The rains came early this year
drowning my longgans and chilis in April.
And yesterday my little boy came rushing home
balancing an insect carcass on his palm.
He asked me how it died, why.
I knew he deserved the truth
so I told him it probably got tired
of doing and buzzing the same
shit every day.
So it simply chose to die.
He went away after that, sobbing.
Probably regretting his question.
But knowing is a necessary pain.
It forces one to build a roof
over things that could die in the rain.
April 2009
ABRIL
ReplyDeletetula ni Ime Morales
salin ni Angelo B. Ancheta
Napaaga ang pagdating ng ulan ngayong taon.
Nalunod ang aking tahim na longgan at sili nitong Abril.
Kahapon ang anak kong lalaki'y nagmamadaling umuwi
habang nilalaro sa kanyang palad ang isang patay na insekto.
Tinanong niya ako kung paano ito namatay at bakit.
Alam kong dapat niyang malaman ang totoo
kaya sinabi ko sa kanya na baka napagod lang
ito sa paulit-ulit nitong gawain at sa paghiging
ng walang kapararakang bagay araw araw.
Kaya pinili na lang nitong mamatay.
Lumayo ang anak ko sa akin, umiiyak.
Malamang nagsisisi siya kung bakit pa siya nagtanong.
Ngunit masakit man ang totoo kailangan niya itong malaman.
Pinagtitibay nito ang sarili upang maging pananggalang
nang hindi matulad sa iba na ikinamamatay ang ulan.
Muli, salamat dito :) I hope that, as you translated the poem, I awas able to invoke even just a hint of the feelings that were present during the writing. Hanggang sa mga susunod pang pagtula.
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