Mornings in Bais

Poetry by | June 1, 2014

As always, the same old sun rises
over my weary eyes in the city
of desiccated peasants and wooden caskets.
The whistle of maya birds echo, again
and again, in my garden. The same apparition
of faces remains sullen in the starving streets.
The same zephyr sways
the leaves of sugar canes and water apple trees. Here,
where everything is filtered by my quotidian breath,
is a horror of mangled realities
of a past within faded photographs—
Every morning, my shadow has the scent of ancestral houses.

—
Simon Anton Nino Diego Baena is an undergraduate student of MSU-IIT, Iligan city.
Originally from Bais, Negros Oriental, now based in Iligan. Some of his poems have already been published in Philippines Free Press, Philippines Graphic magazine, Eastlit online literary journal, and Kabisdak online.

Shot Glass

Poetry by | June 1, 2014

Shot glass
left on the table
alone,
wine spill
at the bottom
crystal clear in the
early morning light,
a remembrance of
unsaid love
between two lips
sharing the coldness
of the air
from last night’s
silent bliss.

—
Loraine Jo is a Secondary Education student of Xavier University- Ateneo de Cagayan.

In the Life of

Poetry by | June 1, 2014

I stopped spilling ink.
Looking for rhymes in
creaks of floorboards.
Lost thoughts and
convoluted words.
But sometimes they’d come in
wisps and whispers.
Like ants
creeping through
crevices and cracks
I end up
crushing.

—
Roselyn Geonzon is an incoming 4th year BSE-English major student at Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan.

Asawa sa Lawak

Poetry by | June 1, 2014

(from the series: poems inspired by women issues)

1
Kadlawon na buntag na sab
Nahimata ako, mibangon
Usa ka habol na lang ang
Akong pil-on ug hiposon

2
Hinay-hinayog pag-punit
Ning mga buhok nga nahabilin
Ipiyong ang akong mga mata
Ug subayon ta ang gugma

3
Human pag-pagon ang unlan
Ug matag pilo sa habol
mahulagway ang kaagi
Sa lamesa,bintana

4
Sa kawarto ug sa haligi
tsinelas niya sa daplin
didto sa ilawum sa bangko
nag-inusara naghulat

5
Plantsahon ning unipormi
Murag ihatod ko na siya
Padulong sa kamatayon
Bugnaw ang singot sa agtang

6
Saksi ning lawak, ang unlan
Ang habol, ang moskitero
Gaksa ako , o kamingaw
Tugnaw o habuli ako

7
Sa imong pag-inusara
Litratong pilo tan-awa
Mga hulagway tan-awa
Ayaw’g kalimti dumduma
8
Saksi ang lawak
Saksi kining unlan
Saksi kining habol
Gaksa ako, o kamingaw

9
Ug dili nako manghunaw
basin makalimtan ko na
amoy sakong palangga
Gaksa ako, o kamingaw

—
Si Noy Narciso usa ka magtutudlo sa Ateneo de Davao University. Daghan siyag talento: musikero, aktor, direktor, pintor, eskultor.

Chiaroscuro

Poetry by | May 25, 2014

tropeyo sa paghandom kang lota

mi
  da
    gay
       day
kolor sa rainbow lapas
sa      mga     ngilit
    sa     damgo
   g i k u d l i s
sa  imong  mga  mata

mga handom nga nanuyla
sa kwadradong balanse
sa  dan-ag  ug anino
  dili basta-basta
    mapad-as og
 K A M A T A Y O N

—

   cas

      cad

          ing
  colors of the rainbow
      beyond edges
        of dreams
   lines  and  traces
          drawn
       by your eyes

remembrances that spill out
     the framed balance
    of light and shadow
  oh, never be defaced by
      D  E  A  T  H

—
Agustin “Don” Pagusara is an award-winning writer and founding member of the Davao Writers Guild. Along with Macario Tiu, he founded the Ateneo de Davao Writers Workshop, which is on its 15th year. This poem was written in memory of Carlota de Pio, Davao writer and artist, who passed away in May 2014.

Panic Stations

Nonfiction by | May 25, 2014

I was three years old when I became aware of my condition. I cannot recall how I was rushed to the hospital, but I do remember waking up in a cold white room with a crucifix staring down at me. I lifted my right hand and noticed a transparent tube injected at the back of my palm and right through my veins. Since then, I have been rushed to the hospital countless times; each one a nightmare both for myself and my parents.

Asthma is a lung condition that affects the eyes, ears, nose, throat, and stomach. It causes the lining of the airways to become swollen and inflamed. Extra mucus begins to clog the nose and the muscles of the airways tighten, causing less air to pass in and out. A number of allergens like pollen, dust mites, cigarette smoke, dander, and stress can trigger an asthmatic reaction. Even changes in weather could also cause asthma attacks. Usually when my nose starts to itch, chances are, it’ll rain soon after. Some people are born with this condition and others just develop asthma when they are exposed to the different kinds of allergens. In my case, I have asthma because my father also had it when he was young.

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Vigilante

Play by | May 18, 2014

vigilanteTauhan:

Jaime Villareal, 19
Bobot, 32
Alfonso Almeda, 27

Pook: Isang kanto sa baryo na malapit sa bahay ni Alfonso

{Music}

(Nakaupo si Jaime at Bobot sa harap ng isang maliit na mesa. Kararating lang ni Jaime na may dalang tasang may kape, habang si Bobot ay umiinom mula sa isang bote ng alak.)

BOBOT: Hoy, ano sa tingin mo ang ginagawa mo, bata?

JAIME: (nininerbyos) Ah, nagkakape po.

BOBOT: Bata, mas lalo ka lang ninerbyosin sa kape. Teka, ikukuha kita ng isa pang bote. Di naman malayo yung karinderya. (Magsisimulang tumayo si Bobot.)

JAIME: Ah, huwag na po, Sir. Okay na ako. Sanay naman ako na magkape kapag kinakabahan, tulad na lang kapag nag-re-review ako para sa exam.

BOBOT: Aha! Iyan ang gusto ko! Parang exam lang nga ang gagawin natin ngayon. Hep, hep, ako ang ga-grado sa iyo, kaya pagbutihan mo, Jaime..Jaime ano? (Tatango si Jaime.)

BOBOT: Teka, bata, talagang nakapag-aral ka?

JAIME: Nakapagtapos po ako ng haiskul. Tapos kurso sa TESDA, computer hardware repair.

BOBOT: Ah, wow! Ang talino mo pala talaga! Pero alam kong kinakabahan ka. Chill ka lang! Kaya nga nagkukuwentuhan tayo ngayon. Ito talaga ginagawa ng mga boys bago ang gig. Di ka ba sinabihan ni Anton tungkol sa SOP namin? (Tatawa si Bobot habang sinusuri ni Jaime ang paligid.)

JAIME: Di po ba parang medyo malakas ang boses nin— . . . Mga boses natin?

BOBOT: Yun nga! Pagsususpetsahan tayo kung para tayong mga patay na nakatambay at di nag-iimikan. SOP namin yan. Magkuwentuhan. Mag-inuman. Parang wala lang. Plus, mas mare-relax ka pa kung ganito, chill ka lang bata. Sigurado kang ayaw mo? (Iaalok ni Bobot ang kanyang bote.)

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The Queen's Library

Poetry by | May 11, 2014

if it hadn’t been for the books
thrown about by the stairs
I wouldn’t have noticed
how with each purchase
she revealed herself
one on top of the other
covers pressed upon covers
titles lost upon genres
“The Color Purple”
casting shades of “Black and Blue”
on some oriental “La Bete Humaine”
as “Madame Bovary” vanishes to “Sleep”
with Murakami’s elephants
her majesty has yet again
leafed through the truths
of her characters
flung about in the pages
one would dare ask how the King
gets by with such a collection
but would not dare question why
her bookshelves haven’t been built

—
Margaux Denice Garcia has been a fellow to the Davao Writers Workshop. She teaches literature at the Ateneo de Davao University.