring human beings —
and from then on fire,
gunpowder from then on,
and from then on blood.
Bandits with planes and Moors,
bandits with finger-rings and duchesses,
bandits with black friars spattering blessings
came through the sky to kill children
and the blood of children ran through the streets
without fuss, like children’s blood.

Full text of the English translation can be read here: http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/i-m-explaining-a-few-things/
A copy of the original Spanish poem can be read here: http://www.poemas-del-alma.com/pablo-neruda-explico-algunas-cosas.htm  

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About Forts

20 Friday Sep 2013

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photo credit creative commons: flickr/Education Projects for Children of Sabah

 

Copyright © 2013 Su Layug. All Rights Reserved.*

Tungkol sa Mga Kuta

~ Su Layug

Sa awit tungkol sa mga kuta

na yari sa bato, may mga nakabitin

na mumunting kampanilya, hinulma sa apoy

at panata, na sinuot ng mga babaylan

upang magsumamo sa mga anito,

upang magsumamo ng paghilom

Mayroon bang ganoong awit?
 
Sa awit tungkol sa mga kuta

na gawa sa bukid, nililok ang mga punyal

mula sa alaala ng mga ninunong pinaslang

ng mga ganid sa lupa at tubig

na hindi kaninuman,

na para kaninuman

Nahan ang awit na iyon?
 
Sa awit tungkol sa mga kuta

na binuo ng mga tao, ang mga mukha’y lupain ng pighati

mga buhol ng tanikala’y mga kamay

mga hininga’y pinatid ng mga hari’t reynang

naglapastangan, nangdambong

sa Inangbayan, mga ate

Amangbayan, mga kuya,

Anakbayan, bunso

May mga naririnig akong umaawit

tawid- kuta, tawid-bundok.
 

About Forts

~ Su Layug

In a song about forts

made of rock, hang tiny bells fashioned

from brass tempered by fire

and faith,  worn by priestess warriors

to summon the spirits

to summon healing

Is there such a song?
 
In a song about forts

made of fields, battle knives are carved

from memories of ancestors killed

by the usurpers of land and water

that were no one’s

that were everyone’s

Where is that song?
 
In a song about forts

made of humans, faces are a landscape

of sorrow – chain of knots made of hands,

lives snuffed out by kings and queens

who raped and plundered

motherland, sisters

fatherland, brothers

children of the land

I hear people singing

across forts, across mountains
 
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