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

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