(in English and Tagalog)
The Twitter poetry tradition goes back to when the then-Twitter (now X) platform posed a challenge to poets to write within its restrictive 140 characters, to when the character count expanded to 280, and to now, when the longer form is allowed for premium subscribers.
I continue to write in the restrictive form of 280 characters or less, being used to delivering poetic thoughts in bursts of Tweets, albeit they are no longer called that.
As a Tagalog translator, I (human) also translate my English tweets to this Philippine language, constantly comparing it to the renditions of Google Translate or Bing Translate, which are readily available on The X platform, itself. The evolution of AI in translation is part of my self-study as a translator and as a poet.
“Rose Gardens” (mixed media on watercolor paper) by ThompsonNFT on Twitter / X with the author’s permission https://twitter.com/thompsonNFT/status/1713194138869387659/photo/1
The Roses Bleed onto the page of autumn where bleeding is allowed with abandon in grief, in passion, in remorse -- or to let stand still what briefly was or what could've been in a tiny light -- that it may perchance, shine -- another time. Again. ~ Su Layug
Nagdurugo Ang Mga Rosas sa pahina ng taglagas kung saan hinahayaan ang pagdugo nang walang pakundangan nang dahil sa dalamhati, pusok, pagtitika -- o upang patirikin lamang ang isang saglit, o ang isa sanang saglit -- nang harinawa'y, isang araw ito'y muling magningning. ~ Su Layug
waterjug 