Walking Alone in Ilustre



Poetry by | December 16, 2012

You stand there,

fixed with an intention

as I walk with uncertainty,

looking for street lights

in this cold, dark eleven thirty air.



The damp cement casts 

small, vertical white clouds,

breathing out the day’s frustrations 

telling me it’s empty; save for some 

taxis lining up for a late catch.



Tall, intimidating walls of 

this giant we hail ‘GS’ greet

me in a nonchalant way.

And my feet carried me to its

lonely, awkwardly angled corners – 

where fixed intentions meet.



Taking a sharp turn, 

I walk towards the
almost-erased street sign.

There I stand feeling pierced

by sharp, eager eyes probing.



But then, there you are.

You with your intention, 

heading toward me.

Dinnertime

Poetry by | December 9, 2012

Mama, Papa, and I
are eating in the dining room,
Mama sitting opposite papa
on the dining table.
There is only silence
but the clang of my spoon
hitting the bowl
as I stir mom’s special law-uy.
Until Mama stabs her plate with a fork
and glares at Papa
and shouts at him about a woman
named Julie.
Papa scoots from his chair
but Mama throws her glass,
exploding on the wall.
Papa tells me to go to my room
and play with Barbie
but I hide near the dining room
and hear screams shattering like the
thrown glasses and plates.
When I hear Mama’s sobs,
I frown
because dinner time is over.
And I’m a bad girl
because I didn’t eat Mama’s special law-uy.


Glyd works as a research assistant at Philippine Women’s College of Davao. He was a fellow of ADDU Writers Workshop 2010 and Davao Writers Workshop 2011.

Sa Panahon ng Internet at Cellphone

Poetry by | December 9, 2012

Ipinagbubunyi natin ang pagdagsa
Ng mga gadyet na tila infusyon
Nating ikinakabit sa ating mga ugat.
Sapagkat kundi man tayo iga
Sa tango at pansin ng mga kakilala
Ay takot tayo sa mga sandali ng ating pag-iisa.
Kinakabahan tayong manatili sa isang silid
Na istakato lamang ng ating pulso at dibdib
Ang mauulinig sa kinasasadlakang paligid.
Kaya sa halip na ang isip ay makikumpas
Makidama sa pagitan ng bawat paghinga
Pagbubulaybulay at pagkilala sa pagkatao
Ay abala tayo sa pagpindot ng mga teklado
At pagbuo ng mga niritokeng teksto’t litrato
Gayong kinakatay lamang natin ang saysay
Ng ating mga panaginip at paglalakbay ng malay.


Edgar Bacong studied AB Sociology at the Ateneo de Davao University, and now lives in Zurich, Switzerland.

Ode to a Facebook Photo

Poetry by | December 2, 2012

This time, there are only your eyes.
Your gaze, fixed intently into space
as if searching the air for lost light
waves, digital owls, a revelation
of vagrant angels. I turn my laptop
towards the window so you too
could see a band of moonlit clouds,
some apple trees, and at a distance,
a pack of griffins.


Allen Samsuya is a creative writing major from the University of the Philippines Mindanao. Instead of a dislike button, he hereby proposes a “throw magic tomato button” on Facebook.

1/2

Poetry by | December 2, 2012

Half-cooked promises
Half rice still on plate
Half-truths of celebrities
Half-lies in policies
Half full cash pocket
Half empty wine goblet
Half-minded intentions
Half-hearted lamentations
Have we gone to world,
Of halves and no wholes?
Like the promises of lords,
And the mindset of fools.


Born in Davao City but raised in General Santos City. Currently studying B Medical Laboratory Science in University of Immaculate Conception.

lights

Poetry by | December 2, 2012

everything is still
the sun takes forever
giving the passing cars
a chance to stir the room
and my imagination
with their lights
i turn away
escaping yet failing
seeing the yesterdays
i look to my right
and there you are
sleeping beside me
i look away
and there you are
making your way to the bathroom
i sit up
and there you are
smiling at me from some time ago
i close my eyes
and i feel your lips touch mine
i open my eyes
everything is still
the sun takes forever
giving the passing cars
a chance to stir the room
and my imagination
with their lights


Davao born and raised, ex-architecture student at Ateneo de Davao University, currently out of school yet again.

Istoryahi Ko

Poetry by | November 18, 2012

maayo mu istorya si Ma’am uy
purbidang paminaw nako

“the annulment cannot be processed
when the spouse is not in trial
before the court of the land.”

unsa daw to? pastilan jud murag tinuod man
gilansangan ang iyang mga pulong
sa katahum sa iyang power point
de colores kaayo, naa pay gauntol-untol na bata
napuno ug drawing sa mga nindot nga
panang linya
paadto didto
paari diri
simang sa wala
tul-id sa tuo
katoohan jud ay

Continue reading Istoryahi Ko

Pagmumura ng babaeng hindi marunong gumawa ng tula

Poetry by | November 11, 2012

Anak ng tupa.
Nagbabasa ako ng kanilang mga tula
at wala akong magawa
kung hindi ang humanga
sa indak ng mga salitang
lumilikha ng paraiso dito sa lupa.

Wala akong ganyang kakayahan.
Ni Katiting. Ni Daplis.
Ang alam ko lang ay magbasa
at humanga
at magbasa
at magmukhang kawawa.

Paano ba kasi nila
binuburda ang mga titik
upang makabuo ng tula
sa langit?
Saan ba kasi nila
kinukuha
ang indayog at kulay ng
kanilang salita?

Anak ng tupa.
Pagmumura lang ang aking magagawa.
Wala akong kakayahan.
Ubos na rin ang tinta ng aking mumurahing
bolpen.
Higit sa lahat
wala akong mahagilap
na totoo sa akin

Walang pag-ibig
Walang Ligaya
Walang Luha.
Ang tanging totoo lang
ay ang tulang kinatha ng iba
at hinding-hindi ko magagawa.

Anak ng tupa.


Si Djamyla ay apat na taong nag-aral sa Ateneo de Davao University, mahilig magbasa ng mga tula ngunit hindi (raw) marunong gumawa.