Mission Possible

Nonfiction by | November 9, 2008

I settled at the back of the Toyota pickup, crouching on the floor. I reached inside the bag and wore my shades and sahal, ready for the long trip ahead. Definitely, this was not one of the top ten things I wanted to do before growing old. But I was going anyway. And I came quite prepared. I had plenty of water, and an umbrella besides. I was joining a medical mission hosted by the Southern Mindanao District of the United Church of Christ of the Philippines (UCCP.)

The mission consisted of around twenty volunteers, including five doctors. I was one of three from the youth sector of the church. It was 8am, and cold, the sun hidden behind the rain clouds. We were going to a far-flung barangay at the foothills of Mt. Apo in Matan-ao, Davao del Sur.

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Love Poem Macabre

Poetry by | November 2, 2008

The chico brown feel and
scent and taste of you
keep me shamelessly honeyed
honeyed for hours after and
I can taste you even more
in my midmorning coffee,
even when you have been gone a week.
I taste you everywhere.

When are you returning from the
restlessness of our travels?

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Ing Ginoo sang Kuros asta yang Iso / The Crucified Lord and the Boy

Fiction by , , , | November 2, 2008

Bahin ngini na istorya sang iso na Mandaya. Ngini na istorya yahitabo kuno sang pirmero na kalinaw ngawong yatapos da ing giyera. Ngansian na simbahan awon bagasay na kuros.

Awon adlaw na yanilhig ngini na iso, tanto ng pagpanaw-panaw naan ika-banggaan naan yang bagasay na kuros. Nakay wa kasayod na iso ag mag tabang-tabang sang pari. Awon ngawong yang iso daw unan ngiyan iistorya naan. “Sin-o ing yaglansang kanmo? Unan ing sala mo na i-aman saan kaw nilan? Wa pa kaw gayud nilan bado-i. Hala, awon karsonis ko sang kuwarto dahon ko lang ngawon ngani kay ipa-suot ko kanmo. Igutom da kay unay kay abay kaw magbitay ngansaan. Mal-aw pagpanihapon adahan takaw ng makaan. Apangutanahaon takaw uli nasa i-amansaan kaw nilan?”

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Banig

Poetry by | November 2, 2008

Usa ka balak-dula

Gabii na sab. Ilatag ko na pod ang banig, labi na sa bugnawng gabii, ang likod way laing ikasalig. Nangatastas na kining banig. Mikupas ug miyatyat na. Hapnigan nakog baga nga habol aron di sakit higdaan.

Isangit ang higot niining moskitero. Sa paglabay sa panahon dili ko na madali-dalig syumoy kining tali sa lansang (mokatawa). Gakurog akong mga tudlo. Ipiton og unlan kining parte sa moskitero nga nabangag aron dili makasulod ang lamok. Usahay mosindi kog katol, unya payak-on kini sa botelya. Ang aso morag panganod sa ibabaw sa moskitero, apan morag dili na madutlan ang lamok niini.

Sa dihang andam na ako mohigda, ang mabilin nga suga mao lamang ang lamparilya. Ang kayo niini morag gapirok-pirok, gakipat-kipat mora bag mapawng, nahadlok, giyaga-yagaan og gitik sa hangin nga molili ning payag.

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Life and Times on Chicken Avenue

Fiction by | October 26, 2008

chicken illustration by Rick VillafuerteSt. Peter’s Cathedral looms gray and granite-heavy over the Legislative Building which cowers in pain-peeled splendor from across San Pedro Street.

St. Peter is the saint with the rooster. The Patron Saint of the Cockers, the Guardian of the Gates, the Accountant of Sins with the giant leather-bound ledger in the sky.

In front of the Legislative Building is the Cathedral Drive, so named because of the cathedral across the street. At night Cathedral Drive turns into Chicken Avenue.

Chicken Avenue is where all the market vendors who sell undressed chicken at daytime barbecue their unsold chicken at night.

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