Nature-nature? Na!

Poetry by | July 22, 2012

Nature-nature ang gusto mo na date?
Na! wala man tayo mapala niyan, babe!

Sige, maghanap tayo ng mga shape sa clouds
pero intawon,
usok na lang baya ng mga factory
ang clouds ngayon!
Okay lang sa iyo
may pagka- brown ang cotton na makita mo?

Pag-sure diyan sa “halimuyak ng katsubong,” babe uy
sige daw, subukan mo huminga
kay halong lechon manok,
tambutso,
haplas
at sigarilyo lang maamoy mo.

Swerte na kung walang halo na ihi o imburnal

… love man kita babe ba
pero alangan naman
pinturahan ko ng glow in the dark
ang mga lamok
para lang may fireflies tayo…!?

Bitaw, pwede gud tayo mag-Shrine Hills
pero kay wala na man tayong
mahanap na stars,
ilaw na lang
ng mga poste ng Davao titigan natin
para mag-horoscope..!

– babe, hindi yan mountain spring, ha
nasira lang yan na tubo ng water district.

…Kalayo man ng Marilog uy!
kung gusto mo ng breeze
sa Abreeza na lang tayo magpalamig

Bitaw, babe
sa Abreeza na lang gud tayo, uy
may garden-garden bitaw dun…

(Update: ginatulungan ako
ng music ng mga jeep
na kalimutan yung ingay ng gangis
pag-break natin)

—
Born in Kidapawan, Karlo Antonio G. David was a fellow at the 2011 Iyas Creative Writing Workshop in Bacolod and the 2012 Silliman National Writers Workshop in Dumaguete. He is a regular contributor to Dagmay.

Sabaw II

Poetry by | July 22, 2012

sa una, init imong sabaw
may balanse ang katam-is ug kaaslom
may sahog nga kusog makapabaskog
sa panglawas ug balatian
ug may pagmahal ang matag halad
ug sa una, init imong sabaw

sa una, kada adlaw’ng matagamtaman
imong lami-an nga sabaw
pangpainit sa nagkurog kong kaunoran
tunga sa pagbunok sa ulan
sa matag higop ko, di malikayan ang pagbalhas
sa singot nga muanod sa kahago sa kinabuhi

apan milabaw ang mga adlaw
wa malikayi napan-os imong sabaw
bugnaw na ug mupatigbabaw na ang kaaslom
ang kahumot nga kanhi kong madimdim
ang katam-is nga daw gihalad sa mga anghel
wa ko na makaplagi sa mangkok sa imong sabaw

basin may laing kamot ang nikawkaw
o imong gihalaran sa imong sabaw
bisan unsaon og init ang bahaw
ug bugnaw mong sabaw
sa pagkapan-os kini mipaingon
hangtod ilabay na lang sa lubnganan sa kagahapon

—
Bejay Absin works full-time in a call center and is involved in theater. He loves to cook.

Eulohiya

Poetry by | July 22, 2012

“Nais kong ilibing sa maputlang papel na ito
Lahat ng nagawa nating kwento.
Lahat ng kabanata ng ating samahan.
Ang saya. Lungkot. Hinagpis.
Pagtataksil. Ang pagtangis.
Iluluha ng aking panulat ang lahat ng
Pasakit na hindi kinilala ng aking mga mata.
Ililibing ko sa pirasong papel na ito
Lahat ng bubog ng nasira nating samahan
Upang tumahan na ang nagdurugo kong puso.
At pagkatapos, iiyak ako sa pamamagitan ng panulat ko.
Hindi mo ako makikitang tumatangis.
Ang mamasdan mo lang ay ang puntod ng letrang
Pinagtagpi-tagpi ko upang buuin ang lapida
Ng yumao nating samahan.
Isang beses lang akong magtatapat
Ng aking tunay na nadarama.
At ililibing ko iyon sa isang piraso ng maputlang papel.
Kasama ka at Kasabay ng isang pangako:
Ito na ang huling patak ng tintang
iaalay ko para sa iyo.”

—
Si Djamyla D. Millona ay nag-aral sa Ateneo de Davao University at kasalukuyang nagtatrabaho sa DILG.

Saad

Fiction by | July 8, 2012

Hayskul ko kaniadto sa Tabon, mga kinse anyos akong pangidaron, kadtong misugilon kanako si Rhen, akong magulang nga babaye ug usa ka nars, bahin sa iyang suod nga higala nga si Sam, usa pod ka nars. Klasmet sila sugod sa elementarya, hayskul ug ingon man hangtod sa kolehiyo. Saksi akong magulang sa mga panghitabo sa kinabuhi ni Sam ingon man ang kasuod niini sa iyang amahan.

Si Sam o Samantha kay usa ka babaye gikan sa prominente nga pamilya sa Mangagoy, siyudad sa Bislig. Kinamanghoran siya ug bugtong babaye sa tulo ka magsuon. Ilado siya sa tibuok eskwelahan sa iyang kaanyag ug kinaadman. Gwapa si Sam, sama sa kaanindot sa Enchanted River ug Tinuy-an Falls, ug daghan buot mangulitawo kaniya. Siya usab ang pangbato sa mga kompetisyon may kabahin sa pautukay ilabi na sa ingles ug matematika. Sa kadtong panahona ang naa sa isip ni Sam kay ang iyang amahan, ang iyang first boyfriend.

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I Am No. 2

Fiction by | July 1, 2012

My name is Linda and I am No.2

The last time I saw Jay, I knew it’s going to be the last time, at least the last time that we’re going to be the way we were. It was dawn, that fateful day in August 2008. My then husband came home the evening prior, drunk and unemployed. He just lost his job due to poor attendance. I tried to show him that I was supportive. I joined him in the dining room while he ate his late dinner and tried to ask him subtle questions about his day without magnifying the problem. We had been married for 2 and a half years, we have a daughter who is barely 2 years old, and a son from my first marriage. Yes, Jay is my second husband, and is about to be my second ex.

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The Bride

Fiction by | June 24, 2012

The antang was concluded, and Lele was betrothed to Dudim, the son of the lukes from the next Manobo hamlet. When Lele’s father broke the news to her, she nodded meekly, even forced herself to smile. But as soon as the old man was out of the hut, tears raced down her cheeks.

The girl glanced out the window and saw Saluding under a tree, staring back at her. His face was dark and his jaw was clenched. There was no longer any future for them.

The bamboo floor creaked and Lele recognized the familiar footsteps of her mother. The girl wiped her cheeks with her hands and Saluding walked away.

Lele’s mother must have caught the glances between her daughter and Saluding, but the woman acted as though she did not notice anything. “Come here, Lele,” she said. “Put this sudung on your hair. You have to look beautiful. Hurry, now.”

“I don’t want to go out of the house, Ina,” Lele said.

“Don’t embarrass your uncle, Lele. He is our lukes and he has arranged a good marriage for you. All he is asking you to do now is go to his hut and bid goodbye to your future husband and his father.”

“Ina, I don’t want to get married. I don’t like Dudim.”

“I don’t know what’s the matter with you young people nowadays. When your father asked for my hand, I did not utter a single word against it. Look, Lele, there’s nothing more you can ask for. Dudim is a good hunter and not much older than you. You are lucky. Think of the previous kenogon here who was married. Her husband was the same age as her father.”

“Dudim is ugly and bosses people around. He thinks he’s more powerful than his father.”

“He may not be the most dashing man in these parts, but Dudim’s not ugly, Lele. You know that. And, yes, he seems too proud at times, but it’s just his way of commanding respect. Being the son of the lukes, Dudim has a good chance of succeeding his father, and people should recognize his standing this early.”

“He’s ugly, Ina, and I just don’t like him.”

“Stop acting like a child, Lele. You’re already fourteen, a woman now. And a wife soon.”

Tears fell again from Lele’s eyes. “My heart does not beat for Dudim.”

“I will hear nothing of that, Lele. You will learn to love Dudim, just like I did your father.”

“I will love no one but—”

“Lele! What you want will never happen. The antang is done; the elders have decided. You will do well to embrace your fate.”
Continue reading The Bride