1. Something to Declare
One way to fuel the people's spirit
Is to write about their nation
In sad, suffering verses.
Remove all the happy endings.
The plot must be power plus
Its corrupt and corrupting
Consequences. It is like
Opening the chest of the dead,
Those killed by warmongers
Who have forgotten
The meaning of terror
For its own sweet sake
But use it to impose their will upon
The wind, wild and wise in its ways
As it gets into the heart
Of all that matters
To the land, sad and lonely,
Grieving for the turbulent times.
To write the nation
We need the pry open the veins
Of truth, the particular and personal,
The truth in the custody of moments
That allow the bleeding to commence.
It is a sacred rite, this
Dripping of blood onto the land
Thirsting for the cup
Of a solemn sacrifice.
This is the nation being written,
The nation as it should be,
The nation for all the seen
And the unseen,
The powerful
And the powerless.
The rite will complete all
That which is not perfect as of yet
Like the divide between loves:
One for the self
The other
For the other self.
2. Something to Keep
A while ago
I dedicated this poem
To you the poet of the people.
I spoke the word of liberty
In a foreign tongue, in the timbre
And tone you would not have approved.
You would have understood
The wit and quick cadence
Of concepts however strange
These are in many ways.
But
You
Would
Not, Never
Have approved.
You would have spoken
Of the people's poem
Who would feel each word
Like their own.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Nov. 30, 2004
Sakuntip
Saan a maipapan iti panagsakuntip daytoy.
Maipapan daytoy a daniw kadagiti maintar-intar
A bangkay iti ili ti Nakar, dagiti mabingbingraw
A natay gapu iti saplit ti bagyo kadagiti agsapa
A sinibbarot ti biag 'tay aangsan, inabalbalayna
Daytoy sana impatayok nga impasurot
Iti kusit nga angin ti abagagatan a lumaud
Wenno lumaud nga umabagatan, daytay angin
A kasingin ti amin a nabuyok, nabangsit,
Makapabakkuar ta sumuknor ta sumuknor
Ti nakaro nga angot iti nalisayan a rikna
Kas iti panangkurirona iti mabisin nga isip.
Intarenda piman dagiti bangkay sadanto bilangen,
Sadanto manen bilangbilangen a kasla dida
Mapnek kadagiti puersa dagiti agruprupsan a nakem
Wenno dagiti bileg dagiti lua dagiti pimmusay
Wenno dagiti butengda a matay a di nakapagpakada
Kadagiti isu amin nga ipatpateg kas iti daga
A nakayakan, daga a nakautangan iti nagan laeng,
Kas iti diputado dagiti amin a darepdepda
Nga agin-indeg itan kadagiti amin a bitla
A di bumurong, sasao a pammadayaw kadagiti amin
A simmina gapu iti bagyo, gapu iti agsasaruno a saplit
Ti bagyo kadagiti man bangbangkag wenno kabalbalayan
Kadagiti man siudad wenno kadagiti nabungtot a kamara
Dagiti isu amin nga espiritu ti binatibat a tagainep
Dagiti isu amin nga espiritu ti maibabawi a makan
Dagiti isu amin nga espiritu ti maibabawi a dungngo.
Agbitla ti presidente, mangted ti bise iti sabong
Dagitay man korkorona a nalaylayen a kasingin
Dagiti amin nga angot a nabuyok ken sibubuyok
Dagiti amin nga angot a mangbangbanglo ken mangpabanglo
Kadagiti palasio iti uni dagiti arimpadek dagiti natay
Kadagiti konggreso iti gibus dagiti diskurso a sinsinan
Kadagiti korte iti rikusrikos dagiti amin a roleta ti linteg
Daytay killo a hustisia iti roleta met laeng ti pabuya
Kadagiti kampo dagiti heneral a salakan dagiti naangot
Nga embalsamador dagiti isu amin a naangpep iti ili
Nga embalsamador dagiti numero dagiti matay a din agungar
Nga embalsamador dagiti numero dagiti kuarta a yapyap
Pirak a panggatang kadagiti sipsipat ket katkatawa
A magatang wenno maupaan, maipabulod wenno maibienes
Maisalda wenno maisalda-gatang kas iti inaramidda
Itan kadagiti sibibiag, dagiti agsaksakuntip
Pay laeng, isuda nga agwingwingiwing, di mangitulok
Iti kanibusanan ti komedia dagiti naangrag a sariugma
Iti pannakaiparang dagiti mabayadan a makipagdung-aw
Dagiti agarte nga agsala kadagiti delikado a sala
Ti umuna ken maudi a pandanggo dagiti niniugan
Ti umuna ken maudi a salsa dagiti aldaw ti diram-os
Ti umuna ken maudi a balse dagiti aldaw ti bakas
Ti umuna ken maudi a kapetkapet dagiti aldaw ti gawed
Wenno bua wenno arak wenno dinubla a mayatang
Para kadagiti maintar-intar metten a nagawan
Dagiti adu a paripirip dagiti tudo ken nepnep
Dagiti layus ken rungsot iti agdudungsa a langit.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Nob. 30, 2004
Aldaw ti pudno a Bonifacio Day
Maipapan daytoy a daniw kadagiti maintar-intar
A bangkay iti ili ti Nakar, dagiti mabingbingraw
A natay gapu iti saplit ti bagyo kadagiti agsapa
A sinibbarot ti biag 'tay aangsan, inabalbalayna
Daytoy sana impatayok nga impasurot
Iti kusit nga angin ti abagagatan a lumaud
Wenno lumaud nga umabagatan, daytay angin
A kasingin ti amin a nabuyok, nabangsit,
Makapabakkuar ta sumuknor ta sumuknor
Ti nakaro nga angot iti nalisayan a rikna
Kas iti panangkurirona iti mabisin nga isip.
Intarenda piman dagiti bangkay sadanto bilangen,
Sadanto manen bilangbilangen a kasla dida
Mapnek kadagiti puersa dagiti agruprupsan a nakem
Wenno dagiti bileg dagiti lua dagiti pimmusay
Wenno dagiti butengda a matay a di nakapagpakada
Kadagiti isu amin nga ipatpateg kas iti daga
A nakayakan, daga a nakautangan iti nagan laeng,
Kas iti diputado dagiti amin a darepdepda
Nga agin-indeg itan kadagiti amin a bitla
A di bumurong, sasao a pammadayaw kadagiti amin
A simmina gapu iti bagyo, gapu iti agsasaruno a saplit
Ti bagyo kadagiti man bangbangkag wenno kabalbalayan
Kadagiti man siudad wenno kadagiti nabungtot a kamara
Dagiti isu amin nga espiritu ti binatibat a tagainep
Dagiti isu amin nga espiritu ti maibabawi a makan
Dagiti isu amin nga espiritu ti maibabawi a dungngo.
Agbitla ti presidente, mangted ti bise iti sabong
Dagitay man korkorona a nalaylayen a kasingin
Dagiti amin nga angot a nabuyok ken sibubuyok
Dagiti amin nga angot a mangbangbanglo ken mangpabanglo
Kadagiti palasio iti uni dagiti arimpadek dagiti natay
Kadagiti konggreso iti gibus dagiti diskurso a sinsinan
Kadagiti korte iti rikusrikos dagiti amin a roleta ti linteg
Daytay killo a hustisia iti roleta met laeng ti pabuya
Kadagiti kampo dagiti heneral a salakan dagiti naangot
Nga embalsamador dagiti isu amin a naangpep iti ili
Nga embalsamador dagiti numero dagiti matay a din agungar
Nga embalsamador dagiti numero dagiti kuarta a yapyap
Pirak a panggatang kadagiti sipsipat ket katkatawa
A magatang wenno maupaan, maipabulod wenno maibienes
Maisalda wenno maisalda-gatang kas iti inaramidda
Itan kadagiti sibibiag, dagiti agsaksakuntip
Pay laeng, isuda nga agwingwingiwing, di mangitulok
Iti kanibusanan ti komedia dagiti naangrag a sariugma
Iti pannakaiparang dagiti mabayadan a makipagdung-aw
Dagiti agarte nga agsala kadagiti delikado a sala
Ti umuna ken maudi a pandanggo dagiti niniugan
Ti umuna ken maudi a salsa dagiti aldaw ti diram-os
Ti umuna ken maudi a balse dagiti aldaw ti bakas
Ti umuna ken maudi a kapetkapet dagiti aldaw ti gawed
Wenno bua wenno arak wenno dinubla a mayatang
Para kadagiti maintar-intar metten a nagawan
Dagiti adu a paripirip dagiti tudo ken nepnep
Dagiti layus ken rungsot iti agdudungsa a langit.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Nob. 30, 2004
Aldaw ti pudno a Bonifacio Day
Announcement, Announcement
Dear Friends:
There is a link to this blog. Thank you for visiting it:
agcaoili.blogspot.com
Ariel Agcaoili
There is a link to this blog. Thank you for visiting it:
agcaoili.blogspot.com
Ariel Agcaoili
An Important Announcement to Those Who Visit This Blog
Ayi and Camille, children who care for my work and my art, argued that I cannot go on with a primitive blog. So they fixed this blog--and made another one:
agcaoili.blogspot.com.
Their reasoning is unarguable, of course--they remind me that I have to keep my sanity and symbols intact. I hope that you see the same thing when you visit the other blog.
remember--
agcaoili.blogspot.com
Dios ti agngina,
Toy pagayamyo
agcaoili.blogspot.com.
Their reasoning is unarguable, of course--they remind me that I have to keep my sanity and symbols intact. I hope that you see the same thing when you visit the other blog.
remember--
agcaoili.blogspot.com
Dios ti agngina,
Toy pagayamyo
The Words of the Left-Handed Are Sometimes Right
1.
The title tells all. The verbal fireworks.
The language game, the play of words.
Beyond the sounds and scenes are the nuances
Of living life, inventing it if necessary,
Like the opening of the vein and then,
And then, go through that bold ceremony
Of bleeding. And bleeding some more.
This is the way to write a novel.
This is the way to compose a poem.
This is the way to imprison the sense
And arrest the meaning the right hand
Sometimes takes for granted
Like autumnal evenings getting longer and longer
Like the days getting impatient and bored
Like the hours useless for creating a new universe
Or renewing the old one where vision is bright
Or the deed is warm and open-hearted,
Like the high winds making music and committing murder
In a winter storm unpredicted, sneaking like a thief
On a street down South towards borders and boundaries
For people going away and coming home
For a thousand thanksgiving
Or these magical moments of motion
Of the months of making do with so little
Until we have finally moved on
To that peak of calling it quits finally
From all the hurrying of paces just to wait
And wait for the opportune times
In order to play with light,
In order to play with the word that gives healing,
In order to marry the lines of sand
And the lines of earth,
The lines coming into circles squaring
With hard truths, useless lies,
And the need to survive
So the spirit moves and can move
So that the stirring of the spirit blends
With the changing colors of the lazy leaves.
2.
The verbal fireworks,
The serious play of words
The play of serious words,
This recreating the world.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Nov. 28, 2004
The title tells all. The verbal fireworks.
The language game, the play of words.
Beyond the sounds and scenes are the nuances
Of living life, inventing it if necessary,
Like the opening of the vein and then,
And then, go through that bold ceremony
Of bleeding. And bleeding some more.
This is the way to write a novel.
This is the way to compose a poem.
This is the way to imprison the sense
And arrest the meaning the right hand
Sometimes takes for granted
Like autumnal evenings getting longer and longer
Like the days getting impatient and bored
Like the hours useless for creating a new universe
Or renewing the old one where vision is bright
Or the deed is warm and open-hearted,
Like the high winds making music and committing murder
In a winter storm unpredicted, sneaking like a thief
On a street down South towards borders and boundaries
For people going away and coming home
For a thousand thanksgiving
Or these magical moments of motion
Of the months of making do with so little
Until we have finally moved on
To that peak of calling it quits finally
From all the hurrying of paces just to wait
And wait for the opportune times
In order to play with light,
In order to play with the word that gives healing,
In order to marry the lines of sand
And the lines of earth,
The lines coming into circles squaring
With hard truths, useless lies,
And the need to survive
So the spirit moves and can move
So that the stirring of the spirit blends
With the changing colors of the lazy leaves.
2.
The verbal fireworks,
The serious play of words
The play of serious words,
This recreating the world.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Nov. 28, 2004
What Do You Do When Friends Have Only Good Word About the World
(For Koy for the kindness & for Nympha for the prayers)
1.
You cannot fake goodness.
Like the sun that streaks
Through the countless windows of our hearts,
You can only feign surrender and sorrow
That has no name
When friends stay by the roadside
To watch you go through the route
To reason and no regret
To the feast that breaks the fast.
It is life lived and only lived that defines
The quiet demand for everyday courage.
The virtue comes in a tablet form or capsule
Like a Lipitor to remove the cholesterol
In the weakening soul,
Giving up sometimes the energy that it has
Giving up sometimes the faith it has kept.
2.
We can only thank the countries we have come
Into to revisit the story of each self-sacrifice
We have gathered like stones to their moss,
The hardening of the arteries in our connection
To hope-giving springs
To a biting chill in the air
To the colors of fall other than greens and greys.
The heart hardens in the winter cold
When the living has not much chance yet,
Well, not yet in these dimming lights
As we come into the gathering dark
Broken and scared but thankful for the little things
Like the good word said by not saying it
Like the good word uttered in silence
Like the good word realized
Like a light snow falling on the lips
In this accustomed absence of speech.
3.
We thank all, we are grateful
To all that have come to us
To all that will come after
Even when the present moment
Is the only time that matters.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Nov. 29, 2004
1.
You cannot fake goodness.
Like the sun that streaks
Through the countless windows of our hearts,
You can only feign surrender and sorrow
That has no name
When friends stay by the roadside
To watch you go through the route
To reason and no regret
To the feast that breaks the fast.
It is life lived and only lived that defines
The quiet demand for everyday courage.
The virtue comes in a tablet form or capsule
Like a Lipitor to remove the cholesterol
In the weakening soul,
Giving up sometimes the energy that it has
Giving up sometimes the faith it has kept.
2.
We can only thank the countries we have come
Into to revisit the story of each self-sacrifice
We have gathered like stones to their moss,
The hardening of the arteries in our connection
To hope-giving springs
To a biting chill in the air
To the colors of fall other than greens and greys.
The heart hardens in the winter cold
When the living has not much chance yet,
Well, not yet in these dimming lights
As we come into the gathering dark
Broken and scared but thankful for the little things
Like the good word said by not saying it
Like the good word uttered in silence
Like the good word realized
Like a light snow falling on the lips
In this accustomed absence of speech.
3.
We thank all, we are grateful
To all that have come to us
To all that will come after
Even when the present moment
Is the only time that matters.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Nov. 29, 2004
Missioning and Believing, Ex-Future Act
(For Ariel Tabag, for keeping the faith)
The chasm is clear like crystal.
Or hazy like incense in the censer
As we imagine in refectories unreal
With hunger and panic for not recalling
The aroma of food or blessing.
The lauds and vespers are not any longer
The same as they were in Sauyo,
Or the other sites for your worship
As in your private prayer,
The psalmic prayer that rises with the bright sun,
Or suns as you wish,
Those that go
With our committing our Gregorian chanting
With a cause,
Or The Cause with our youthful chanting
Like the days of old
In the Our Lady of the Angels,
In the fields and beyond the fields,
In your isolation and in the crowd
Of many entrances and exits
For solitaries, or clausuras for the elect.
There, in histories only the 70s know,
Or if you unearth the martyrdom of the 60s,
These were difficult times, the hard ones
If you care to remember, the times of terror
For the believer who knew
For the believer who knew better.
The word was commitment, the same ardor
You put on you verse, the one you conjugate
With love and daring and boldness to write
The poems of our loving and daring and caring.
Or missioning in a new light, ex-future act.
Or believing in an old light, ex-future act.
Sta. Teresita's poetic vision beckons
As the aroused altar
Of the dead and living God
Of the dead and living Christ
Of the dead and dying compassion we look for
In moldy pews, in the antiquity of moralities
Both official and otherwise, like the moralities
In justice and action we have lost
In genuflecting and meditating we have not done for years
In going away to a monastic site in Davila
The remorseless retreat of the Franciscans the original,
The Capuchins that see salvation another way
And the Conventuals that see seasons changing.
Perhaps you still remember the sad site
On the Ilocos shores so long
We cannot see the edges
Of sin and temptation, reason and faith
Of offering ourselves for the mysteries of light
To come and unite with us.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Nov. 28, 2004
The chasm is clear like crystal.
Or hazy like incense in the censer
As we imagine in refectories unreal
With hunger and panic for not recalling
The aroma of food or blessing.
The lauds and vespers are not any longer
The same as they were in Sauyo,
Or the other sites for your worship
As in your private prayer,
The psalmic prayer that rises with the bright sun,
Or suns as you wish,
Those that go
With our committing our Gregorian chanting
With a cause,
Or The Cause with our youthful chanting
Like the days of old
In the Our Lady of the Angels,
In the fields and beyond the fields,
In your isolation and in the crowd
Of many entrances and exits
For solitaries, or clausuras for the elect.
There, in histories only the 70s know,
Or if you unearth the martyrdom of the 60s,
These were difficult times, the hard ones
If you care to remember, the times of terror
For the believer who knew
For the believer who knew better.
The word was commitment, the same ardor
You put on you verse, the one you conjugate
With love and daring and boldness to write
The poems of our loving and daring and caring.
Or missioning in a new light, ex-future act.
Or believing in an old light, ex-future act.
Sta. Teresita's poetic vision beckons
As the aroused altar
Of the dead and living God
Of the dead and living Christ
Of the dead and dying compassion we look for
In moldy pews, in the antiquity of moralities
Both official and otherwise, like the moralities
In justice and action we have lost
In genuflecting and meditating we have not done for years
In going away to a monastic site in Davila
The remorseless retreat of the Franciscans the original,
The Capuchins that see salvation another way
And the Conventuals that see seasons changing.
Perhaps you still remember the sad site
On the Ilocos shores so long
We cannot see the edges
Of sin and temptation, reason and faith
Of offering ourselves for the mysteries of light
To come and unite with us.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Nov. 28, 2004
The Revolution is a Poem, Ayi
This is for you, son, a poet
Of a people lost a long time ago.
Evenings here come early in autumn
And I read your email announcing
Your coming into the door of dark dawns.
We are a people with no memory, I know.
We are a people with no story, you know.
Together, we string the litanies
Of failed tunes because hunger
Raped our throat with a singsong
We borrow from the eclipse of moons.
I see the sad lines of your poem
As I watch these Torrance skies slashed
By winds fierce and furious, the same
Winds that visit the villages of our
Risky rebellions, late as they are.
I cannot tell it is the falling
Of faint leaves dried up by
The sudden seasons
Surging in our soul.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
2004
Of a people lost a long time ago.
Evenings here come early in autumn
And I read your email announcing
Your coming into the door of dark dawns.
We are a people with no memory, I know.
We are a people with no story, you know.
Together, we string the litanies
Of failed tunes because hunger
Raped our throat with a singsong
We borrow from the eclipse of moons.
I see the sad lines of your poem
As I watch these Torrance skies slashed
By winds fierce and furious, the same
Winds that visit the villages of our
Risky rebellions, late as they are.
I cannot tell it is the falling
Of faint leaves dried up by
The sudden seasons
Surging in our soul.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
2004
Blood Money For Our Offering
This is our blood money, you say,
The precious currency of this country
Of migrants and misery, of the high
And the low, of those who domicile
In palaces built of people's power
And pallid poems, sweat and labor,
Dream and desire even until now
That our first freedoms
Have already come on cue.
It is the blood money
Of those who reside in the rims
Of cities, past the grid of profits,
Those who dream of lunch buffets
On filthy pavements downtown,
In the suburbs, on subway entrances.
Oh yes, you say, the color
Of this blood money
Is the color of the cost
We all need to survive each day,
Just to breathe each day.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
2004
The precious currency of this country
Of migrants and misery, of the high
And the low, of those who domicile
In palaces built of people's power
And pallid poems, sweat and labor,
Dream and desire even until now
That our first freedoms
Have already come on cue.
It is the blood money
Of those who reside in the rims
Of cities, past the grid of profits,
Those who dream of lunch buffets
On filthy pavements downtown,
In the suburbs, on subway entrances.
Oh yes, you say, the color
Of this blood money
Is the color of the cost
We all need to survive each day,
Just to breathe each day.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
2004
Angel of the Cross, Our Angel, Our Cross
This is how it is and really so,
Brother, comrade, friend in exile.
We don an orange garment surrounded
By our armed foe. They demand of us life
And liberty, faith and food
Of the daily kind, the same ones
You seek in the enemy's land.
Go away, they say, take up your cross.
Give my body back, you say,
Send back this body as a remembrance.
My wife will agonize over my coming home
Too soon, my children will panic
For not bringing home some bacon
But they will learn to wipe their tears
And carry Mexico's morning moon.
Just send back my body to where it belongs.
I will join the three others that came home
In sealed boxes and sealed songs. Ay, ay,
Angel of the Cross, our angel, our cross.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
2004
Brother, comrade, friend in exile.
We don an orange garment surrounded
By our armed foe. They demand of us life
And liberty, faith and food
Of the daily kind, the same ones
You seek in the enemy's land.
Go away, they say, take up your cross.
Give my body back, you say,
Send back this body as a remembrance.
My wife will agonize over my coming home
Too soon, my children will panic
For not bringing home some bacon
But they will learn to wipe their tears
And carry Mexico's morning moon.
Just send back my body to where it belongs.
I will join the three others that came home
In sealed boxes and sealed songs. Ay, ay,
Angel of the Cross, our angel, our cross.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
2004
Balita sa Kailihan
Tulad ninyo sa kailihan,
Kami rin dito sa ibayong dagat,
Kaming nandarayuhan sa araw-araw
Na pasakit sa ating bayan,
Kaming lahat ay nakikibalita
Sa lahat ng pangingidnap
Sa mga kababayan at mga pangarap
Sa mga masaganang pananghalian
Sa mga kabilugan ng buwan sa mga bukid
Sa mga kapayapaan sa gabi ng pakikipagsiping
Sa maraming panaginip ng pagbabalik
Sa sinapupunan ng mga tubig, dagat, hangin, bagyo,
Mga balitang lahat na pamilyar sa amin
Sapagkat tulad ninyo, inaabangan din namin ang pagdating
Ng mga Nayan na ipinain ng mga terorista
Ng mga Nayan na lumayo upang lumapit sa kapalaran,
Matagpuan ang di mahanap-hanap na kasiyahan
Sa atin: makita mula ang pagsibol ng mga tanim,
Masaksihan ang paghupa ng hunos sa mga kalsada
Ng lunsod o sa makikipot na pilapil,
Doon, doon sa hahakbangan patungo
Sa layon, sa nais, sa pagtutubos sa hinaing.
Kami ay nakikibalita sa mga nagananap:
1.
Sa TV Patrol, balita sa welga sa gas,
Pagtutol sa mahika ng pag-angkat
O ng salamangka sa pagkuwenta ng tutubuin
Sa bawat litro ng pandurugas
Ng mga negosyante sa gera o baril o relihiyon
O demokrasya, sa atin at sa gitnang silangan
Ng mga kaapihan, sa kasaysayan man
O sa mga kuwento ng mga kanyon
O sa mga kuwento ng mga sundalo
Ng walang oras na mga panahon,
Walang buwan na mga taon,
Walang taon na mga siglo
Ng napakatagal na pagbangon.
2.
Pagtaas ng presyo ng sangkilong galunggong
Mula sandaang pangako sa pag-unlad
Hanggang sa isang libo't isang hamon
Ng rebolusyon sa paglasap sa ulam
O pakikibaka sa tinik o sa ulo kaya ng sugpo,
Ang katawan ay nasa Osaka
Ang itlog ay nasa Paris, London, Boston
Ang esensia ay nasa sa Knorr o sa pinggan
Ng isang pihikang dilag sa rampahan ng mga damit
O sapatos o tukso ng sanlibutan.
Aamuyin lamang ng dilag sa Vogue
Ang ihinaing ipinagdamot sa ating kailihan,
Di alam ang pinanggalingan
Di alam ang bilang ng mga pinagkaitan
Sa mga piskerya sa Bacolod
Sa mga piskerya sa Dagupan
Sa mga piskerya ng mga panibagong pang-aalipin
Sa mga piskerya sa Malolos, sa Lukban
Sa mga bayan-bayanang nagkakasya lamang
Sa mga ulo ng isda, sa mga bituka ng isda,
Sa mga sama-ng-loob ng isda
Sa mga natakot na mga isda
Sa Malabon man o sa Parang
Sa Navotas man o sa mga ilog
Na ngayon ay isinasama
Sa mahabang listahan ng mga patay,
Kasama ang mga rebelde, mga sundalo
Mga terorista, mga kidnaper, mga mamahayag,
Mga sapa, mga pinitak,
Mga gabi at bukang-liwayway.
3.
Pag-it-bulaga ng bigas, dati'y sa sarusar
Ng Angkuang magbubukid, patas kung kumaltas
Ng para sa patubig, ng para sa amilyar
Para sa lahat ng mga nanabik ng bango
Ng sinaing sa bagong ani sa nangingilalang bukid
Ngayon ay nagtatago na ang bigas,
Itinatago ng mga nakikibaka sa ngalan
Ng mga mahihirap, mga pinapahirapan,
Ginagawang mahirap para may matutulungan
Ginagawang mangmang para may matuturuan
Ginagawang tanga para paglapastanganan.
Makikipag-it-bulaga ang bigas, pagdating ng bukas,
Nakarating na sa malayo sa pagkaripas.
4.
Di nagbabago ang balita sa kailihan.
Napapagod ang diwa,
Nahahapo sa di nahahapong lokohan.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Torrance & Redondo Beach
Nob. 26, 2004
Kami rin dito sa ibayong dagat,
Kaming nandarayuhan sa araw-araw
Na pasakit sa ating bayan,
Kaming lahat ay nakikibalita
Sa lahat ng pangingidnap
Sa mga kababayan at mga pangarap
Sa mga masaganang pananghalian
Sa mga kabilugan ng buwan sa mga bukid
Sa mga kapayapaan sa gabi ng pakikipagsiping
Sa maraming panaginip ng pagbabalik
Sa sinapupunan ng mga tubig, dagat, hangin, bagyo,
Mga balitang lahat na pamilyar sa amin
Sapagkat tulad ninyo, inaabangan din namin ang pagdating
Ng mga Nayan na ipinain ng mga terorista
Ng mga Nayan na lumayo upang lumapit sa kapalaran,
Matagpuan ang di mahanap-hanap na kasiyahan
Sa atin: makita mula ang pagsibol ng mga tanim,
Masaksihan ang paghupa ng hunos sa mga kalsada
Ng lunsod o sa makikipot na pilapil,
Doon, doon sa hahakbangan patungo
Sa layon, sa nais, sa pagtutubos sa hinaing.
Kami ay nakikibalita sa mga nagananap:
1.
Sa TV Patrol, balita sa welga sa gas,
Pagtutol sa mahika ng pag-angkat
O ng salamangka sa pagkuwenta ng tutubuin
Sa bawat litro ng pandurugas
Ng mga negosyante sa gera o baril o relihiyon
O demokrasya, sa atin at sa gitnang silangan
Ng mga kaapihan, sa kasaysayan man
O sa mga kuwento ng mga kanyon
O sa mga kuwento ng mga sundalo
Ng walang oras na mga panahon,
Walang buwan na mga taon,
Walang taon na mga siglo
Ng napakatagal na pagbangon.
2.
Pagtaas ng presyo ng sangkilong galunggong
Mula sandaang pangako sa pag-unlad
Hanggang sa isang libo't isang hamon
Ng rebolusyon sa paglasap sa ulam
O pakikibaka sa tinik o sa ulo kaya ng sugpo,
Ang katawan ay nasa Osaka
Ang itlog ay nasa Paris, London, Boston
Ang esensia ay nasa sa Knorr o sa pinggan
Ng isang pihikang dilag sa rampahan ng mga damit
O sapatos o tukso ng sanlibutan.
Aamuyin lamang ng dilag sa Vogue
Ang ihinaing ipinagdamot sa ating kailihan,
Di alam ang pinanggalingan
Di alam ang bilang ng mga pinagkaitan
Sa mga piskerya sa Bacolod
Sa mga piskerya sa Dagupan
Sa mga piskerya ng mga panibagong pang-aalipin
Sa mga piskerya sa Malolos, sa Lukban
Sa mga bayan-bayanang nagkakasya lamang
Sa mga ulo ng isda, sa mga bituka ng isda,
Sa mga sama-ng-loob ng isda
Sa mga natakot na mga isda
Sa Malabon man o sa Parang
Sa Navotas man o sa mga ilog
Na ngayon ay isinasama
Sa mahabang listahan ng mga patay,
Kasama ang mga rebelde, mga sundalo
Mga terorista, mga kidnaper, mga mamahayag,
Mga sapa, mga pinitak,
Mga gabi at bukang-liwayway.
3.
Pag-it-bulaga ng bigas, dati'y sa sarusar
Ng Angkuang magbubukid, patas kung kumaltas
Ng para sa patubig, ng para sa amilyar
Para sa lahat ng mga nanabik ng bango
Ng sinaing sa bagong ani sa nangingilalang bukid
Ngayon ay nagtatago na ang bigas,
Itinatago ng mga nakikibaka sa ngalan
Ng mga mahihirap, mga pinapahirapan,
Ginagawang mahirap para may matutulungan
Ginagawang mangmang para may matuturuan
Ginagawang tanga para paglapastanganan.
Makikipag-it-bulaga ang bigas, pagdating ng bukas,
Nakarating na sa malayo sa pagkaripas.
4.
Di nagbabago ang balita sa kailihan.
Napapagod ang diwa,
Nahahapo sa di nahahapong lokohan.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Torrance & Redondo Beach
Nob. 26, 2004
Panagangtab iti Panawen ti Panagyaman
(Para ken Edison ken Lani Dumayas)
Gapu iti rigat ti rikna ti panagangtab
Isu a naisurat daytoy a daniw, kakabsat.
Ita a rabii ken inton bigat a nasapa,
Dinto bumurong ti kastoy a karirikna,
Daytay man panagtulakak gapu iti kinalabon
Ti katawa, panangnanam kadagiti ituno
Ti ugaw iti beggang a mangep-ep iti lammin
Tay amin, datayo a kankanayon a malanitan,
Datayo nga ulaw dagiti pribado a padaya
A kabusor ti bisin ken panagbisin.
Alawek ti aangsak ta andingayek
Ti dumuko a sarita iti nakem:
Tay panagkiraod iti kaldero,
Panangsalba iti kaudian nga ittip
Wenno panangdanum
Samonto buruboran iti asin ken betsin
Adu nga ayat ken namnama a kadagiti sumuno
Nga aldaw, dagitinto tedtedda ti nasged a testigo
Ti panagtayab dagiti araap.
Suknoren ti arapaap ti nalabon a labay
Ti pimmulbos nga ulep,
Sarutenna ti agur-uray a langit,
Ket gibusanna ti kusit tay pabonar
A di pakairamanan dagiti mailupitlupit.
Idiayayo ti namarunggayan nga uong,
Tinibnokanyo iti karinio ti bugguong
Ken ayab dagiti di makauray a kammet
Dagiti makaammo iti nginabras a rigat.
Ket tay pinakbet, anian nga imas ti digo
A maigamer iti inapuy a kalluto
Ket bay-am dagiti agkurkuripaspas iti bisin
Ket bay-am dagiti agdadawat iti maregmeg
Ket bay-am dagiti agdadawat iti mabungon
A panagipapas. Iti ti aldaw ti panagangtab,
Panagyaman kadagiti agragrag-o nga ugaw iti palad.
Imasentay dagiti kanito ti panagsasangotayo
Kas iti panangimastayo iti sinam-it
Kalpasan ti mamitlo a panagtig-ab.
Maalay-ayan ti bubussog a rikna
Ket agbiroktay manen iti maipapel iti isip
Tapno magun-odtay ti laing
Dagiti immuna a nagdappat ditoy,
Dagiti immuna a nakigasanggasat ken gasat,
Nagasut kadagiti badang ken tured,
Nagtabas kadagiti higante a buteng,
Nagules kadagiti darepdep a nagapon
Kadagiti lakasa, aparador, wenno iti bangko
A buda wenno baboy, kaduaen dagiti adu pay
A panaganos, panagtagibi kadagiti ibit,
Panangiyaw-awan kadagiti sarsaraaw
Panangkusit kadagiti sasaibbek
Iti man lamisaan wenno iti pagiddaan
No dumteng ti rabii dagiti pannakaiwawa
Ti puso a maikawa kadagiti taraon a nakaisigudan
Iti lakko ti agur-uray nga ima,
Sidudungngo a mangidiaya iti mailiw nga ayat
Kas iti iliw nga ayat iti komerdoyo ita
Wenno iti pagtunnuan kadagiti naiw-iwa
A pagraragsakan, isarabasabtay iti apuy,
Ilaok iti rekado ti biag,
Ket kadua ti lauya a maigop,
Tay bulong ti paria iti dinengdeng,
Tay bulong ti saluyot iti inabraw
A di makaam-ammo iti saneng
Tay alukon a maisagpaw
Iti naalumamay a pananggalgal, panagimas
Tapno paruaren ti tubbog iti ngiwat
Tapno mananamtayo dagiti sagut
Ti aldaw a panagyaman.
Kararagantayo dagiti awanan iti malak-am
Iragpintayo ida itoy a pannangan
Lagipentay amin ida iti daytoy a sardam
Ket dawatentay iti dios ti lung-aw
Nga iti dulang dagiti mannanakaw
Idiayton nga agari ti bisin ni talimudaw.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Gardena/Torrance
Nov. 25, 2006
Gapu iti rigat ti rikna ti panagangtab
Isu a naisurat daytoy a daniw, kakabsat.
Ita a rabii ken inton bigat a nasapa,
Dinto bumurong ti kastoy a karirikna,
Daytay man panagtulakak gapu iti kinalabon
Ti katawa, panangnanam kadagiti ituno
Ti ugaw iti beggang a mangep-ep iti lammin
Tay amin, datayo a kankanayon a malanitan,
Datayo nga ulaw dagiti pribado a padaya
A kabusor ti bisin ken panagbisin.
Alawek ti aangsak ta andingayek
Ti dumuko a sarita iti nakem:
Tay panagkiraod iti kaldero,
Panangsalba iti kaudian nga ittip
Wenno panangdanum
Samonto buruboran iti asin ken betsin
Adu nga ayat ken namnama a kadagiti sumuno
Nga aldaw, dagitinto tedtedda ti nasged a testigo
Ti panagtayab dagiti araap.
Suknoren ti arapaap ti nalabon a labay
Ti pimmulbos nga ulep,
Sarutenna ti agur-uray a langit,
Ket gibusanna ti kusit tay pabonar
A di pakairamanan dagiti mailupitlupit.
Idiayayo ti namarunggayan nga uong,
Tinibnokanyo iti karinio ti bugguong
Ken ayab dagiti di makauray a kammet
Dagiti makaammo iti nginabras a rigat.
Ket tay pinakbet, anian nga imas ti digo
A maigamer iti inapuy a kalluto
Ket bay-am dagiti agkurkuripaspas iti bisin
Ket bay-am dagiti agdadawat iti maregmeg
Ket bay-am dagiti agdadawat iti mabungon
A panagipapas. Iti ti aldaw ti panagangtab,
Panagyaman kadagiti agragrag-o nga ugaw iti palad.
Imasentay dagiti kanito ti panagsasangotayo
Kas iti panangimastayo iti sinam-it
Kalpasan ti mamitlo a panagtig-ab.
Maalay-ayan ti bubussog a rikna
Ket agbiroktay manen iti maipapel iti isip
Tapno magun-odtay ti laing
Dagiti immuna a nagdappat ditoy,
Dagiti immuna a nakigasanggasat ken gasat,
Nagasut kadagiti badang ken tured,
Nagtabas kadagiti higante a buteng,
Nagules kadagiti darepdep a nagapon
Kadagiti lakasa, aparador, wenno iti bangko
A buda wenno baboy, kaduaen dagiti adu pay
A panaganos, panagtagibi kadagiti ibit,
Panangiyaw-awan kadagiti sarsaraaw
Panangkusit kadagiti sasaibbek
Iti man lamisaan wenno iti pagiddaan
No dumteng ti rabii dagiti pannakaiwawa
Ti puso a maikawa kadagiti taraon a nakaisigudan
Iti lakko ti agur-uray nga ima,
Sidudungngo a mangidiaya iti mailiw nga ayat
Kas iti iliw nga ayat iti komerdoyo ita
Wenno iti pagtunnuan kadagiti naiw-iwa
A pagraragsakan, isarabasabtay iti apuy,
Ilaok iti rekado ti biag,
Ket kadua ti lauya a maigop,
Tay bulong ti paria iti dinengdeng,
Tay bulong ti saluyot iti inabraw
A di makaam-ammo iti saneng
Tay alukon a maisagpaw
Iti naalumamay a pananggalgal, panagimas
Tapno paruaren ti tubbog iti ngiwat
Tapno mananamtayo dagiti sagut
Ti aldaw a panagyaman.
Kararagantayo dagiti awanan iti malak-am
Iragpintayo ida itoy a pannangan
Lagipentay amin ida iti daytoy a sardam
Ket dawatentay iti dios ti lung-aw
Nga iti dulang dagiti mannanakaw
Idiayton nga agari ti bisin ni talimudaw.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Gardena/Torrance
Nov. 25, 2006
Anchin, Dearest, On Your Birthday
For Nasudi Anchin
I can only watch the dream from here,
In this new land of our longing.
You are now a three-year old
Ageless angel and you word your way
To the best days ahead: a Disney
In December, a clay cherubim,
A ceramic doll calling out, "Anchin!"
Ah, such clarity, such gentle grace,
Darling dear. Your tiny hands trace
The creases of our fading faces
In bored, blurred lines,
Retracing in infant's imaginings
This unwanted absence. Your dancing lines
Delight in the moving of August
To some other magical moments.
I hear you sing to yourself
That birthday tune, a tender tale
Of counterpoints to this
Endless exile we are heir to.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
August 2004
I can only watch the dream from here,
In this new land of our longing.
You are now a three-year old
Ageless angel and you word your way
To the best days ahead: a Disney
In December, a clay cherubim,
A ceramic doll calling out, "Anchin!"
Ah, such clarity, such gentle grace,
Darling dear. Your tiny hands trace
The creases of our fading faces
In bored, blurred lines,
Retracing in infant's imaginings
This unwanted absence. Your dancing lines
Delight in the moving of August
To some other magical moments.
I hear you sing to yourself
That birthday tune, a tender tale
Of counterpoints to this
Endless exile we are heir to.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
August 2004
For Camz, a Daughter on Her Birthday
You are seventeen and I am alone
In Los Angeles with the memories.
I count the stars in the dark night
Over Redondo Beach and I see you,
Bright with your smiles like the dawn
That waits up on me. I see you now
More than ever in this riot of colors
The summer brings, my second absence.
You count the years of distances
With the bursting of flowers in gardens,
Yards and the wild wide spaces before me.
I count the days. They last as years,
Decades, generations, centuries
Even as I hear now the cheerful chorus
Of birds in the front yard you sometimes
Sweep in the ritual of tears when your mother
Tells you in her big voice, commanding
As ever even as she reminds you to blow
The candle and make your three wishes.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
June 2004
In Los Angeles with the memories.
I count the stars in the dark night
Over Redondo Beach and I see you,
Bright with your smiles like the dawn
That waits up on me. I see you now
More than ever in this riot of colors
The summer brings, my second absence.
You count the years of distances
With the bursting of flowers in gardens,
Yards and the wild wide spaces before me.
I count the days. They last as years,
Decades, generations, centuries
Even as I hear now the cheerful chorus
Of birds in the front yard you sometimes
Sweep in the ritual of tears when your mother
Tells you in her big voice, commanding
As ever even as she reminds you to blow
The candle and make your three wishes.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
June 2004
To Learn to Kill Roaches With Your Ring Finger
(For Salve, Gigi, Rose, Mervin, and Efren, for finding our common courage)
To learn to kill roaches
With your ring finger is a social skill.
It is an act of justice well defined.
It is the same energy you need
In calculating all the efforts
To name your pain for not saying
The liberating word sooner
To be muted by the months
That were long and cold and uncertain
And that took all of your name and daring.
You took all, these months manipulating
Your mornings
Make them crumbs for roaches
That multiply like unchecked lies
In the hard hours
Of hurting.
You took them all,
These long months of reciting the matins,
Mantra to you ever-ready act of forgiving,
Never forgetting.
You took them all
In prayer as in faith
In dignity as in understanding
In hope as in reaping all
The heaving of sighs, lots of them.
But the roaches pester.
Big and small, medium or extra extra large,
Their bodies hardened by dire desires
By the greed in their wings, in their hearts
By the gluttony in their mouths and eyes.
You do it with your finger
With the ring, the yellow metal
Memorializing your past promises
Those that bind you to yourself
Those that bind you to your small fidelities to the word
Those that bind you to an attunement with the world,
One simple, final act of justice.
This is how to kill the roaches
With the ring finger.
Do it with the left hand
To make a difference, for a change.
The right hand knows all there is
About giving grace, offering gifts to strangers
The roaches exact for a fee like
A lying marketer's price.
The right ring finger
Knows not much about
The sweet secrecies of doing it
In style, this irreversible
Reduction of roaches to nothingness,
Those insecure insects
Sucking blood from filthy garbage bags,
Like the suites of executives looking out
For more quickie-quickie profits
As in raking all the money they can rake in,
All the dignity, hope, innocence, naivete,
Or trust, this last one you give in full,
You all have given in full
And in cold cash,
Not in the installment of finishing off
The rubbish, the refuse, the same rapacity
Of roaches coached in charities,
Or this awoling accommodation
In the sink and sewer of false loves.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Torrance, CA
Nov. 26, 2004
To learn to kill roaches
With your ring finger is a social skill.
It is an act of justice well defined.
It is the same energy you need
In calculating all the efforts
To name your pain for not saying
The liberating word sooner
To be muted by the months
That were long and cold and uncertain
And that took all of your name and daring.
You took all, these months manipulating
Your mornings
Make them crumbs for roaches
That multiply like unchecked lies
In the hard hours
Of hurting.
You took them all,
These long months of reciting the matins,
Mantra to you ever-ready act of forgiving,
Never forgetting.
You took them all
In prayer as in faith
In dignity as in understanding
In hope as in reaping all
The heaving of sighs, lots of them.
But the roaches pester.
Big and small, medium or extra extra large,
Their bodies hardened by dire desires
By the greed in their wings, in their hearts
By the gluttony in their mouths and eyes.
You do it with your finger
With the ring, the yellow metal
Memorializing your past promises
Those that bind you to yourself
Those that bind you to your small fidelities to the word
Those that bind you to an attunement with the world,
One simple, final act of justice.
This is how to kill the roaches
With the ring finger.
Do it with the left hand
To make a difference, for a change.
The right hand knows all there is
About giving grace, offering gifts to strangers
The roaches exact for a fee like
A lying marketer's price.
The right ring finger
Knows not much about
The sweet secrecies of doing it
In style, this irreversible
Reduction of roaches to nothingness,
Those insecure insects
Sucking blood from filthy garbage bags,
Like the suites of executives looking out
For more quickie-quickie profits
As in raking all the money they can rake in,
All the dignity, hope, innocence, naivete,
Or trust, this last one you give in full,
You all have given in full
And in cold cash,
Not in the installment of finishing off
The rubbish, the refuse, the same rapacity
Of roaches coached in charities,
Or this awoling accommodation
In the sink and sewer of false loves.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Torrance, CA
Nov. 26, 2004
A Wife Recites a Credo of Loving
For Leah, for standing by me
We have everything, dearest, everything.
Time and memory, lots of them.
And the stories that we live by,
The ones that we write with our dreaming
And longing, sacrifice and song.
The days are longer now in these parts
That miss so much of you, your absence
A presence keeping us company, consuming
Us in a way. Nasudi Anchin the angel talks
To you in mornings she misses so much
Your voice calling her out to play
With her mermaids and little foots.
This afternoon, she hurts herself
In that fall. I am her mother, true,
But the scene and sound grip me so. I tell
Her: darling daughter, we live our exilic
Lives and lonely loving the best way
We can. But then again, hope has a name.
I tell you so: we have everything,
All the time of our remembering.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Torrance, CA
2004
We have everything, dearest, everything.
Time and memory, lots of them.
And the stories that we live by,
The ones that we write with our dreaming
And longing, sacrifice and song.
The days are longer now in these parts
That miss so much of you, your absence
A presence keeping us company, consuming
Us in a way. Nasudi Anchin the angel talks
To you in mornings she misses so much
Your voice calling her out to play
With her mermaids and little foots.
This afternoon, she hurts herself
In that fall. I am her mother, true,
But the scene and sound grip me so. I tell
Her: darling daughter, we live our exilic
Lives and lonely loving the best way
We can. But then again, hope has a name.
I tell you so: we have everything,
All the time of our remembering.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Torrance, CA
2004
Another Migrant Coming
For Larry because you remember all
We all are migrants on earth,
This life too if you remember.
Naked we were born and naked
We will all go to the grave
Here or elsewhere as we go on and on
With the crooked lies and avenues
The days and hours offer to us
Even in our sleep. We have come this far,
You have come this far
And there is no turning back the tales
We leave behind as we all
Splurge in sorrow, despair too,
Loneliness sputtering, stopping
Us on our tracks as we keep the song
In our generous hearts, one of love,
Solitude as we nurse each pain
That keeps us alive, the senses searing
Our souls, making us marked by time.
Welcome, migrant, lots of good luck.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Los Angeles, CA
*Recipient of the 2004 Editor's Choice Award, ILP
We all are migrants on earth,
This life too if you remember.
Naked we were born and naked
We will all go to the grave
Here or elsewhere as we go on and on
With the crooked lies and avenues
The days and hours offer to us
Even in our sleep. We have come this far,
You have come this far
And there is no turning back the tales
We leave behind as we all
Splurge in sorrow, despair too,
Loneliness sputtering, stopping
Us on our tracks as we keep the song
In our generous hearts, one of love,
Solitude as we nurse each pain
That keeps us alive, the senses searing
Our souls, making us marked by time.
Welcome, migrant, lots of good luck.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Los Angeles, CA
*Recipient of the 2004 Editor's Choice Award, ILP
Coming Full Circle
(For Salve and Sheng)
Here we are all coming full circle,
All of us exiles from within and without,
Expatriates too of the soulmindheart.
We begin with what is there:
An investment with memory of water
Spiritlifedreamdreamer
Stories too of our struggles
In this land lived but not yet
Loved, this land of circlessorrowssongs.
We stay close to the midpoint:
We go round and round
Like lines not intersecting,
Spheres spheres spheres
Halving halving halving
Into tears and joys and ennui,
This terminus to an exit ending
Where another circle begins,
Marking our life ending
Encircling encircling encircling.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Los Angeles, CA
2003
*Recipient of the 2003 Editor's Choice Award, ILP
Here we are all coming full circle,
All of us exiles from within and without,
Expatriates too of the soulmindheart.
We begin with what is there:
An investment with memory of water
Spiritlifedreamdreamer
Stories too of our struggles
In this land lived but not yet
Loved, this land of circlessorrowssongs.
We stay close to the midpoint:
We go round and round
Like lines not intersecting,
Spheres spheres spheres
Halving halving halving
Into tears and joys and ennui,
This terminus to an exit ending
Where another circle begins,
Marking our life ending
Encircling encircling encircling.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Los Angeles, CA
2003
*Recipient of the 2003 Editor's Choice Award, ILP
A Letter to a Soldier Who Writes Poems
(For Art Ignacio, on his leaving for Iraq the 2nd time)
Today is the small hours of the morning of our thanksgiving day,
In Los Angeles as well as in Temple where you think of wars,
Yours as well as ours, citizens or those who dream of homeland
Safe from the rhetoric of self-righteousness and kingdom-come.
There is a good omen in this going to war the second time
Even as you invite me for a short visit, unwind from it all,
This vision of salvation and its absence, war or no war, verse
Of strange truths sometimes, hard truths we sometimes deny.
It is not easy going back to the frontlines. It is not easy
Seizing the poem, the feel of sounds, the pulsing of phrases,
The beat of rhythms ringing relentless in the high winds
As we take over the pages, blank like the world in Fallouja
And this verse that bursts into blooms, red on pavements,
Silver and more silver on the grey night, the brown of flesh
On ancient walls witnessing all this masquerade, this end
To all that is silent and holy, the sacrament of the ages.
Even as I did not come to rush to the appointed time
Of coming and then going again to say, "Your take care,"
I think of the exchanges that will cement the distances
Between us all, poets and prophets of lost, wayward words.
I do not know which is better: your going home to heal
The wound on your memory or this second leaving to wage
A fierce campaign of victory, this one for democracy,
This one for a land as old as time and beyond time,
This biblical valley and plain and dessert of bloodletting
This borderland of resurrection and ritual murdering
As if the act is collective, as if the memory is lost
On the dust of the earth, as if a psalm has not been said.
Go, go then, go to this war of your own calling.
Go to fulfill the destiny of your sad searching.
The war song is your benediction, the drum's echoes
The urgings of your redemption in the ambush of a poem.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Torrance, CA
Nov. 25, 2004
Thanksgiving Day
Today is the small hours of the morning of our thanksgiving day,
In Los Angeles as well as in Temple where you think of wars,
Yours as well as ours, citizens or those who dream of homeland
Safe from the rhetoric of self-righteousness and kingdom-come.
There is a good omen in this going to war the second time
Even as you invite me for a short visit, unwind from it all,
This vision of salvation and its absence, war or no war, verse
Of strange truths sometimes, hard truths we sometimes deny.
It is not easy going back to the frontlines. It is not easy
Seizing the poem, the feel of sounds, the pulsing of phrases,
The beat of rhythms ringing relentless in the high winds
As we take over the pages, blank like the world in Fallouja
And this verse that bursts into blooms, red on pavements,
Silver and more silver on the grey night, the brown of flesh
On ancient walls witnessing all this masquerade, this end
To all that is silent and holy, the sacrament of the ages.
Even as I did not come to rush to the appointed time
Of coming and then going again to say, "Your take care,"
I think of the exchanges that will cement the distances
Between us all, poets and prophets of lost, wayward words.
I do not know which is better: your going home to heal
The wound on your memory or this second leaving to wage
A fierce campaign of victory, this one for democracy,
This one for a land as old as time and beyond time,
This biblical valley and plain and dessert of bloodletting
This borderland of resurrection and ritual murdering
As if the act is collective, as if the memory is lost
On the dust of the earth, as if a psalm has not been said.
Go, go then, go to this war of your own calling.
Go to fulfill the destiny of your sad searching.
The war song is your benediction, the drum's echoes
The urgings of your redemption in the ambush of a poem.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Torrance, CA
Nov. 25, 2004
Thanksgiving Day
Agwarsitayo iti Bagas
Agwarsitayo iti bagas, bagas a baak
Pangbugtak kadagiti karkarna ti bislak
Daytay pangitali iti sangasako a ragsak
Sandi dagiti arapaap a mailusaklusak.
Agwarsitayo iti bagas, bagas a baak
Yunatayo dagiti diputado dagiti libak
Dagitay man nakakurbata nga aginsisiglat
Mangumkomision iti kinirog a rigrigat.
Ay, agwarsitayo iti bagas, bagas a baak
Isarunotayo dagiti senador dagiti beklat
Warsiantay ti senador, sapsapuen ti akak
Agas buy-ong a di nagbannog, agas ti kirat.
Ay, agwarsitayo iti bagas, bagas a baak
Iramantay ti palasio dagiti kari ti perdi a pirak
Ti palasio a kasingin dagiti naisalda nga utek
Ti palasio a Malakaniang ti arestado nga agek.
Ay, agwarsitayo iti bagas, bagas a baak,
Pangpadisi amin a mangmangkik, amin a sinalbag
Dagitay man paraimula iti buteng iti bayakabak
Mangibalud iti pagguuray a bendision iti agpatnag.
Ay, agwarsitayo iti bagas, bagas a baak.
Warsi a pangpaksiat kadagiti saraaw ti pinggan
Warsi a pangbuggiaw mannanakaw a kaibaan
Saraaw ken kaibaan, kontra signos ti paggaak.
Ay, agwarsitayo iti bagas, bagas a baak
Nasamay daytoy a pangdalus di ikankano tulag
Nasamay a panagpartuat manen iti baro a biag
Sandi't inarasdasda nga aldaw a napusaksak.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Torrance, CA
Nob. 25, 2004
Pangbugtak kadagiti karkarna ti bislak
Daytay pangitali iti sangasako a ragsak
Sandi dagiti arapaap a mailusaklusak.
Agwarsitayo iti bagas, bagas a baak
Yunatayo dagiti diputado dagiti libak
Dagitay man nakakurbata nga aginsisiglat
Mangumkomision iti kinirog a rigrigat.
Ay, agwarsitayo iti bagas, bagas a baak
Isarunotayo dagiti senador dagiti beklat
Warsiantay ti senador, sapsapuen ti akak
Agas buy-ong a di nagbannog, agas ti kirat.
Ay, agwarsitayo iti bagas, bagas a baak
Iramantay ti palasio dagiti kari ti perdi a pirak
Ti palasio a kasingin dagiti naisalda nga utek
Ti palasio a Malakaniang ti arestado nga agek.
Ay, agwarsitayo iti bagas, bagas a baak,
Pangpadisi amin a mangmangkik, amin a sinalbag
Dagitay man paraimula iti buteng iti bayakabak
Mangibalud iti pagguuray a bendision iti agpatnag.
Ay, agwarsitayo iti bagas, bagas a baak.
Warsi a pangpaksiat kadagiti saraaw ti pinggan
Warsi a pangbuggiaw mannanakaw a kaibaan
Saraaw ken kaibaan, kontra signos ti paggaak.
Ay, agwarsitayo iti bagas, bagas a baak
Nasamay daytoy a pangdalus di ikankano tulag
Nasamay a panagpartuat manen iti baro a biag
Sandi't inarasdasda nga aldaw a napusaksak.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Torrance, CA
Nob. 25, 2004
Kaidda ni Nasudi ti Kompiuterna a Barbie
Ditoyko nga isurat ti ilak iti amak,
Kuna ti ubing, tallo a tawen a nakem,
Agdua a tawen met a panagbirbirok
Dagiti takiag a nagtalakias,
Mabisin iti karayo ti anak,
Daytay buridek nga agpapuyot iti sugat,
Garumiad ti yaadayo iti adu a bigat,
Rabii a panagpaturog ken panangam-ampog
Iti nakairuaman a "Tu es, tu es sacerdos" a kantak
Ken panagkumpas iti "Duayya ni Ayat"
Iti siririing nga agpatnag.
Makaay-ayo a basaen ti surat,
Dagitay kuraddadeng a kurdit,
Agas ti bannog, ep-ep ti panaas
Dagiti adu pay nga ubbing ken amma
A pumanaw iti asideg ti indayon,
Umadayo tapno agkapuyo dagiti mata
Iti panagbuybuya kadagiti agaddang
Nga inaudi kadagiti nabara a sabangan.
Timuden dagiti amma dagiti garakgak
Manipud iti panagtukma kadagiti ragsak
Ibulsa nga ipapuso, idulin iti lakasa
Dagiti lagip a mabati kadagiti sellang.
Kuna ti baket:
Ay, kaidda ni Nasudi ti kompiuterna a Barbie
Ay, kaidda ni Nasudi ti aramidenna a surat
Ay, kaidda ni Nasudi ti arapaap nga inton
Agsapa nga oras ti panagmulagat ket agdaka
Agsapa nga oras ti panagmulagat ket siririingka
Agsapa nga oras ti panagmulagat ket ubbaem
Amin nga iliw a di naipeksa iti kaawan
Amin nga ila a di naisawang dagiti pimmanaw a kalman
Amin nga umbi a di naisagawisiw dagiti rabii a nalamiis
Amin nga agek a di nayagek dagiti nakaisem a ladawan
Amin a pannakabibi dagiti maiwarsi nga asin ken bagas
Ken balikas a pannakikaasi kadagiti di katataoan:
"Umadayokayo, apo, umadayokayo!
Adawyanyo ni Nasudi, ti nasudi a balasangko!"
Kas iti panangubba amin nga amma a pimmanaw
Kas iti panagakas kadagiti naibilag nga umbi iti aldaw,
Basaek dagiti kuradaddeng a surat ti anak,
Dagitoy agsisilpo nga alibata ti migrante met nga ayat,
"Agawidkan, tatang, yawidmon tay mailiw a salata
Yawidmon tay estoria dagiti nakiginnasanggasat a sapata.
Dagitay man panagilastog dagiti amma
Dagiti ray-a iti ili a napanan, ray-a a di pananglipat
Iti ili a naggapuan. Kas iti sugat ti ubing a masapul
A mapuyutan, kas ti katawami ita a panangilinged
Kadagiti kanito a panagkamat iti nailian a tagainep,
Daytay man din panagpanaw dagiti nagannak iti singed
Daytay man panagsubli dagiti nagannak iti sulinek
Dagiti inaldaw-aldaw a pananglamlamiong iti saibbek
Ti barukong dagiti annak nga agur-uray iti karayo.
Kompiuterakto ti presidente, ibagakto ti riknak,
Ibagakto a siertuenna ti kinalinteg para iti sapasap,
Ibagakton ti panagawid dagiti amin a migrante a gasat,
Agsubli kadagiti tallaong, iti abrasa ti maladaga a bigat."
Pananggibus ti baket:
Ay, ta kaidda ni Nasudi ti kompiuterna a Barbie,
Kunana a suratannanto ti presidente ti ili,
Pasublienna kano dagiti amin a pimmanaw,
Pagawidenna amin nga arapaap a nagtalappuagaw.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Torrance, CA
Nob. 24, 2005
Kuna ti ubing, tallo a tawen a nakem,
Agdua a tawen met a panagbirbirok
Dagiti takiag a nagtalakias,
Mabisin iti karayo ti anak,
Daytay buridek nga agpapuyot iti sugat,
Garumiad ti yaadayo iti adu a bigat,
Rabii a panagpaturog ken panangam-ampog
Iti nakairuaman a "Tu es, tu es sacerdos" a kantak
Ken panagkumpas iti "Duayya ni Ayat"
Iti siririing nga agpatnag.
Makaay-ayo a basaen ti surat,
Dagitay kuraddadeng a kurdit,
Agas ti bannog, ep-ep ti panaas
Dagiti adu pay nga ubbing ken amma
A pumanaw iti asideg ti indayon,
Umadayo tapno agkapuyo dagiti mata
Iti panagbuybuya kadagiti agaddang
Nga inaudi kadagiti nabara a sabangan.
Timuden dagiti amma dagiti garakgak
Manipud iti panagtukma kadagiti ragsak
Ibulsa nga ipapuso, idulin iti lakasa
Dagiti lagip a mabati kadagiti sellang.
Kuna ti baket:
Ay, kaidda ni Nasudi ti kompiuterna a Barbie
Ay, kaidda ni Nasudi ti aramidenna a surat
Ay, kaidda ni Nasudi ti arapaap nga inton
Agsapa nga oras ti panagmulagat ket agdaka
Agsapa nga oras ti panagmulagat ket siririingka
Agsapa nga oras ti panagmulagat ket ubbaem
Amin nga iliw a di naipeksa iti kaawan
Amin nga ila a di naisawang dagiti pimmanaw a kalman
Amin nga umbi a di naisagawisiw dagiti rabii a nalamiis
Amin nga agek a di nayagek dagiti nakaisem a ladawan
Amin a pannakabibi dagiti maiwarsi nga asin ken bagas
Ken balikas a pannakikaasi kadagiti di katataoan:
"Umadayokayo, apo, umadayokayo!
Adawyanyo ni Nasudi, ti nasudi a balasangko!"
Kas iti panangubba amin nga amma a pimmanaw
Kas iti panagakas kadagiti naibilag nga umbi iti aldaw,
Basaek dagiti kuradaddeng a surat ti anak,
Dagitoy agsisilpo nga alibata ti migrante met nga ayat,
"Agawidkan, tatang, yawidmon tay mailiw a salata
Yawidmon tay estoria dagiti nakiginnasanggasat a sapata.
Dagitay man panagilastog dagiti amma
Dagiti ray-a iti ili a napanan, ray-a a di pananglipat
Iti ili a naggapuan. Kas iti sugat ti ubing a masapul
A mapuyutan, kas ti katawami ita a panangilinged
Kadagiti kanito a panagkamat iti nailian a tagainep,
Daytay man din panagpanaw dagiti nagannak iti singed
Daytay man panagsubli dagiti nagannak iti sulinek
Dagiti inaldaw-aldaw a pananglamlamiong iti saibbek
Ti barukong dagiti annak nga agur-uray iti karayo.
Kompiuterakto ti presidente, ibagakto ti riknak,
Ibagakto a siertuenna ti kinalinteg para iti sapasap,
Ibagakton ti panagawid dagiti amin a migrante a gasat,
Agsubli kadagiti tallaong, iti abrasa ti maladaga a bigat."
Pananggibus ti baket:
Ay, ta kaidda ni Nasudi ti kompiuterna a Barbie,
Kunana a suratannanto ti presidente ti ili,
Pasublienna kano dagiti amin a pimmanaw,
Pagawidenna amin nga arapaap a nagtalappuagaw.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Torrance, CA
Nob. 24, 2005
Beggarman on Avalon
You do not tell me
Of unique meanings
Like the contentment
Of conscience clear
Of offense.
I threw away
The cola can
And you scamper
To reclaim it
From some changing scenes:
Posh communities in Malibu
Opulence in Palos Verdes
Abundance in Jack in the Box
More abundance in Home Town Buffett
This last one where,
Like my folks back home,
You bet on good luck
And good omen
On first Fridays
And the Mondays of mercies
From some rotten relics.
I tell you: these stories
Of abandon and neglect
Are the same everywhere.
They butcher the body.
They singe the spirit.
They maim the mind.
They mortgage man,
All, but only the everyday man,
The ordinary, those who do not know
The falsities of food
Earned honestly
And to live differently
Other than
Being caught in a big lie.
I tell you, beggarman
On Avalon, our destinies
Are the same
And have intertwined
And the pot of gold
At rainbow's end will be ours
In the earnestness of our desires
To live and let live
To go on and flow on
And move on in these rivers
That we see and we do not see.
And we will swim and swim
And the Avalon will become
A joyous journey to springtimes.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Artesia, CA
Nov. 23, 2004
Of unique meanings
Like the contentment
Of conscience clear
Of offense.
I threw away
The cola can
And you scamper
To reclaim it
From some changing scenes:
Posh communities in Malibu
Opulence in Palos Verdes
Abundance in Jack in the Box
More abundance in Home Town Buffett
This last one where,
Like my folks back home,
You bet on good luck
And good omen
On first Fridays
And the Mondays of mercies
From some rotten relics.
I tell you: these stories
Of abandon and neglect
Are the same everywhere.
They butcher the body.
They singe the spirit.
They maim the mind.
They mortgage man,
All, but only the everyday man,
The ordinary, those who do not know
The falsities of food
Earned honestly
And to live differently
Other than
Being caught in a big lie.
I tell you, beggarman
On Avalon, our destinies
Are the same
And have intertwined
And the pot of gold
At rainbow's end will be ours
In the earnestness of our desires
To live and let live
To go on and flow on
And move on in these rivers
That we see and we do not see.
And we will swim and swim
And the Avalon will become
A joyous journey to springtimes.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Artesia, CA
Nov. 23, 2004
Writhings In Red
The disquieting news
Hurries in before the sun sets.
On this thanksgiving day
Of the pilgrims that we are,
We trade writhings in red,
Some kind of a free choice
To cut away the pain of losing
The good old memories of kith
And kin in the homeland.
It is easy to say the words of sympathy
Now that you have opened up
The floodgates of that gnawing grief,
That one that draws you to darkness
That one that draws you to light
And that ability to come away
From this experience
Of cataloguing one by one
This singing in silence
This whistling in the deep night
Even as we count the dead.
After the holiday
The turkey will not come to roost.
The harvest will be bountiful
Next year, the feast
For the famished.
You can come up with
A lively list: Darfur, Manila,
Fallouja, the ancient cities
Of culture and commerce,
Those dying their own death.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Artesia, CA
Nov. 23, 2004
Hurries in before the sun sets.
On this thanksgiving day
Of the pilgrims that we are,
We trade writhings in red,
Some kind of a free choice
To cut away the pain of losing
The good old memories of kith
And kin in the homeland.
It is easy to say the words of sympathy
Now that you have opened up
The floodgates of that gnawing grief,
That one that draws you to darkness
That one that draws you to light
And that ability to come away
From this experience
Of cataloguing one by one
This singing in silence
This whistling in the deep night
Even as we count the dead.
After the holiday
The turkey will not come to roost.
The harvest will be bountiful
Next year, the feast
For the famished.
You can come up with
A lively list: Darfur, Manila,
Fallouja, the ancient cities
Of culture and commerce,
Those dying their own death.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Artesia, CA
Nov. 23, 2004
Daradara a Daniw
Kasla man sermon daytoy, pammagbaga
Iti mannaniw iti biag ken panagungar manen.
Pannakapaay iti talinaay, kunak koma,
A ngem ta binigat tay met nga agsangal
Iti arem-mata, wenno al-al, wenno sennaay.
Ania pay ngarud ita ti serserbi dagiti derrep
Kadagiti balikas a maisawang iti dulang,
Dagitay man beggang manipud iti atong,
Pagilasinan kadagiti simmina a ganggandiong,
Wenno budobudo wenno barsanga
Sadanto manen agungar kalpasan ti agmalem
A tudo wenno igaaw wenno nepnep wenno bagiw
Wenno agpatnag a gubat dagiti labidlabid,
Dagitay man kinukusit a panagkatawa
Dagitay man kinukusit a panagladingit
Dagitay man kinukusit a panagsapata
Iti daan a tulag manipud kadagiti pammigat
Nga ikomersioda kadagiti palengke idiay Paris
Nga ilakoda iti midnight sale idiay Los Angeles
Nga ibaratilioda idiay Santiago kasukat ti rebulto a sagrado
Nga isukmonda iti yen ken sayangguseng idiay Tokyo
Nga isukatda iti torre a danum idiay Paris
Nga isandida iti bendision ti papa idiay Roma.
Kunak man: ni mannaniw ket siririing a ladingit.
Ammona ti dolse a nasam-it, pangikkat iti pait.
Ammona ti usar ti karit, pangdalus iti rikna a kinamamait.
Ti dolse ti sinam-it, agas ti agbagtit.
Ti usar ti karit, pangugas iti biag a nabangsit.
Ti daniw ni mannaniw, aggagamer ti amin, aglalaok
A katawa ken sangsangangit
A rigat ken nam-ay
A pannakairarem ken panaglung-aw
A panagturog ken panagriing
A pannakabagsog ken panagbisin
A panagrugso ti nakem kadagiti ayat a mannakabalin
A panangay-ayam ti bileg dagiti uni nga isawang ti angin
Kas ti liday ti pimmanaw ken ti liday ti pinanawan
Kas ti rag-o ti agsubli ken ti rag-o ti masublian
Kas ti rennek ti mabsog ken ti rennek ti parapakan
Iti man gubat wenno iti pagbabakalan dagiti panunot
Iti kapatagan dagiti kappia wenno risiris
Iti man pagdayasan dagiti sugat wenno iti panawen
ti panaglaing dagiti dunggiar wenno dunor
gapu iti panagkalay-at kadagiti pantok
dagiti balikas a makaagas. Ay, wen. Ay, wen!
Ala, ala, ket gibusak pay laeng ngarud.
Kamakamek ti aldaw a pagbirokak iti suni ti ulbod
Daytay makapudno a kontrata, dinto man agsanud,
Kontrata iti arte, kontrate iti dios ti sao, kontrata iti ili
Daytay daniw a daradara, daradara a panangngaasi
Daytay daniw a kontra signos dagiti bambanti.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Torrance, CA
Nob. 23, 2004
Iti mannaniw iti biag ken panagungar manen.
Pannakapaay iti talinaay, kunak koma,
A ngem ta binigat tay met nga agsangal
Iti arem-mata, wenno al-al, wenno sennaay.
Ania pay ngarud ita ti serserbi dagiti derrep
Kadagiti balikas a maisawang iti dulang,
Dagitay man beggang manipud iti atong,
Pagilasinan kadagiti simmina a ganggandiong,
Wenno budobudo wenno barsanga
Sadanto manen agungar kalpasan ti agmalem
A tudo wenno igaaw wenno nepnep wenno bagiw
Wenno agpatnag a gubat dagiti labidlabid,
Dagitay man kinukusit a panagkatawa
Dagitay man kinukusit a panagladingit
Dagitay man kinukusit a panagsapata
Iti daan a tulag manipud kadagiti pammigat
Nga ikomersioda kadagiti palengke idiay Paris
Nga ilakoda iti midnight sale idiay Los Angeles
Nga ibaratilioda idiay Santiago kasukat ti rebulto a sagrado
Nga isukmonda iti yen ken sayangguseng idiay Tokyo
Nga isukatda iti torre a danum idiay Paris
Nga isandida iti bendision ti papa idiay Roma.
Kunak man: ni mannaniw ket siririing a ladingit.
Ammona ti dolse a nasam-it, pangikkat iti pait.
Ammona ti usar ti karit, pangdalus iti rikna a kinamamait.
Ti dolse ti sinam-it, agas ti agbagtit.
Ti usar ti karit, pangugas iti biag a nabangsit.
Ti daniw ni mannaniw, aggagamer ti amin, aglalaok
A katawa ken sangsangangit
A rigat ken nam-ay
A pannakairarem ken panaglung-aw
A panagturog ken panagriing
A pannakabagsog ken panagbisin
A panagrugso ti nakem kadagiti ayat a mannakabalin
A panangay-ayam ti bileg dagiti uni nga isawang ti angin
Kas ti liday ti pimmanaw ken ti liday ti pinanawan
Kas ti rag-o ti agsubli ken ti rag-o ti masublian
Kas ti rennek ti mabsog ken ti rennek ti parapakan
Iti man gubat wenno iti pagbabakalan dagiti panunot
Iti kapatagan dagiti kappia wenno risiris
Iti man pagdayasan dagiti sugat wenno iti panawen
ti panaglaing dagiti dunggiar wenno dunor
gapu iti panagkalay-at kadagiti pantok
dagiti balikas a makaagas. Ay, wen. Ay, wen!
Ala, ala, ket gibusak pay laeng ngarud.
Kamakamek ti aldaw a pagbirokak iti suni ti ulbod
Daytay makapudno a kontrata, dinto man agsanud,
Kontrata iti arte, kontrate iti dios ti sao, kontrata iti ili
Daytay daniw a daradara, daradara a panangngaasi
Daytay daniw a kontra signos dagiti bambanti.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Torrance, CA
Nob. 23, 2004
Lawayan Ang Bunso, Baket, Pakrus
Nagsisimula na ang taglamig dito sa ibayong dagat.
Sa gabi ay magkukumot ka na ng deliryo, yelo sa utak.
Isama mo ang lahat ng peligro sa oras-oras na dasal,
Pagsusumamo na layuan ka ng mga libong lumbay.
Babalutin mo ng iyong ulirat ng kalambre mula
Sa mga kalbong bundok sa disyerto ng Mojave,
Kabit-kabit at nagyayabang tulad ng mga bansang
Ang lenggwaheng alam ay pananakot sa maliliit,
Ang lenggwaheng alam ay ang koronang niyebe,
Kapangyarihang alay ng kakayahang magnakaw
Ng magnakaw ng buhay na panaginip ng mga buhay
At mga gustong mabuhay na masagana at malaya
Tulad nating lahat sa atin, mga nanatili man o umalis,
Mga nakikibaka man o mga nanahimik tulad ng mga burol,
O mga lambak o mga kahoy ni Joshua na kung timindig
Sa init ng araw ay akala mong hari rin ng mga hangin
At bagyo at lahat ng mga pagsubok ng karimlan
Sa mga siyudad man ng aming pakikipagsapalaran dito
Sa mga parang man ng mga pangarap ng mga exilo o
Sa mga kalsadang lumalamon ng aming lakas,
Kaming mga migranteng nagbibilang at naghahabol
Ng mga oras, ang pagbibilang ay katumbas
Ng paglalako ng utak, karunungan, paggalang
Sa sarili at sa bayan, paggalang din sa pangalan.
Kagabi'y nanaginip ako, baket. Tungkol ito
Kay Nasudi, ang bunso ng ating mga katubusan.
Lawayan mo ang anak, lawayan mong pakrus
Tulad ng paglalaway mo sa dalawa pang supling
Ng ilang ulit. Lawayan mo sa kanyang noo
Upang maintindihan ang sanhi ng paglayo.
Lawayan mo sa kanyang puso, pakrus pa rin,
Upang doon ay ipunla ang pagmamahal sa tao.
Lawayan mo doon sa kanyang tiyan, pakrus pa rin,
Upang maalala ang sagradong tungkulin:
Paghahati-hatiin ang isang kabang bigas, isang salop
Ang sa atin, isang salop ang sa iba pang mga bunso,
Isang salop ang sa mga kuya at ate na nangangako
Na magbuo ng panaginip para sa bayan ng totoo,
Ang natitira ay sa mga lumalaban para sa mga bunso.
Lawayan ang Nasudi natin, baket, ang Nasudi
Na anak ng ating pangako, kabuuan ng pagkasino.
Pakrus ang laway, pakrus sa malapad na noo,
Paalala sa tungkulin sa pananagumpay at paglago,
Pakrus sa tiyan, paalala sa nilampasang kalbaryo,
Pakrus sa puso, paunang basbas sa ating pagsuyo.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Torrance, CA
Nob. 23, 2004
Sa gabi ay magkukumot ka na ng deliryo, yelo sa utak.
Isama mo ang lahat ng peligro sa oras-oras na dasal,
Pagsusumamo na layuan ka ng mga libong lumbay.
Babalutin mo ng iyong ulirat ng kalambre mula
Sa mga kalbong bundok sa disyerto ng Mojave,
Kabit-kabit at nagyayabang tulad ng mga bansang
Ang lenggwaheng alam ay pananakot sa maliliit,
Ang lenggwaheng alam ay ang koronang niyebe,
Kapangyarihang alay ng kakayahang magnakaw
Ng magnakaw ng buhay na panaginip ng mga buhay
At mga gustong mabuhay na masagana at malaya
Tulad nating lahat sa atin, mga nanatili man o umalis,
Mga nakikibaka man o mga nanahimik tulad ng mga burol,
O mga lambak o mga kahoy ni Joshua na kung timindig
Sa init ng araw ay akala mong hari rin ng mga hangin
At bagyo at lahat ng mga pagsubok ng karimlan
Sa mga siyudad man ng aming pakikipagsapalaran dito
Sa mga parang man ng mga pangarap ng mga exilo o
Sa mga kalsadang lumalamon ng aming lakas,
Kaming mga migranteng nagbibilang at naghahabol
Ng mga oras, ang pagbibilang ay katumbas
Ng paglalako ng utak, karunungan, paggalang
Sa sarili at sa bayan, paggalang din sa pangalan.
Kagabi'y nanaginip ako, baket. Tungkol ito
Kay Nasudi, ang bunso ng ating mga katubusan.
Lawayan mo ang anak, lawayan mong pakrus
Tulad ng paglalaway mo sa dalawa pang supling
Ng ilang ulit. Lawayan mo sa kanyang noo
Upang maintindihan ang sanhi ng paglayo.
Lawayan mo sa kanyang puso, pakrus pa rin,
Upang doon ay ipunla ang pagmamahal sa tao.
Lawayan mo doon sa kanyang tiyan, pakrus pa rin,
Upang maalala ang sagradong tungkulin:
Paghahati-hatiin ang isang kabang bigas, isang salop
Ang sa atin, isang salop ang sa iba pang mga bunso,
Isang salop ang sa mga kuya at ate na nangangako
Na magbuo ng panaginip para sa bayan ng totoo,
Ang natitira ay sa mga lumalaban para sa mga bunso.
Lawayan ang Nasudi natin, baket, ang Nasudi
Na anak ng ating pangako, kabuuan ng pagkasino.
Pakrus ang laway, pakrus sa malapad na noo,
Paalala sa tungkulin sa pananagumpay at paglago,
Pakrus sa tiyan, paalala sa nilampasang kalbaryo,
Pakrus sa puso, paunang basbas sa ating pagsuyo.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Torrance, CA
Nob. 23, 2004
Ayi, a Firstborn
Got your email today, son.
You say all is fine back there
In the homeland, in the country
Of our loving and longing and yearning.
You do not tell me, of course,
How your mother and all mothers
Manage the pain of terror
In the streets, the congress, the senate
Of our lost, unnamed hopes.
Tell me of the raped minds, our own.
The big men sell our souls, you know,
Make a bargain with the highest bidder,
Mindless of who will die or be born
Before dying again and again
From not having lived.
You do not tell me
Of the rallies you are going
To word our anguish and fear.
I understand. We must keep on singing.
(For publication in the Eternal Portraits, Winter 2005)
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Los Angeles, CA
Aug. 2004
You say all is fine back there
In the homeland, in the country
Of our loving and longing and yearning.
You do not tell me, of course,
How your mother and all mothers
Manage the pain of terror
In the streets, the congress, the senate
Of our lost, unnamed hopes.
Tell me of the raped minds, our own.
The big men sell our souls, you know,
Make a bargain with the highest bidder,
Mindless of who will die or be born
Before dying again and again
From not having lived.
You do not tell me
Of the rallies you are going
To word our anguish and fear.
I understand. We must keep on singing.
(For publication in the Eternal Portraits, Winter 2005)
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Los Angeles, CA
Aug. 2004
Betting in Las Vegas
It is depression that deceives you
So divinely into keeping on
Trying your first and last luck.
You wear this mask
Of hoping for the lord
Of big money to come by,
Come and visit you at last.
At this late hour right
Before dinner
From a to-go chicken house,
You fall in line,
Present your wallet, the whole
Of it
And you dream
A bucket of green bucks.
A while before
You passed by New York's landmark,
The lady in her splendor,
Her lamp's light on, you suppose
Or so you thought a liberal thought, the better
To earn good karma, the endorsement of the santos.
First you present to the cashier
The twenty for the ticket in quarters
And in good luck ceremony.
Then you do a patdown on the pocket
To feel the lightness of betting.
Here, before this slot machine, you swear
There is no history, no story, no love.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Torrance, CA
Nov. 21, 2004
So divinely into keeping on
Trying your first and last luck.
You wear this mask
Of hoping for the lord
Of big money to come by,
Come and visit you at last.
At this late hour right
Before dinner
From a to-go chicken house,
You fall in line,
Present your wallet, the whole
Of it
And you dream
A bucket of green bucks.
A while before
You passed by New York's landmark,
The lady in her splendor,
Her lamp's light on, you suppose
Or so you thought a liberal thought, the better
To earn good karma, the endorsement of the santos.
First you present to the cashier
The twenty for the ticket in quarters
And in good luck ceremony.
Then you do a patdown on the pocket
To feel the lightness of betting.
Here, before this slot machine, you swear
There is no history, no story, no love.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Torrance, CA
Nov. 21, 2004
Epistolario ng Exilo
Parang korning
Sisimulan ang sulat para sa bayan
Ng tulad ng, "Mga Kababayan"
Ng mga diskurso
Ng mga nanunungkulan,
Presidenteng tanan
Sa pagkabig ng kaban ng bayan.
Kami rito
Sa ibayong dagat, kami na nagkukumot
Ng lamig at kawalan ng kasiguruhan,
Inaabangan namin ang susunod na kabanata
Ng samu't saring pangangamkam ng paggalang
Sa kailihan.
Ngayon ay
Ibinubulsa ng mga pinuno
Ang ating hapag-kainan, kinidnap ang ating
Latang bigasan, hinosteyds ang ating ulirat,
Ginawang eksibit sa pag-unlad ang ating malay.
Mula sa aming
Kinaroroonan, kami'y sadyang nagagalit.
Pasasaan ba't tayo'y gagaling din,
Ang ating walang kamatayang sambit
Kahit isa-isang pinapatay ang mga naghahanap-buhay
Sa peligro, kahit isa-isang nagpapatiwakal
Ang mga hinablutan ng pagkatao, kahit
Sumusuko ang marami sa tugatog ng kalbaryo,
Sige pa rin, sige pa rin ang panalangin na sana,
Na sana, ang kinabukasan ay sa bukas darating.
Dolyar nga
Ang kinikita namin,
Doble dolyar din ang bawat oras
Na siphayo namin.
Marami nang sumubok, marami ring sumuko.
Hindi madaling mawalay sa mga gabi
Ng pakikipagsiping ng panaginip sa bahaghari,
Mga de-kulay na anting-anting
Sa solitaryong unan
Sa linong sapin na tatlong ulit binuhulan
Sa linyadong papel na kayhirap sulatan.
Tuwing umaga
Ng paggising, papasinayanan namin
Ang gusali ng mga panalangin,
Ng libo-libong sana darating din
Ang panahong ang baya'y di na lilisanin.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Torrance, CA
Nob. 21, 2004
Sisimulan ang sulat para sa bayan
Ng tulad ng, "Mga Kababayan"
Ng mga diskurso
Ng mga nanunungkulan,
Presidenteng tanan
Sa pagkabig ng kaban ng bayan.
Kami rito
Sa ibayong dagat, kami na nagkukumot
Ng lamig at kawalan ng kasiguruhan,
Inaabangan namin ang susunod na kabanata
Ng samu't saring pangangamkam ng paggalang
Sa kailihan.
Ngayon ay
Ibinubulsa ng mga pinuno
Ang ating hapag-kainan, kinidnap ang ating
Latang bigasan, hinosteyds ang ating ulirat,
Ginawang eksibit sa pag-unlad ang ating malay.
Mula sa aming
Kinaroroonan, kami'y sadyang nagagalit.
Pasasaan ba't tayo'y gagaling din,
Ang ating walang kamatayang sambit
Kahit isa-isang pinapatay ang mga naghahanap-buhay
Sa peligro, kahit isa-isang nagpapatiwakal
Ang mga hinablutan ng pagkatao, kahit
Sumusuko ang marami sa tugatog ng kalbaryo,
Sige pa rin, sige pa rin ang panalangin na sana,
Na sana, ang kinabukasan ay sa bukas darating.
Dolyar nga
Ang kinikita namin,
Doble dolyar din ang bawat oras
Na siphayo namin.
Marami nang sumubok, marami ring sumuko.
Hindi madaling mawalay sa mga gabi
Ng pakikipagsiping ng panaginip sa bahaghari,
Mga de-kulay na anting-anting
Sa solitaryong unan
Sa linong sapin na tatlong ulit binuhulan
Sa linyadong papel na kayhirap sulatan.
Tuwing umaga
Ng paggising, papasinayanan namin
Ang gusali ng mga panalangin,
Ng libo-libong sana darating din
Ang panahong ang baya'y di na lilisanin.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Torrance, CA
Nob. 21, 2004
Manong Amado
(Para ken Manong Amado Yoro)
1. Allintok
Inamadmo no ania ti allintok,
Insuratko kenka a dagus:
Panagkatangkatang daytoy
Ti agallaalla a nakem
Ti ubing a saanton nga ubing
Umaddang a saan iti pitak,
Daytay man maigamer
Iti risay-baboy wenno mapanen
Wenno dagiti awanan nagan
A sinsinan-gubat wenno linnemmengan
Iti nadungngo ngem tapoktapok a paraangan,
Duduayyaen ti silnag ti bulan,
Daytay naumbi a lawag a sumarot
Kadagiti agkoro a garakgak
Dagiti ubbing
Iti bislak a pagsiato
Iti tuwato no kapudot ti tiempo
Iti abalabal no panagtutudo
Iti layus a mangikisap kadagiti gabat,
Rugit, peggad, alikaka, buteng, danag
Iti panagdaliasat iti waig a nariper,
Daytay libeg ti saning-i ken saibbek
Iti yaadayo, ipapanaw iti puon ken ramut
Tapno maisadsad iti puyupoyan
Dagiti sierto nga allintok
Iti tangatang kas iti dakulap
Iti pannakapnek dagiti ragsak.
Ay, umaddang nga agallintok,
Agallintok nga umaddang
Ti ubing a di ubing
Ti amin nga ubing a di ubing
Isuda a mangan uray awan saing.
2. Ayat
Nia ket, manong, sika ti kampeon
Ti maipapan ti sarita a daniw
Ti kammayet nga ipakdaar dagiti saltek
Iti agmalem a panagkebbakebba ti langit!
Kasano koma a sawek ti madagullit
Nga isusuek ti raya ti init
Iti agur-uray a danum
Ti madagullit a panangbagkong ti tudo
Iti sikakayang a talon
Ti panangaklon ti kabbukar a rosas
Iti arbis wenno arimukamok,
Ikutanna daytoy iti barukong
Ulsanna kas maladaga iti saklot
Lallalayan kas inauna a di makaturog
Ilili kas inaudi nga agpaspasugnod.
Agayos ta sumuknar ti atiddog a karayan,
Agkumbawa santon ikutan ti baybay
Idinto ta ti rabii tagibienna ti aldaw
Idinto ta ti aldaw tagikukuaenna ti sipnget
Ket iti panaginnagaw ti sipnget ken lawag,
Marugian ti orasion ti managsarsardam
Nga apiras, di mangikankano, makigingginnanas.
3. Arte
Testigoka, manong, awan patinggana a testigo
Ti darikmat. Agbibiagtayo iti apagapam
Ngem tukmaam ta riputem dagiti kanito
Kadagiti antigo a linabag ti daniw
Nga isursurat. Dimon sa ketdi ammo
A kadagiti agkabannuag nga agbirbirok
Kadagiti paulo dagiti daniw
Kadagiti karayan a pagkugitan
Kadagiti aripit a pakaikalian ti subukan
Kadagiti kabayawasan a pagkettelan
Iti makalawas a panaglunit ti sugat
Agbirokda iti pagdayas kadagiti balikas
A putarem kadagiti kaunasan
A putarem kadagiti makapabang-ar a rabii
A panagmaymaysa iti Oahu,
Ti isla nga abong dagiti amin a lagip
Nga imbatim iti ili
Nga iruknoy iti sabali.
4. Araraw
Agretirotayo iti kalendario
Dagiti regta ngem di mamingga
Ti panagsariwawek ti barukong.
Naganan ti anghel a kasisigud
Ti tagainep uray no adda tadem iti uloanan
Wenno bawang a nayimpardible iti puso.
Agpasiar dagiti batibat sagpaminsan
Ngem sumiripsirip da laeng kadagiti rekkang.
Nasimbeng ti panunot ti tao a nakapudno
Nargaan ti turog ti mannaniw
A nagaddakayo-apo.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Torrance, CA
Nob. 21, 2004
1. Allintok
Inamadmo no ania ti allintok,
Insuratko kenka a dagus:
Panagkatangkatang daytoy
Ti agallaalla a nakem
Ti ubing a saanton nga ubing
Umaddang a saan iti pitak,
Daytay man maigamer
Iti risay-baboy wenno mapanen
Wenno dagiti awanan nagan
A sinsinan-gubat wenno linnemmengan
Iti nadungngo ngem tapoktapok a paraangan,
Duduayyaen ti silnag ti bulan,
Daytay naumbi a lawag a sumarot
Kadagiti agkoro a garakgak
Dagiti ubbing
Iti bislak a pagsiato
Iti tuwato no kapudot ti tiempo
Iti abalabal no panagtutudo
Iti layus a mangikisap kadagiti gabat,
Rugit, peggad, alikaka, buteng, danag
Iti panagdaliasat iti waig a nariper,
Daytay libeg ti saning-i ken saibbek
Iti yaadayo, ipapanaw iti puon ken ramut
Tapno maisadsad iti puyupoyan
Dagiti sierto nga allintok
Iti tangatang kas iti dakulap
Iti pannakapnek dagiti ragsak.
Ay, umaddang nga agallintok,
Agallintok nga umaddang
Ti ubing a di ubing
Ti amin nga ubing a di ubing
Isuda a mangan uray awan saing.
2. Ayat
Nia ket, manong, sika ti kampeon
Ti maipapan ti sarita a daniw
Ti kammayet nga ipakdaar dagiti saltek
Iti agmalem a panagkebbakebba ti langit!
Kasano koma a sawek ti madagullit
Nga isusuek ti raya ti init
Iti agur-uray a danum
Ti madagullit a panangbagkong ti tudo
Iti sikakayang a talon
Ti panangaklon ti kabbukar a rosas
Iti arbis wenno arimukamok,
Ikutanna daytoy iti barukong
Ulsanna kas maladaga iti saklot
Lallalayan kas inauna a di makaturog
Ilili kas inaudi nga agpaspasugnod.
Agayos ta sumuknar ti atiddog a karayan,
Agkumbawa santon ikutan ti baybay
Idinto ta ti rabii tagibienna ti aldaw
Idinto ta ti aldaw tagikukuaenna ti sipnget
Ket iti panaginnagaw ti sipnget ken lawag,
Marugian ti orasion ti managsarsardam
Nga apiras, di mangikankano, makigingginnanas.
3. Arte
Testigoka, manong, awan patinggana a testigo
Ti darikmat. Agbibiagtayo iti apagapam
Ngem tukmaam ta riputem dagiti kanito
Kadagiti antigo a linabag ti daniw
Nga isursurat. Dimon sa ketdi ammo
A kadagiti agkabannuag nga agbirbirok
Kadagiti paulo dagiti daniw
Kadagiti karayan a pagkugitan
Kadagiti aripit a pakaikalian ti subukan
Kadagiti kabayawasan a pagkettelan
Iti makalawas a panaglunit ti sugat
Agbirokda iti pagdayas kadagiti balikas
A putarem kadagiti kaunasan
A putarem kadagiti makapabang-ar a rabii
A panagmaymaysa iti Oahu,
Ti isla nga abong dagiti amin a lagip
Nga imbatim iti ili
Nga iruknoy iti sabali.
4. Araraw
Agretirotayo iti kalendario
Dagiti regta ngem di mamingga
Ti panagsariwawek ti barukong.
Naganan ti anghel a kasisigud
Ti tagainep uray no adda tadem iti uloanan
Wenno bawang a nayimpardible iti puso.
Agpasiar dagiti batibat sagpaminsan
Ngem sumiripsirip da laeng kadagiti rekkang.
Nasimbeng ti panunot ti tao a nakapudno
Nargaan ti turog ti mannaniw
A nagaddakayo-apo.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Torrance, CA
Nob. 21, 2004
A Rite of Burrying the Gun in Los Angeles
(Another Mexicano from Jalisco dead, five shots to his
his body and head, Nov. 20, 2004, in Los Angels)
1.
You get them all, these images.
They are like migrants and economic exiles
Coming to your head, forcing their way
Into your wayward will, take residence there
And force you to cry out loud
Like the dry stones in Capistrano,
In the old mission churches
In the counters of restaurants on Santa Monica.
There in these places of pleasure for the palate
You washed the grime of plates
You cleared the grim in people's faces
And for six years, short for a long calvary of relief
For your folks back home in Jalisco or some campesino
Of centuries and centuries of social injustice,
You sent the checks in that rite of a promise fulfilled.
For six years, exilo, six years of eking out a life
From pots and pans and chilly caresses
With chilly mornings that come in late evenings
You came by and went by
And sang songs of going home to roost
And sang songs of returning home to preside
in the rite of healing of your parents
in the rite of healing of your memories
in the rite of healing of your tired hands
Those hands that knew suffering and sacrifice
The exilo as migrante knows
The exilo as migrante fears
The exilo as migrante accepts
The exilo as migrante must learn to love
The way you have loved so your days
The way you have loved so your
six years in the Los Angeles of our boldness
The way you have loved so each hour of your exilic life
Except this hour, this destined hour,
And in quick succession of five ratatattattats
Your courage and daring are now in the past tenses,
Irredeemably a part of the vagaries of various loves.
2.
Tonite I watch your memory go
With the wooden casket
They parade on TV for all to see,
Their chant ripping open
The azul cielo your pilgrim soul knew:
Stop the killling now, now!
Stop the hatred now, now!
Bury the gun now, now!
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Los Angeles, CA
Nov. 20, 2004
his body and head, Nov. 20, 2004, in Los Angels)
1.
You get them all, these images.
They are like migrants and economic exiles
Coming to your head, forcing their way
Into your wayward will, take residence there
And force you to cry out loud
Like the dry stones in Capistrano,
In the old mission churches
In the counters of restaurants on Santa Monica.
There in these places of pleasure for the palate
You washed the grime of plates
You cleared the grim in people's faces
And for six years, short for a long calvary of relief
For your folks back home in Jalisco or some campesino
Of centuries and centuries of social injustice,
You sent the checks in that rite of a promise fulfilled.
For six years, exilo, six years of eking out a life
From pots and pans and chilly caresses
With chilly mornings that come in late evenings
You came by and went by
And sang songs of going home to roost
And sang songs of returning home to preside
in the rite of healing of your parents
in the rite of healing of your memories
in the rite of healing of your tired hands
Those hands that knew suffering and sacrifice
The exilo as migrante knows
The exilo as migrante fears
The exilo as migrante accepts
The exilo as migrante must learn to love
The way you have loved so your days
The way you have loved so your
six years in the Los Angeles of our boldness
The way you have loved so each hour of your exilic life
Except this hour, this destined hour,
And in quick succession of five ratatattattats
Your courage and daring are now in the past tenses,
Irredeemably a part of the vagaries of various loves.
2.
Tonite I watch your memory go
With the wooden casket
They parade on TV for all to see,
Their chant ripping open
The azul cielo your pilgrim soul knew:
Stop the killling now, now!
Stop the hatred now, now!
Bury the gun now, now!
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Los Angeles, CA
Nov. 20, 2004
Romancing a Revolution
Now that the leader is dead, we begin to count
Those who fell before him and those coming after.
It is like preparing a balance sheet
Of assets and liabilities and that runaway
Commerce of conceit, deceit, and profit
From lives lost, dreams inhumanly deformed.
It is religion, they say, this thing that
Is meant to bind, to ligate, to tie together,
To unite us all in higher aims and holiness.
But there is brisk business in war as well,
And the Holy Land sells bullets and guns
To crusaders of a truth in a silver barrel smoking,
The thicker the haze the better
The louder the thud of a fired cannon the better
The more crisp and pithic the parsing the better
The more numerous the hostage-taking
Of the fallen and divided heart the better.
We can name them all, this drama of contesting
This contest for meaning and relevance
For which is holy, which is more holy,
Such as the feasting or the fasting
The plouged fields or the fierce people
The inherited identity frozen or fluid
Our given names in alphabet or in hieroglyphs.
Like this long goodbye of all leaders
We can only surmise some surprises
From some decalogues deciphered,
Those covenants that speak of the ages
Of triumphing before multiple graves and caskets
Some commandments of mourning more
And wailing more and lamenting more
For the odds and evens of banal blessings
From gusty winds and cold showers
And torrential storms to transform our intents,
Metaphors all we invent to justify ourselves,
Commit to remain forever incumbent,
The mandate from these salvation histories
Without redemption, without fulfillment.
We connect the dots now, the deadly dots
Those symbols and signs that have escaped us
For so long, down the decades and centuries
Of fighting to eliminate each other's traces.
And then, of course, we resurrect the shadows
Of many more angels of death, now in concert
With this ceremony of irreversible regrets.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Torrance, CA
Nov. 21, 2004
Those who fell before him and those coming after.
It is like preparing a balance sheet
Of assets and liabilities and that runaway
Commerce of conceit, deceit, and profit
From lives lost, dreams inhumanly deformed.
It is religion, they say, this thing that
Is meant to bind, to ligate, to tie together,
To unite us all in higher aims and holiness.
But there is brisk business in war as well,
And the Holy Land sells bullets and guns
To crusaders of a truth in a silver barrel smoking,
The thicker the haze the better
The louder the thud of a fired cannon the better
The more crisp and pithic the parsing the better
The more numerous the hostage-taking
Of the fallen and divided heart the better.
We can name them all, this drama of contesting
This contest for meaning and relevance
For which is holy, which is more holy,
Such as the feasting or the fasting
The plouged fields or the fierce people
The inherited identity frozen or fluid
Our given names in alphabet or in hieroglyphs.
Like this long goodbye of all leaders
We can only surmise some surprises
From some decalogues deciphered,
Those covenants that speak of the ages
Of triumphing before multiple graves and caskets
Some commandments of mourning more
And wailing more and lamenting more
For the odds and evens of banal blessings
From gusty winds and cold showers
And torrential storms to transform our intents,
Metaphors all we invent to justify ourselves,
Commit to remain forever incumbent,
The mandate from these salvation histories
Without redemption, without fulfillment.
We connect the dots now, the deadly dots
Those symbols and signs that have escaped us
For so long, down the decades and centuries
Of fighting to eliminate each other's traces.
And then, of course, we resurrect the shadows
Of many more angels of death, now in concert
With this ceremony of irreversible regrets.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Torrance, CA
Nov. 21, 2004
A Lesson On How To Lose Your Accent
(For Geraldine Dumayas, on her 11th birthday, her first
in the United States of America)
Pretty soon you will lose your accent,
The one that speaks of your Sarrat
In the Ilocos now vague and vacuous.
The message is loud, clear, compelling,
That one that urges you to lose
The hard guttural R by rounding your lips
By remembering to forget in your mind
The hard life in Currimao and Vintar.
You will have to roll the R, make it softer,
Pronounce it with the purring of that soft,
Fresh, calming breeze from your father's farm
Now in that state of sorrow for so long, with its
Promise of bounty dismissed, its voice muted,
Silenced like the wayward waters of falls
Dammed to make spring pools and lakes
For the rich, those who show green bucks
For quick gratification,a paradise in plastic.
Pretty soon you will say the perfunctory
Polite phrases, the empty nonsense signifying
Equally empty existences like those lives
Lost on exiles in drag races, young lives,
Promising, the future on hold, the morrow awaiting
But now, but now, lost to perpetual forgetting.
The second language will not remain foreign.
With the 24-hour TV and Fox News and CNN,
You will pick up the gangsta lingo
You will pick up the standard tongue
You will pick up the one for the movies
You will pick up the one for romance
And then the language will be yours
And then the language will reside in your soul
And then the language will one with your heart
And then the language will be born in your mind
And then you will lose the hard R
And then you will lose the guttural R
And then you will lose the memory of how Bacarra
Spells the sound of belonging to the heartland,
Balikbayan boxes and the feasting with the basi.
But then again, I can only second guess.
I believe you will yet to learn to forget
How the grandmother back home prepares pinakbet.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Gardena, CA
Nov. 19, 2004
in the United States of America)
Pretty soon you will lose your accent,
The one that speaks of your Sarrat
In the Ilocos now vague and vacuous.
The message is loud, clear, compelling,
That one that urges you to lose
The hard guttural R by rounding your lips
By remembering to forget in your mind
The hard life in Currimao and Vintar.
You will have to roll the R, make it softer,
Pronounce it with the purring of that soft,
Fresh, calming breeze from your father's farm
Now in that state of sorrow for so long, with its
Promise of bounty dismissed, its voice muted,
Silenced like the wayward waters of falls
Dammed to make spring pools and lakes
For the rich, those who show green bucks
For quick gratification,a paradise in plastic.
Pretty soon you will say the perfunctory
Polite phrases, the empty nonsense signifying
Equally empty existences like those lives
Lost on exiles in drag races, young lives,
Promising, the future on hold, the morrow awaiting
But now, but now, lost to perpetual forgetting.
The second language will not remain foreign.
With the 24-hour TV and Fox News and CNN,
You will pick up the gangsta lingo
You will pick up the standard tongue
You will pick up the one for the movies
You will pick up the one for romance
And then the language will be yours
And then the language will reside in your soul
And then the language will one with your heart
And then the language will be born in your mind
And then you will lose the hard R
And then you will lose the guttural R
And then you will lose the memory of how Bacarra
Spells the sound of belonging to the heartland,
Balikbayan boxes and the feasting with the basi.
But then again, I can only second guess.
I believe you will yet to learn to forget
How the grandmother back home prepares pinakbet.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Gardena, CA
Nov. 19, 2004
Ti Abril Dagiti Daniw
(Para ken Abril, Mannaniw; panagdawat iti dispensa
gapu iti pannakalipat iti apagdarikmat)
1.
Apokalipsis ti suratmo, kabsat
Paripirip nga adal
Manipud kadagiti rekkang
Dagiti nalagalaga nga ayat,
Pangiyiladan iti duri a pilkuen ni rigat
Manipud kadagiti sagawisiw
Iti buddak a sipnget
Dagiti antigo a tagainep,
Timek a panglamlamiong
Iti mabibbibi a rikna no
Dumuko dagiti dudungso
Kalpasan ti nalabon a padaya
Dagiti linabag ti napalabas, padaya
Dagiti tineggedan a paggaak
Dagiti makilumlumba iti oras
Ditoy a disso dagiti de-rosas
Nga araraw para iti kalkalainganna
A pannakatupektupek dagiti isem,
Pannakabsog, inana, ridep.
Anian ta iti agpang ti Malasiqui
Ken tay ili ti Cagayan a nagabrasaan,
Adu ta adu dagiti sao a nagkurang,
Panunot a nagkibaltang,
Isip a nangiyaw-awan,
Nakem a pinanawan,
Lagip a kinamalala dagiti sabali pay a sao,
Balikas nga aramid a rangtay metten
Ti ginasunggasut nga ipapanaw,
Ti ginasunggasut met a panagkawili
Tapno itagbat manen kadagit ladrilio
Dagiti siniglo a saritatan ita
Dagiti isawang a nasken ken rumbeng
Dagiti isawang a nasken gapu ta rumbeng
Dagiti isawang a rumbeng gapu ta nasken
Kas ti panangitukit dagiti lagip
Iti bengkag dagiti umanangsab a tagainep
Dagiti mannaniw a nakamurmurayen a kas kenka
Dagiti mannarita a nakariingen a kas kenka
Dagiti kabsat a sindadaan a makigamulo
Iti awanan gibus a panagitukit a kas kenka!
2.
Awatem ngarud, adi a mannaniw,
Daytoy anting-anting manipud iti padeppa
Dagiti sarindaniw a nailansa.
Addaan bileg daytoy anting-anting,
Kas ti bileg dagiti orasion a nagapon
Kadagiti trianggulo a bendision
Dagiti dios a nakabakasion,
Agilad-iladda man ditoy kapanagan
Dagiti mannanakaw iti aldaw,
Mannanakaw kadagiti raya ti agsapa,
Daytay mangisagot iti bara iti ulila
A barukong, derrep met a kasingin
Dagiti makatalimudaw a pannakaisungsong
Dagiti saoyo, dakayo a mannaniw iti sardam,
Dakayo a sandi dagidi mannaniw iti paraangan,
Dakayo a bugawbugaw ti kananakem
Dakayo a mangikarkari iti makaagas a saem.
3.
Agkitatanto man ngarud, adi a mannaniw,
Kadagiti paulo dagiti putarem a pasablog,
Panggutigotmo iti rugso a matmaturog.
Ngem yagawam kadi, adi a mannaniw,
Yagawan nga igamer iti putar a daniw
Daytay apokalipsis ti sisusugat a paliiw.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Torrance, CA
Nob. 19, 2004
gapu iti pannakalipat iti apagdarikmat)
1.
Apokalipsis ti suratmo, kabsat
Paripirip nga adal
Manipud kadagiti rekkang
Dagiti nalagalaga nga ayat,
Pangiyiladan iti duri a pilkuen ni rigat
Manipud kadagiti sagawisiw
Iti buddak a sipnget
Dagiti antigo a tagainep,
Timek a panglamlamiong
Iti mabibbibi a rikna no
Dumuko dagiti dudungso
Kalpasan ti nalabon a padaya
Dagiti linabag ti napalabas, padaya
Dagiti tineggedan a paggaak
Dagiti makilumlumba iti oras
Ditoy a disso dagiti de-rosas
Nga araraw para iti kalkalainganna
A pannakatupektupek dagiti isem,
Pannakabsog, inana, ridep.
Anian ta iti agpang ti Malasiqui
Ken tay ili ti Cagayan a nagabrasaan,
Adu ta adu dagiti sao a nagkurang,
Panunot a nagkibaltang,
Isip a nangiyaw-awan,
Nakem a pinanawan,
Lagip a kinamalala dagiti sabali pay a sao,
Balikas nga aramid a rangtay metten
Ti ginasunggasut nga ipapanaw,
Ti ginasunggasut met a panagkawili
Tapno itagbat manen kadagit ladrilio
Dagiti siniglo a saritatan ita
Dagiti isawang a nasken ken rumbeng
Dagiti isawang a nasken gapu ta rumbeng
Dagiti isawang a rumbeng gapu ta nasken
Kas ti panangitukit dagiti lagip
Iti bengkag dagiti umanangsab a tagainep
Dagiti mannaniw a nakamurmurayen a kas kenka
Dagiti mannarita a nakariingen a kas kenka
Dagiti kabsat a sindadaan a makigamulo
Iti awanan gibus a panagitukit a kas kenka!
2.
Awatem ngarud, adi a mannaniw,
Daytoy anting-anting manipud iti padeppa
Dagiti sarindaniw a nailansa.
Addaan bileg daytoy anting-anting,
Kas ti bileg dagiti orasion a nagapon
Kadagiti trianggulo a bendision
Dagiti dios a nakabakasion,
Agilad-iladda man ditoy kapanagan
Dagiti mannanakaw iti aldaw,
Mannanakaw kadagiti raya ti agsapa,
Daytay mangisagot iti bara iti ulila
A barukong, derrep met a kasingin
Dagiti makatalimudaw a pannakaisungsong
Dagiti saoyo, dakayo a mannaniw iti sardam,
Dakayo a sandi dagidi mannaniw iti paraangan,
Dakayo a bugawbugaw ti kananakem
Dakayo a mangikarkari iti makaagas a saem.
3.
Agkitatanto man ngarud, adi a mannaniw,
Kadagiti paulo dagiti putarem a pasablog,
Panggutigotmo iti rugso a matmaturog.
Ngem yagawam kadi, adi a mannaniw,
Yagawan nga igamer iti putar a daniw
Daytay apokalipsis ti sisusugat a paliiw.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Torrance, CA
Nob. 19, 2004
Relentless
1.
I write the titles of pains and poems
On long stretches of freeways
In this city of exile and estrangement.
I have come here to write about writing,
About glimpsing, in a way gripping,
At deformed dreams of those who have come
Before Bulosan and the sacadas,
They who have seen it beforehand
That the almighty is not in the saying
Not in the rhetoric of dollars and despair
Not in the segue that comes in the singing
Of another anthem, or two if you are lucky,
One for staying put and witnessing the withering
Of all things alive and kicking on the shoulder
Of rivulets in Espiritu that knew your heart
When the river sand in Laoag was not yet for sale
But was there for your small wars in the summers,
Another alien anthem for those
Who chose to go away, suppress the accent
Learned while fighting hunger and exuberance
Learned while imitating masters of the foreign tongue
Learned while learning the mysteries of light
And shadows of the silly seasons, this last one
For the twenty years of self-exile
We all imposed upon ourselves like a willed affliction,
The years we learned to spell
New Society, all caps, upper case,
The stress of the phrase on the two-syllable
Name that marked our histories of dark desiring,
The desire to flow on and move on and go on,
The desire to forget the memory of corpses
On display, one to divine greatness and its absence
Two, to dismiss all that we have come to know
About relentless rains copulating with the terror
Of trees serving as domiciles of half-man-half-horses,
Suns streaking through their lush leaves
And giving birth to excuses for not calling
For the power of the people sooner,
The excuses such as: because we were young,
Because children were not supposed to know
Unless, unless, they got to reach their juvenile ears.
2.
I get past lonely streets here, here in this land.
The people are sorrowing too like their homes
That vomit excesses without names
Like justice not ever present in their daily
Vocabularies of what is good, what is true,
What is fair, until some dark corners swallow
All that which is child to the small hours
Of fresh mornings, those moments that teach
Us to teach the meaning of words,
Those that free us from the freezing winds
Those that remind us of moons in their fullness.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Gardena/Torrance, CA
Nov. 19, 2004
I write the titles of pains and poems
On long stretches of freeways
In this city of exile and estrangement.
I have come here to write about writing,
About glimpsing, in a way gripping,
At deformed dreams of those who have come
Before Bulosan and the sacadas,
They who have seen it beforehand
That the almighty is not in the saying
Not in the rhetoric of dollars and despair
Not in the segue that comes in the singing
Of another anthem, or two if you are lucky,
One for staying put and witnessing the withering
Of all things alive and kicking on the shoulder
Of rivulets in Espiritu that knew your heart
When the river sand in Laoag was not yet for sale
But was there for your small wars in the summers,
Another alien anthem for those
Who chose to go away, suppress the accent
Learned while fighting hunger and exuberance
Learned while imitating masters of the foreign tongue
Learned while learning the mysteries of light
And shadows of the silly seasons, this last one
For the twenty years of self-exile
We all imposed upon ourselves like a willed affliction,
The years we learned to spell
New Society, all caps, upper case,
The stress of the phrase on the two-syllable
Name that marked our histories of dark desiring,
The desire to flow on and move on and go on,
The desire to forget the memory of corpses
On display, one to divine greatness and its absence
Two, to dismiss all that we have come to know
About relentless rains copulating with the terror
Of trees serving as domiciles of half-man-half-horses,
Suns streaking through their lush leaves
And giving birth to excuses for not calling
For the power of the people sooner,
The excuses such as: because we were young,
Because children were not supposed to know
Unless, unless, they got to reach their juvenile ears.
2.
I get past lonely streets here, here in this land.
The people are sorrowing too like their homes
That vomit excesses without names
Like justice not ever present in their daily
Vocabularies of what is good, what is true,
What is fair, until some dark corners swallow
All that which is child to the small hours
Of fresh mornings, those moments that teach
Us to teach the meaning of words,
Those that free us from the freezing winds
Those that remind us of moons in their fullness.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Gardena/Torrance, CA
Nov. 19, 2004
Darkness Comes Sooner This Christmas
Darkness comes sooner in the skid row
This Christmas, this season of cardboard
Boxes for a regal manger, for a house.
Darkness comes sooner, darkness arrives.
On the streets on Hill, Main, the Grand,
On the busy boulevards that brag about
Diamonds in every carat and kind you want,
Darkness comes there sooner as well, sooner
As the evenings wear on more wearily
Afraid of thieves and fear, wary as well
Of this Christmas coming sooner in winter
Before the freezing fall is over, done,
Before the gems of gold gain their luster,
Capitalize on the sentiment of giving
More and having more and showing more
To mean love and respect and grandeur.
We hold the hand of time a bit, just a bit
In these places of worship for the capitalist,
He who has come to conquer the heart of love,
One defined according to how the dark days
Come to soon, sulk on the sullen streets,
Sad too like those shopping for sorrow on
Window sills and showcases: the dirt man,
He with with cardboard stacks on the corner;
His partner, a ladybag, her face
The color of bygone Christmasses
Without the accidents and decor,
Her countenance the absence of grief,
Or the forgetting of the clear days
In order to turn the hand of time,
Turn it backwards, one more hour late
Of hoping for more hyped happiness,
Delay a little more, one more time, more,
Once more, this Christmas coming too soon
Its ticking coming too fast, and the night
Comes, possess the last light in this chorus
Of crude lies: a truth for the rich,
Those who go home to the gated hills,
Sip their espresso close to the hearth,
Think of the contour of the dirt man,
Imagine the untold capacity of the lady bag
To desire the stones, the metals, the cache
Of possibilities, infinite as ever, ever
For a differing, deferring Christmas.
In the meantime, the dirt man spreads
His mat of cardboard, a minimalist covering
From the cold, an architecture of home
The ladybag completes with a cloth roof.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Nov. 25, 2004
Fullerton, CA, while attending a thanksgiving day
party of turkey and laughter
This Christmas, this season of cardboard
Boxes for a regal manger, for a house.
Darkness comes sooner, darkness arrives.
On the streets on Hill, Main, the Grand,
On the busy boulevards that brag about
Diamonds in every carat and kind you want,
Darkness comes there sooner as well, sooner
As the evenings wear on more wearily
Afraid of thieves and fear, wary as well
Of this Christmas coming sooner in winter
Before the freezing fall is over, done,
Before the gems of gold gain their luster,
Capitalize on the sentiment of giving
More and having more and showing more
To mean love and respect and grandeur.
We hold the hand of time a bit, just a bit
In these places of worship for the capitalist,
He who has come to conquer the heart of love,
One defined according to how the dark days
Come to soon, sulk on the sullen streets,
Sad too like those shopping for sorrow on
Window sills and showcases: the dirt man,
He with with cardboard stacks on the corner;
His partner, a ladybag, her face
The color of bygone Christmasses
Without the accidents and decor,
Her countenance the absence of grief,
Or the forgetting of the clear days
In order to turn the hand of time,
Turn it backwards, one more hour late
Of hoping for more hyped happiness,
Delay a little more, one more time, more,
Once more, this Christmas coming too soon
Its ticking coming too fast, and the night
Comes, possess the last light in this chorus
Of crude lies: a truth for the rich,
Those who go home to the gated hills,
Sip their espresso close to the hearth,
Think of the contour of the dirt man,
Imagine the untold capacity of the lady bag
To desire the stones, the metals, the cache
Of possibilities, infinite as ever, ever
For a differing, deferring Christmas.
In the meantime, the dirt man spreads
His mat of cardboard, a minimalist covering
From the cold, an architecture of home
The ladybag completes with a cloth roof.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Nov. 25, 2004
Fullerton, CA, while attending a thanksgiving day
party of turkey and laughter
To Begin to Build the World that We Have Dreamed
1.
Would that in an instance
We go through
A freeform meltdown
And the universe
Will begin to speak
The language of love
And that Fallouja
And Darfur will come around
To fighting
To end all kinds of wars?
But then again,
This freeform meltdown
Will delay the democratic discourse
Will not make us see the world
As it should be
This world beyond
Our own image
This world transcending
The phantoms of our chimera,
The ones we made for our own image
To claim history
The ones we created
To reclaim creation
To reclaim the power to renew the face
Of the earth, police the morals
Of the immoral universe
Unlike our own, in our own image
To renew
The power to declare
A freeform meltdown
Like the way we command the seas
To part, the rivers to become just
Stones so that the war machine could
Roll
On
&
Roar
On
Roll on and Roar on
Or the power to still the skies
To aim the target all right,
One target at a time and quick
One target at a time ad random
One target at a time to end the fighting
Dissension
Despair
Dread
Devotion to a cause other than our own
In a freeform meltdown
To erase all recollections and stories
Except our own
To close all the books
Except our own &
Speak the language of love
Speak the language of the heart
Speak the language of the soul
Speak the language of the mind
Speak the language of mind
Speak the language of man
Speak the language of peoples
Except
Except
Except our own.
Would that
We come to
a
freeform
meltdown
And our wishes will
Be
Fullfilled
Become
The Final Testament
To a duty done
With or without man
With or without love
With or without the dream
To renew man again and again
To renew woman again and again
To renew man-woman-man/woman-man-woman again
And again and again?
2.
Would that
In
An instance
We go through a freeform meltdown
And the world is many
And the world is one
And the world is many in the one
And the world is one in the many?
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Nov. 25, 2004
Thanksgiving Day 2004
Would that in an instance
We go through
A freeform meltdown
And the universe
Will begin to speak
The language of love
And that Fallouja
And Darfur will come around
To fighting
To end all kinds of wars?
But then again,
This freeform meltdown
Will delay the democratic discourse
Will not make us see the world
As it should be
This world beyond
Our own image
This world transcending
The phantoms of our chimera,
The ones we made for our own image
To claim history
The ones we created
To reclaim creation
To reclaim the power to renew the face
Of the earth, police the morals
Of the immoral universe
Unlike our own, in our own image
To renew
The power to declare
A freeform meltdown
Like the way we command the seas
To part, the rivers to become just
Stones so that the war machine could
Roll
On
&
Roar
On
Roll on and Roar on
Or the power to still the skies
To aim the target all right,
One target at a time and quick
One target at a time ad random
One target at a time to end the fighting
Dissension
Despair
Dread
Devotion to a cause other than our own
In a freeform meltdown
To erase all recollections and stories
Except our own
To close all the books
Except our own &
Speak the language of love
Speak the language of the heart
Speak the language of the soul
Speak the language of the mind
Speak the language of mind
Speak the language of man
Speak the language of peoples
Except
Except
Except our own.
Would that
We come to
a
freeform
meltdown
And our wishes will
Be
Fullfilled
Become
The Final Testament
To a duty done
With or without man
With or without love
With or without the dream
To renew man again and again
To renew woman again and again
To renew man-woman-man/woman-man-woman again
And again and again?
2.
Would that
In
An instance
We go through a freeform meltdown
And the world is many
And the world is one
And the world is many in the one
And the world is one in the many?
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Nov. 25, 2004
Thanksgiving Day 2004
Pagkapit sa Patalim
Sasabihin mo sa nagngangalit na araw
Sa hasyenda ng katarungang ligaw,
Ang pagbulahaw ngayong panahon
Ay pagkapit sa matalas na patalim:
Dahan-dahan mong susuyuin ang kalawang
Sa dulo ng itak, at tulad ng panganganak,
Dalhin ang kalawang sa pusod ng kawalan,
Doon sa tugatog ng lahat ng pangarap
At doon isagawa ang huling pagbibinyag
Sa mga itak, baril, galit, pananabik
Sa mainit na salaysay ng mainit na galit
Sa hinabing salaysay ng mga lumang talim
Sa hinabing salaysay ng mga kalkuladong putok
Sa hinabing salaysay ng mga pampatalas na diwa.
Minsan isang araw sa maraming araw sa Tarlac,
Sa malawak na pag-iisip ng mga tubo,
Palay, mani, mais, bukid, ulap, at kulisap
Sa pagpagaspas ng mga nagluluksang dahong
Sumalubong sa parating na paghuhukom
Sa mga nagtaksil na mga kanal, ilog na itim,
Patubig na kumikisay-kisay,
Ulan na madalang na madalang
Ang pakikipagpiging sa mga pitak
At kapatid na nagpabago ng dugo,
Sa pagsusumamo ng mga batang gabi,
Madarang na pananabik ng mga musmos
Sa kalinga at malasakit ng mga dalag at gurami,
Sa panalangin ng mga dalikan sa mga panggatong
Upang muling maalala ang katubusan,
Mananahan ito sa mga singit at leeg
Tuwing taglamig, tuwing lumalamig
Ang dibdib sa pangungulila ng kanin sa bibig,
Ng bibig sa kanin, ng mantika sa tiyan
Ng bituka sa dighay, ng likod sa papag
Ng isip sa dasal ng pasasalamat
Sa Apo Lung-aw
Na poon ng lahat ng posible
Na poon ng lahat ng puwede
Na poon ng lahat ng halakhak
Kakapit at kakapit ang mga kasama
Sa pangako ng mga talim
Kakapit at kakapit ang mga kasama
Sa pangako ng mga itak.
Sa talim ng itak, tatantiyahin ng mga kasama
Ang dilim, itataga ang talim ng isip sa langit.
Labing-apat ang malalagas
Labing-apat ang mamaalam
Labing-apat ang magiging
Saksi ng mahaba-haba pang paglalakbay.
Kakapit at kakapit ang mga kasama
Sa patalim, pagkapit na kakambal
Ng di na nag-alanganing damdamin.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Nob. 19. 2004
Torrance Bl, CA
Sa hasyenda ng katarungang ligaw,
Ang pagbulahaw ngayong panahon
Ay pagkapit sa matalas na patalim:
Dahan-dahan mong susuyuin ang kalawang
Sa dulo ng itak, at tulad ng panganganak,
Dalhin ang kalawang sa pusod ng kawalan,
Doon sa tugatog ng lahat ng pangarap
At doon isagawa ang huling pagbibinyag
Sa mga itak, baril, galit, pananabik
Sa mainit na salaysay ng mainit na galit
Sa hinabing salaysay ng mga lumang talim
Sa hinabing salaysay ng mga kalkuladong putok
Sa hinabing salaysay ng mga pampatalas na diwa.
Minsan isang araw sa maraming araw sa Tarlac,
Sa malawak na pag-iisip ng mga tubo,
Palay, mani, mais, bukid, ulap, at kulisap
Sa pagpagaspas ng mga nagluluksang dahong
Sumalubong sa parating na paghuhukom
Sa mga nagtaksil na mga kanal, ilog na itim,
Patubig na kumikisay-kisay,
Ulan na madalang na madalang
Ang pakikipagpiging sa mga pitak
At kapatid na nagpabago ng dugo,
Sa pagsusumamo ng mga batang gabi,
Madarang na pananabik ng mga musmos
Sa kalinga at malasakit ng mga dalag at gurami,
Sa panalangin ng mga dalikan sa mga panggatong
Upang muling maalala ang katubusan,
Mananahan ito sa mga singit at leeg
Tuwing taglamig, tuwing lumalamig
Ang dibdib sa pangungulila ng kanin sa bibig,
Ng bibig sa kanin, ng mantika sa tiyan
Ng bituka sa dighay, ng likod sa papag
Ng isip sa dasal ng pasasalamat
Sa Apo Lung-aw
Na poon ng lahat ng posible
Na poon ng lahat ng puwede
Na poon ng lahat ng halakhak
Kakapit at kakapit ang mga kasama
Sa pangako ng mga talim
Kakapit at kakapit ang mga kasama
Sa pangako ng mga itak.
Sa talim ng itak, tatantiyahin ng mga kasama
Ang dilim, itataga ang talim ng isip sa langit.
Labing-apat ang malalagas
Labing-apat ang mamaalam
Labing-apat ang magiging
Saksi ng mahaba-haba pang paglalakbay.
Kakapit at kakapit ang mga kasama
Sa patalim, pagkapit na kakambal
Ng di na nag-alanganing damdamin.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Nob. 19. 2004
Torrance Bl, CA
Berdugo Benditado
(Kuna ti damag: dua nga ubbing ti natirgas, natay;
maysa a masikog ti natirgas, natay; ti sikog, natay)
1.
Dakami dagiti tallo nga ubbing a pinatay ni ayat,
Daytay man ayat a kurimaong ti anges iti agpatnag,
Tallo nga ubbing nga inlili dagiti arasaas iti kannag
Tallo nga ubbing a pinadso ti daradara a kararag.
Itan makitami dagiti eksena iti rinnupakrupak
Itan ta iliblibot dagiti obrero ti pannakigasanggasat
Bangkaymi a di makarikna iti bisin ken tulakak
Kararuami a makikakaasi iti kontra signos ni rigat.
2.
Siak tay maudi a sikog ni inada, tay awag ti amak,
Siak a tartaraudi koma dagiti aggibusen a peggad
Siak nga inaklon dagiti amin a bisin, amin a lib-at
Siak a suni dagiti manangngaasi a mamagparparigat.
Ay, ay, ti kansion ni ina, timtimudek a denggen ita,
Kansion ti masikog kadagiti amin a nasapa a sapata,
Kansion met laeng ni ama, tatang ti riwriw nga araraw
Kansionmi amin itan, dakami nga impatli dagiti aldaw.
3.
Siak daytay ubing nga indaton dagiti ling-et,
Dua a tawen a rag-o iti dua tawen a sipnget
Dua a tawen a sansangit ti dios a balangkantis
Dua a tawen a nagar-arapaap iti dua nga arbis.
Addaak itan iti terminal dagiti tawtawen
Patingga ti uged dagiti amin a panagbisin
Iti rangkis dagiti tulag, iti tanap ti barengbareng
Agtinawen nga ipupusay iti ungto ti bariwengweng.
Naimatangak amin dagitoy kas ti pannakaimatangko
Ti labes dagiti karayo iti sarita ti naipaanod a barko,
Papel a pagluganan dagiti anek-ek a mapan iti palasio
Anek-ek a pilawen ti presidente, aramidenna a babato.
Awanton ti Jason, kuna ti babai a mannakabalin amin,
Awanton ti Jason, ikarik ken isapatak a napnuan laing,
Paksiatekto ti kabusor iti paulo dagiti daniw a bangking
Pagpugaekton dagiti mannanakaw iti sarita ti nasanting.
Itagbatko iti bato, itagbatyo iti kawaw nga uloyo,
Gibusek ta gibusek daytay gingginamol iti kapuyo,
Patappuaken ta patappuakek ti agukop a kalbaryo,
Pagbalinek nga aglaplapunosan ti bisin iti sarusaryo.
Dagita, dagita a nagita a balikas ti innak man naimdengan
Manipud iti babai a mannakabalin, agindeg Malakaniang,
Babai a puon ken bubon dagiti matikawtikaw a bendision
Isu met laeng a babai a presidente itan dagiti kabron!
Anian, anian a panangpaksiat ti naipagteng a napasamak,
Anian a pannakaumsi dagiti padak nga annak ti adu a rigat,
Dakami amin a dinusa dagiti babaonen ti babai iti tirgas,
Daytay man makakissiw a panagkamat iti anges, mangikipas.
Isu nga itan agballasiwak kadagiti waig ken angin,
Wanawanak ti kaikarian ti kalluto nga inapuy iti asin,
Sakaek ta sakaek dagiti palludip dagiti bituen,
Isuda a nangikari kadagiti sagawisiw iti saem.
4.
Siak tay kararua ti ubing nga aglima a tawen,
Daytay man nakilinnumba kadagiti pangaem,
Nakikammayyet a nangiwagayway iti ar-arapaapen,
Nakitunos iti sam-it ti riaw, "Saan a kinukusiten!"
Iti kablam ti tirgas, nakatarayak koma't daras
Ngem ta narigat ti umanges ken agkuripaspas
Nalang-abko nga insegida ti sabidong a ranggas
Daytay man met laeng sabidong ti Mendiola a rapas.
Idiay, idiay, idi panawen ti sabali pay a babai,
Isuna a babai a kinawesan ti ili iti panagari,
Intumbada manen dagiti adu nga ammami
Isuda a makisinsinnanggol iti pitak ken rabii.
Anian, anian, ta maulit manen ita ti pakasaritaan,
Madagullit manen ti estoria a napait, nakas-ang
Dakami nga ubbing, dakami koma ti mangiwanwan,
Dakami met ti iramanda iti balubal, pagang-angawan.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Iti ngalay ti dalan a mapan iti Lakewood, CA
Nob. 19, 2004
maysa a masikog ti natirgas, natay; ti sikog, natay)
1.
Dakami dagiti tallo nga ubbing a pinatay ni ayat,
Daytay man ayat a kurimaong ti anges iti agpatnag,
Tallo nga ubbing nga inlili dagiti arasaas iti kannag
Tallo nga ubbing a pinadso ti daradara a kararag.
Itan makitami dagiti eksena iti rinnupakrupak
Itan ta iliblibot dagiti obrero ti pannakigasanggasat
Bangkaymi a di makarikna iti bisin ken tulakak
Kararuami a makikakaasi iti kontra signos ni rigat.
2.
Siak tay maudi a sikog ni inada, tay awag ti amak,
Siak a tartaraudi koma dagiti aggibusen a peggad
Siak nga inaklon dagiti amin a bisin, amin a lib-at
Siak a suni dagiti manangngaasi a mamagparparigat.
Ay, ay, ti kansion ni ina, timtimudek a denggen ita,
Kansion ti masikog kadagiti amin a nasapa a sapata,
Kansion met laeng ni ama, tatang ti riwriw nga araraw
Kansionmi amin itan, dakami nga impatli dagiti aldaw.
3.
Siak daytay ubing nga indaton dagiti ling-et,
Dua a tawen a rag-o iti dua tawen a sipnget
Dua a tawen a sansangit ti dios a balangkantis
Dua a tawen a nagar-arapaap iti dua nga arbis.
Addaak itan iti terminal dagiti tawtawen
Patingga ti uged dagiti amin a panagbisin
Iti rangkis dagiti tulag, iti tanap ti barengbareng
Agtinawen nga ipupusay iti ungto ti bariwengweng.
Naimatangak amin dagitoy kas ti pannakaimatangko
Ti labes dagiti karayo iti sarita ti naipaanod a barko,
Papel a pagluganan dagiti anek-ek a mapan iti palasio
Anek-ek a pilawen ti presidente, aramidenna a babato.
Awanton ti Jason, kuna ti babai a mannakabalin amin,
Awanton ti Jason, ikarik ken isapatak a napnuan laing,
Paksiatekto ti kabusor iti paulo dagiti daniw a bangking
Pagpugaekton dagiti mannanakaw iti sarita ti nasanting.
Itagbatko iti bato, itagbatyo iti kawaw nga uloyo,
Gibusek ta gibusek daytay gingginamol iti kapuyo,
Patappuaken ta patappuakek ti agukop a kalbaryo,
Pagbalinek nga aglaplapunosan ti bisin iti sarusaryo.
Dagita, dagita a nagita a balikas ti innak man naimdengan
Manipud iti babai a mannakabalin, agindeg Malakaniang,
Babai a puon ken bubon dagiti matikawtikaw a bendision
Isu met laeng a babai a presidente itan dagiti kabron!
Anian, anian a panangpaksiat ti naipagteng a napasamak,
Anian a pannakaumsi dagiti padak nga annak ti adu a rigat,
Dakami amin a dinusa dagiti babaonen ti babai iti tirgas,
Daytay man makakissiw a panagkamat iti anges, mangikipas.
Isu nga itan agballasiwak kadagiti waig ken angin,
Wanawanak ti kaikarian ti kalluto nga inapuy iti asin,
Sakaek ta sakaek dagiti palludip dagiti bituen,
Isuda a nangikari kadagiti sagawisiw iti saem.
4.
Siak tay kararua ti ubing nga aglima a tawen,
Daytay man nakilinnumba kadagiti pangaem,
Nakikammayyet a nangiwagayway iti ar-arapaapen,
Nakitunos iti sam-it ti riaw, "Saan a kinukusiten!"
Iti kablam ti tirgas, nakatarayak koma't daras
Ngem ta narigat ti umanges ken agkuripaspas
Nalang-abko nga insegida ti sabidong a ranggas
Daytay man met laeng sabidong ti Mendiola a rapas.
Idiay, idiay, idi panawen ti sabali pay a babai,
Isuna a babai a kinawesan ti ili iti panagari,
Intumbada manen dagiti adu nga ammami
Isuda a makisinsinnanggol iti pitak ken rabii.
Anian, anian, ta maulit manen ita ti pakasaritaan,
Madagullit manen ti estoria a napait, nakas-ang
Dakami nga ubbing, dakami koma ti mangiwanwan,
Dakami met ti iramanda iti balubal, pagang-angawan.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Iti ngalay ti dalan a mapan iti Lakewood, CA
Nob. 19, 2004
Cariño Brutal
(Fourteen have died in the dispersal at Hacienda Luisita,
news at Inq7.net)
I am another lord of the rings, the lord
Ringing around what justice means
In contested lands and fierce fields and quiet dreams.
Even those of children, I have robbed
Them of their lusty nursery rhymes,
Their lilting limericks about Fernando Poe Jr.
Giving hope to the hopeless, Erap blabbering
About giving more for the less,
And Alma Moreno promising that eternal sweetness
And the ambience she buys in Hong Kong
With Joey Marquez, they who talk of hometown
Service like the one in the pueblos encircling
The hacienda of Kris and Joshua and Philip,
They who sell truth and politics and goodness,
They who sell the feel-good quality
Of pleasing me in that perpetuity of parodies.
There is that dark theatricality in all these,
These children dying by waiting to live,
These farmers living by waiting to die,
But, well, oh well, this is how the script runs,
All those who are useless,
All those who dwell in the margins,
Those who are nameless,
Those who are faceless,
Those who cannot chant the mantra of keeping silence
Those who fight and struggle and seek what is right
Those who write verses to announce their fair aims,
All of those, all of them, they are to play that role
Of living by waiting to die
Of dying by waiting to live
And then they fade to black,
The dark that declaims about darkness itself,
The dark that consumes the spirit of the just
The dark that does not know light
The dark that owns the singing of children
The dark that snatches their laughter
The dark that poisons their once-a-day meal.
I am the lord of the rings, the rings
That belong only to the dark
That belong only to those who hear me sing
In the dark. As it is, I preside in this blessed butchering,
This cariño brutal for sacadas and their prayers
This cariño brutal for the bruised land and its nightmares
This cariño brutal for the wounded spirit and its memories.
But I will see the coming of that dawn that erases
All the traces of the bloodied stories of fourteen deaths
In a day, the dawn that breaks into a morning of glory
And then the food will announce their coming
The fruits of the land will anounce their rocky birthing
And the the feasting will commence and go on
For days and days on end
And the bounty will remember the dead, all those
Who died in the name of this redeemed land.
And then, and then, I will fade to black,
Be buried in the storms, the floods, the rains
Swallowed by the sea and the light of that morning
Of feasting and dancing and triumphing.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Redondo Beach, CA
Nov. 18, 2004
news at Inq7.net)
I am another lord of the rings, the lord
Ringing around what justice means
In contested lands and fierce fields and quiet dreams.
Even those of children, I have robbed
Them of their lusty nursery rhymes,
Their lilting limericks about Fernando Poe Jr.
Giving hope to the hopeless, Erap blabbering
About giving more for the less,
And Alma Moreno promising that eternal sweetness
And the ambience she buys in Hong Kong
With Joey Marquez, they who talk of hometown
Service like the one in the pueblos encircling
The hacienda of Kris and Joshua and Philip,
They who sell truth and politics and goodness,
They who sell the feel-good quality
Of pleasing me in that perpetuity of parodies.
There is that dark theatricality in all these,
These children dying by waiting to live,
These farmers living by waiting to die,
But, well, oh well, this is how the script runs,
All those who are useless,
All those who dwell in the margins,
Those who are nameless,
Those who are faceless,
Those who cannot chant the mantra of keeping silence
Those who fight and struggle and seek what is right
Those who write verses to announce their fair aims,
All of those, all of them, they are to play that role
Of living by waiting to die
Of dying by waiting to live
And then they fade to black,
The dark that declaims about darkness itself,
The dark that consumes the spirit of the just
The dark that does not know light
The dark that owns the singing of children
The dark that snatches their laughter
The dark that poisons their once-a-day meal.
I am the lord of the rings, the rings
That belong only to the dark
That belong only to those who hear me sing
In the dark. As it is, I preside in this blessed butchering,
This cariño brutal for sacadas and their prayers
This cariño brutal for the bruised land and its nightmares
This cariño brutal for the wounded spirit and its memories.
But I will see the coming of that dawn that erases
All the traces of the bloodied stories of fourteen deaths
In a day, the dawn that breaks into a morning of glory
And then the food will announce their coming
The fruits of the land will anounce their rocky birthing
And the the feasting will commence and go on
For days and days on end
And the bounty will remember the dead, all those
Who died in the name of this redeemed land.
And then, and then, I will fade to black,
Be buried in the storms, the floods, the rains
Swallowed by the sea and the light of that morning
Of feasting and dancing and triumphing.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Redondo Beach, CA
Nov. 18, 2004
Pagtula sa Panahon ng Pangangamba
(Para sa makatang napapagod nang magtula)
1.
Seguridad din ito ng puso,
Kalasag sa teatrong itim
Ng binalintunang totoo
O tinutotoong balintuna
Ng mga bayarang payaso
Sa gintong kastilyong
Ang haligi ay sa hangin
Ang bubong ay sa ulan
Ang hagdan ay sa bagyo
Ang pasamano ay sa daluyong
Ang palapag ay sa abrakadabra
Ng mga pinuno ng bayan,
Silang mga siga sa kangkungan
Silang mga tuso sa pusalian
Silang mga hari sa mga estero
Silang mga duke ng mga basurahan,
Silang mga konde ng kawalan.
2.
Ang gintong kastilyo ay pagtula
Sa panahon ng pagdadalawang-isip,
Pangamba, takot, pagbubuo ng kalooban
Para sa pakikiisa sa mga sugatang isip
Ng mga dagat na sinisindak ng mga isda
Ng mga ilog na nilalapastanganan ng mga tubig
Ng mga parang na ginagahasa ng mga damong ligaw
Ng mga gubat na inaangkin ng mga kobra
Isda
Tubig
Damong ligaw
Kobra
Silang lahat ay binyagan ngayon
ng mga pananampalayang
ang poon ay sa dilim
Silang lahat ay residente ngayon
ng mga toreng garing
ang kampana ay sa dagundong
ng mga hatinggabing parating
3.
Napapagod din ang ulirat ng makata,
Tumitigil din ang isip sa pakikidigma
Sa mga salita.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Torrance, CA
Nob. 17, 2004
1.
Seguridad din ito ng puso,
Kalasag sa teatrong itim
Ng binalintunang totoo
O tinutotoong balintuna
Ng mga bayarang payaso
Sa gintong kastilyong
Ang haligi ay sa hangin
Ang bubong ay sa ulan
Ang hagdan ay sa bagyo
Ang pasamano ay sa daluyong
Ang palapag ay sa abrakadabra
Ng mga pinuno ng bayan,
Silang mga siga sa kangkungan
Silang mga tuso sa pusalian
Silang mga hari sa mga estero
Silang mga duke ng mga basurahan,
Silang mga konde ng kawalan.
2.
Ang gintong kastilyo ay pagtula
Sa panahon ng pagdadalawang-isip,
Pangamba, takot, pagbubuo ng kalooban
Para sa pakikiisa sa mga sugatang isip
Ng mga dagat na sinisindak ng mga isda
Ng mga ilog na nilalapastanganan ng mga tubig
Ng mga parang na ginagahasa ng mga damong ligaw
Ng mga gubat na inaangkin ng mga kobra
Isda
Tubig
Damong ligaw
Kobra
Silang lahat ay binyagan ngayon
ng mga pananampalayang
ang poon ay sa dilim
Silang lahat ay residente ngayon
ng mga toreng garing
ang kampana ay sa dagundong
ng mga hatinggabing parating
3.
Napapagod din ang ulirat ng makata,
Tumitigil din ang isip sa pakikidigma
Sa mga salita.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Torrance, CA
Nob. 17, 2004
Pick-up Men Along Pioneer Street
(For the migrant Latinos on many curbs, crossings, cities)
Our stories run parallel,
Pick-up men along Pioneer.
We have come too
In this strange city
To run away
To run away.
We ran away
from our private selves
And public histories.
We ran away
From the runaway peso
In our nation's coffers.
Even as you wait
For the repair job to come by, some
Rich man's garden to sweep,
Clean, weed out, trim
To guarantee a week's meal
In Guatemala or El Salvador,
We too wait
For our luck to come quick
And redeem us
From Manila's hunger
For our remittance in dollars
And unsaid bitter word.
Well, well, such a shame,
And this shame has no family,
No last name, no first name.
And centuries-long.
And persistent.
And endless.
And it will continue
To go on and on,
Rain or shine, storm or sun
Or lightning or thunder.
You stand up there
On those curbs and cold cement
And street crossings
And county civic-mindedness,
Erect and worried,
Erect and with creased foreheads,
The callused hands wiping
The early morning sweat beading
On your laborer's faces,
Your faces our own
As we drive past you
And remember ourselves
In this new land, not ours,
Not yet, this land
That will make it possible for our souls
And songs to meet up,
Make connection in daytime
And in our delightful dreaming,
And together we pick up
The pieces of our alienness,
Make a communion
With the long and cold nights
And then, and then,
We make a country of our cries,
Our cries for something more beautiful
Than the ugly story we had back home,
Our cries for something fairer than
The first famine residing
In our forefathers' fairy tales
Of food on the table, warm and sufficient,
Fertile fields on which to sow our faith
In ourselves, you and I, bound now
By the daring declensions
Of our dire days.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Pioneer Street, Artesia/Fullerton, CA
Nov. 16, 2004
Our stories run parallel,
Pick-up men along Pioneer.
We have come too
In this strange city
To run away
To run away.
We ran away
from our private selves
And public histories.
We ran away
From the runaway peso
In our nation's coffers.
Even as you wait
For the repair job to come by, some
Rich man's garden to sweep,
Clean, weed out, trim
To guarantee a week's meal
In Guatemala or El Salvador,
We too wait
For our luck to come quick
And redeem us
From Manila's hunger
For our remittance in dollars
And unsaid bitter word.
Well, well, such a shame,
And this shame has no family,
No last name, no first name.
And centuries-long.
And persistent.
And endless.
And it will continue
To go on and on,
Rain or shine, storm or sun
Or lightning or thunder.
You stand up there
On those curbs and cold cement
And street crossings
And county civic-mindedness,
Erect and worried,
Erect and with creased foreheads,
The callused hands wiping
The early morning sweat beading
On your laborer's faces,
Your faces our own
As we drive past you
And remember ourselves
In this new land, not ours,
Not yet, this land
That will make it possible for our souls
And songs to meet up,
Make connection in daytime
And in our delightful dreaming,
And together we pick up
The pieces of our alienness,
Make a communion
With the long and cold nights
And then, and then,
We make a country of our cries,
Our cries for something more beautiful
Than the ugly story we had back home,
Our cries for something fairer than
The first famine residing
In our forefathers' fairy tales
Of food on the table, warm and sufficient,
Fertile fields on which to sow our faith
In ourselves, you and I, bound now
By the daring declensions
Of our dire days.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Pioneer Street, Artesia/Fullerton, CA
Nov. 16, 2004
Pamamahay Nitong Mga Nagdaang Panahon
Nitong mga nagdaang panahon
Na lampas ng mga de-numerong
Araw at buwan,
Mga siglo ng mga segundo
Sa malikot na kandungan
Ng banyagang lupa, dagat, langit,
Pinupuyat ako
Ng mga gabing ayaw matulog
Ayaw managinip
Ayaw angkinin ng hilik
Ayaw payakap sa higaan.
Dangan kasi'y kaulayaw ko
Ang libo-libong dela Cruz, Nayan,
Tarongay, yung ginang na ginahasa
Ng madaling araw sa Jordan
Ipinagdamot ng liwanag ang patawad
Tinapos ang pangarap sa ginhawa
Kaysa araw-araw na mamamatay.
Minu-minuto kong binibilang
Ang mga nagtataksil na sandali
Habang tinataranta ako ng balita
Sa bayan: mga magbubukid ng hasyenda
Sa Tarlac, binira, binanatan,
Pito, wala, siyam, timbog sa damuhan.
Mga estrelyadong heneral, isinusuko ang dangal,
Tinitira ang kaban ng bayan,
Sinasalamangkang maging dolyar
Minamadyik maging walong sasakyan.
Samantala, sa paulit-ulit at maulit-ulit
Na pagbubukas ng liwayway pagkatapos
Ng di umiidlip na magdamag sa aking papag,
Guguyuhin ako ng ebanghelyo ng Malakanyang:
Ang pasko ng sambayanan ay sansalop
Na kaligayahan, sangkabang kasiyahan.
Sasabihin ko kay Gloria, Come on, come on!
Sa mga malalamlam na araw ngayong
Taglagas, inaanino ko ang mga sugatan
Sa mga labanan sa basurahan, mga duguang
Ulirat sa paggawa ng mga tinatakal-takal
Na batsoy sa tira-tirang pinagsawaan,
Mga pasintabi sa kahirapan, abiso sa katarungan.
Makikita ko sa mga namamaalam na liwanag
Ang sepyang larawan: mag-anak na sinusuyo
Ng itinapong McDonald's o Jollibee,
Minaskipaps, niremedyuhan, pinanggabihan.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Tustin, CA
(Kinatha sa I-5 patungong San Diego, CA
habang nakikinig sa kuwento ni Anang Gonzalez
at Grace Martinez, Nob. 14, 2004)
Na lampas ng mga de-numerong
Araw at buwan,
Mga siglo ng mga segundo
Sa malikot na kandungan
Ng banyagang lupa, dagat, langit,
Pinupuyat ako
Ng mga gabing ayaw matulog
Ayaw managinip
Ayaw angkinin ng hilik
Ayaw payakap sa higaan.
Dangan kasi'y kaulayaw ko
Ang libo-libong dela Cruz, Nayan,
Tarongay, yung ginang na ginahasa
Ng madaling araw sa Jordan
Ipinagdamot ng liwanag ang patawad
Tinapos ang pangarap sa ginhawa
Kaysa araw-araw na mamamatay.
Minu-minuto kong binibilang
Ang mga nagtataksil na sandali
Habang tinataranta ako ng balita
Sa bayan: mga magbubukid ng hasyenda
Sa Tarlac, binira, binanatan,
Pito, wala, siyam, timbog sa damuhan.
Mga estrelyadong heneral, isinusuko ang dangal,
Tinitira ang kaban ng bayan,
Sinasalamangkang maging dolyar
Minamadyik maging walong sasakyan.
Samantala, sa paulit-ulit at maulit-ulit
Na pagbubukas ng liwayway pagkatapos
Ng di umiidlip na magdamag sa aking papag,
Guguyuhin ako ng ebanghelyo ng Malakanyang:
Ang pasko ng sambayanan ay sansalop
Na kaligayahan, sangkabang kasiyahan.
Sasabihin ko kay Gloria, Come on, come on!
Sa mga malalamlam na araw ngayong
Taglagas, inaanino ko ang mga sugatan
Sa mga labanan sa basurahan, mga duguang
Ulirat sa paggawa ng mga tinatakal-takal
Na batsoy sa tira-tirang pinagsawaan,
Mga pasintabi sa kahirapan, abiso sa katarungan.
Makikita ko sa mga namamaalam na liwanag
Ang sepyang larawan: mag-anak na sinusuyo
Ng itinapong McDonald's o Jollibee,
Minaskipaps, niremedyuhan, pinanggabihan.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Tustin, CA
(Kinatha sa I-5 patungong San Diego, CA
habang nakikinig sa kuwento ni Anang Gonzalez
at Grace Martinez, Nob. 14, 2004)
Silang mga nagugutom sa The Filipino Channel
Sabihin mo sa akin, makata,
Kung papaano ko hahabiin
Ang mga hibla ng mga kalungkutan
Mula sa The Filipino Channel?
Pinanood ko ang ating kinabukasan
Sa ngayon-at-dito ng ating lumbay.
Mag-anak na nag-aabang
Ng itinapong tinapay, tira-tirang laman,
Marupok nang buto at makulay na pangako
Ng chicken joy at sarap-to-the-bone,
Mag-anak na magmimina sa mga supot-supot
Na tapon, balde-baldeng mumo, sobra
Sa mga family meal na tinikman lamang,
Sinuri ng mayaman kong tama ang timpla,
Alat, anghang, amoy, presentation--
Mag-anak na magbabangon mula sa pusali
Mula sa pagkaduhagi,
Ipaghihiganti ang pang-aapi
Ng mga almusal, pananghalian, bigas, asin,
Betsin, silang maghuhugas
Ng lahat ng mga dumi ng bayan,
Ng lahat ng mga kalabisan,
Ng lahat ng mga palsong pangungusap,
Silang magluluto ng menu sa ating tagumpay,
Menung batsoy mula sa binatsoy na kapalaran--
Sila, silang lahat ang tumatao
Sa aking guni-guni, makatang ligaw!
Abe, aber, tingnan ta, kitanta man:
Papaano mo papangalanan, makata ng bayan,
Ang mga nagugutom na mga mamamayan,
Silang gumigising sa magdamag,
Naninikluhod, nakikiamot ng benditadong liwanag?
Abi, ania, sige nga, paano na:
Papaano mo bibinyagan ang mga pinggan
Na isang dekada nang hilo, uhaw,
Ngayon ay nakaidlip sa banggerahan?
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Nob. 16, 2004
Primm Valley, CA
Banna in the Mind
(For Joel Manuel, inheritor par execellence of a heritage)
This is the right way to decipher the wall of language,
The englishes we learn from winter winds, white wisdom,
Snowy christmasses, kissing santa clauses with ruddy lips.
Haha! Tell it to the marines, those that got the boondocks
From the mountain ranges and brought home the madness.
No mas, señor Manuelito maestro, no mas puede, ngamin,
Ngamin ta bulbulitor a napeklan ti mannanakaw a kaibaan,
Oh yes, the elegant elf comes ransacking the rusty rice bin
And finishes off the ugaw and gracia of the kankanen.
I got my license now to teach English to all who lust
To learn again what language is, the word of the world,
Worlding what is, what ought to be, what we are,
Pilgrims all in this life, journeymen looking for luck,
Much luck when you have yet to sell your name,
More when you breathe the mountain air of Banna,
The farms in wildfires even in the coldest of heavy rains,
The fires from the fertilizers we buy dignidad por almuzar
The fires from the water we barter smile for pangngaldaw
The fires from the certified seed mortgaged with linugaw.
Haha! You are damn right, absolutely right, señor,
The politics of language is in the bad teaching,
The domination that comes with instilling the amen,
That yes that goes with imitating immaculate dreams,
Those that come to us without the colors of coaxing
The arid earth to give birth again to low skies, clear
In the quiet seasons for recounting mushroom picking time
To midwife green fields and forests with the fern
And the promise of a full meal, the scent of cooked rice
In the altars of lived lives, fully lived, our lives,
With the sweet singing, in falsetto, of the Pamulinawen
The singing sober and alert, in step with the Arikenken.
Haha! Keep on, señor Manuelito maestro, keep on
With the language studies that frees us from the decrepit,
The one that shows us the way to liberating the verbs
That make us violent, arrogant, self-centered, Western chic,
The language studies that breaks down the wall that excludes
Separates us from our separateness, we who desire
The enchantment in names, the magic of nouns,
The unmasking of the conjugation of our faked foreignness.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Carson Library, Carson, CA
Nov. 12, 2004
This is the right way to decipher the wall of language,
The englishes we learn from winter winds, white wisdom,
Snowy christmasses, kissing santa clauses with ruddy lips.
Haha! Tell it to the marines, those that got the boondocks
From the mountain ranges and brought home the madness.
No mas, señor Manuelito maestro, no mas puede, ngamin,
Ngamin ta bulbulitor a napeklan ti mannanakaw a kaibaan,
Oh yes, the elegant elf comes ransacking the rusty rice bin
And finishes off the ugaw and gracia of the kankanen.
I got my license now to teach English to all who lust
To learn again what language is, the word of the world,
Worlding what is, what ought to be, what we are,
Pilgrims all in this life, journeymen looking for luck,
Much luck when you have yet to sell your name,
More when you breathe the mountain air of Banna,
The farms in wildfires even in the coldest of heavy rains,
The fires from the fertilizers we buy dignidad por almuzar
The fires from the water we barter smile for pangngaldaw
The fires from the certified seed mortgaged with linugaw.
Haha! You are damn right, absolutely right, señor,
The politics of language is in the bad teaching,
The domination that comes with instilling the amen,
That yes that goes with imitating immaculate dreams,
Those that come to us without the colors of coaxing
The arid earth to give birth again to low skies, clear
In the quiet seasons for recounting mushroom picking time
To midwife green fields and forests with the fern
And the promise of a full meal, the scent of cooked rice
In the altars of lived lives, fully lived, our lives,
With the sweet singing, in falsetto, of the Pamulinawen
The singing sober and alert, in step with the Arikenken.
Haha! Keep on, señor Manuelito maestro, keep on
With the language studies that frees us from the decrepit,
The one that shows us the way to liberating the verbs
That make us violent, arrogant, self-centered, Western chic,
The language studies that breaks down the wall that excludes
Separates us from our separateness, we who desire
The enchantment in names, the magic of nouns,
The unmasking of the conjugation of our faked foreignness.
Aurelio S. Agcaoili
Carson Library, Carson, CA
Nov. 12, 2004
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