After all those nights I’ve waited
You never came
After all those words I’ve spoken
You never heard
After all those hands I’ve lend
You never reached
After all these time you deserved
A cold shoulder

Away.
You are so away.
The very word that comes into my mind when I think of you—
when I think of us.
For years now,
we have been thousands of miles away from each other’s arms.
We have been used to it.
This distance never came nearer.
Even becoming farther as time pass,
with us,
treading on different directions.
You are sure and happy that you are there;
I am sure and happy that I am here.
And so we stayed,
wherever we are.
Nobody wants to give up.
Nobody wants to pull the other one
to his or her side of the world.
We both wanted to stay,
from where we are—
away.

Once my heart was dead
Then You revived it
So now it is desiring this
That I will hear its beat with the same rhythm as Yours
And its pumping will go as fast and slow and hard and flowing
Longing for that joy when a soul comes to their knees and pleads
May it break for what is breaking You, seeing this world so lost
Then loving, truly loving
Them whom You gave your life on the cross for
Because my heart started living
When You first gave life to it
Now my heart is alive like never before

I remember this time of the day
In the front yard where it's almost dusk
Swarms of mosquitoes buzzing in
We need to close the windows hurriedly
Or else they'll prey on us tonight

Then Nanay, with her broom without a stick
Will burn the dry leaves on the ground
Which she gathered together with
Abandoned paper planes and plastic kites
As the sun slowly disappears from our sight

Diri masusukol an kahirayo han Imo urukyan
Bisan rocket plane pa it akon sakyan

Ha sinirangan ngan katundan ngadto gihap, aadto Ka
Bisan ha Ionosphere man ug ha pinakailarom han tuna

Languyon ko man an bug-os nga Pasipiko
Bisan milyones ka metros diri ak makakaabot ha Imo

Pero mayda ko nasabtan ug saad nga ginkakaptan
Bisan usahay diri ko intawon maintindihan

Nga bisan Ikaw an pinakahitaas han nga tanan
Nagpakaubos Ka para han Imo gugma ha kalibutan

Nga bisan harayo an imo kinabubutangan
Nahirani ka para pirme ko Ikaw madadaupan

So, how are you?
Hopefully, you don’t have that cough anymore,
Because that would be tough for me for sure.

So, how was your day?
You might be up again till the morning,
Because you have been thinking, writing.

So, how is your heart?
If it is hurting,
Don’t worry, I’m here to listen.

So, will you not ask how I am?
For you, that might not be a big issue,
While I’m here, so much missing you.

--Originally written in Winaray--

Ginmimingaw Ako Ha Imo

*Ano kumusta ka na?
Kunta diri ka na gin-iinubo,
Kun diri, masusubo gud ako.

Ano kumusta an imo adlaw?
Bangin nagpiniraw ka na liwat,
Pagpinanhuna-huna, pagsinurat.

Ano kumusta an imo kasing-kasing?
Kin malain it imo ginbabati,
Ayaw kabaraka, pwede man ako mamati.

Ano diri ka mangungumusta ha akon?
Para ha imo, waray la siguro,
Samtang ako adi, ginmimingaw ha imo hin duro.

Karuyag ko pagsurusuntukon ini nga busag nga ****-****
Pero sigurado nga maul-ol
Salit, adi nga ulunan nala

Karuyag ko mamusdak hin mga pinggan nga nakatambak ha banggera
Pero magluluto pa ngay-an hira hin sura
Salit, niyan pagkatapos nala

Karuyag ko kumurahab hasta ako mapaas
Pero may bata nga nakaturog bangin makamata
Salit, tik-om nala

Karuyag ko manrabot hin tawo
Pero naguusahan la ako ngadi ha kwarto
Salit, it akon kalugaringon nala

Karuyag ko gusi-gusion an mga surat nga ginhatag mo ha akon
Pero aadto ha hunos, maupay an kahipos
Salit, sunod nala

Karuyag ko na bumul-iw ngan talikdan ini nga grasya
Pero waray ka bumaya
Salit, ayaw nala

Ninety mornings passed
Since I last wrote you a poem
The sun was down since

Ha kamatuoran la,  gin-susumhan na gud ako,  
Diri ka pa ba gin-susumhan?  
Hin mga buhat nga balik-balik nala?  
Diri mo ba nahahalata?  
Nga utro-utro nala kita?  
Kun may napakiana ha imo, "Ano kumusta na?"  
An pirmi mo baton: "Adi asya la gihapon, waray pinagkaibahan han kakulop!"  
Ngan kontento ko na hito.

The truth is,  I am sick and tired.
Aren’t you sick and tired?  
Doing the same things over and over again?
Still haven’t noticed it?  
This has been like this again and again.
When somebody asks you, “How is everything with you?”  
Your usual reply is: “Oh nothing’s changed same as yesterday.”
And you’re happy as it is.

Usahay liwat nabati ako ha imo nga utro-utro an reklamo.  
Nga baga hin kadaan ngan guba nga plaka,  
Balik-balik an tukar, masakit ha talinga.  
Reklamo an imo pamahaw,  
Ngan amo la gihapon hasta panihapon.  
Kay kuno makuri.  
Kay kuno waray salapi.  
Kay kuno waray kapas.  
Kun may sweldo daw la an pag-rineklamo,
siguro maiha na unta nga nag-riko.

Sometimes, I will hear you complaining again and again.
Like an old and broken retro vinyl,
playing over and over again, it is hurting my ears.
Complaining is your breakfast,  
and it is your same meal for dinner.
Because it’s hard.  
Because we don’t have money.  
Because I am powerless.
If complaining will provide you a salary,
perhaps by now, you might quite be wealthy.

Nagkatapo kita kanina ha dalan han "Kada Adlaw"  
Asya la gihapon an imo sul-ot nga bado,
ngan an kabutang han imo buhok.  
Asya la gihapon an pagkakurumos han imo nawong,
Ngan an bubble gum nga hasta yana imo la gihap ginsisinamsam.  
Nangurog ako han kaluwad.
Tigda ako nahingasuka ha imo atubangan.  
Pasayloa, pero magpapadayon ka nala ba hito?
Diri ka pa ba ginsusumhan?  
Kay ha kamatuoran la,  Naamin ako Nga Oo.

*I came across you at the street called “Everyday”
You were wearing the same clothes,
And your hair was fixed the same way.
You were having the same wrinkled frown in your face,  
and was chewing the same bubble gum.
I cringe.
I suddenly felt vomiting in front of you.
I’m sorry, but will you keep on doing this?  
Aren't you sick and tired?
Because to be honest with you,  I think I am.

I don’t know how to begin this.
Actually,
I am afraid to begin.
Because maybe,
just maybe,
I won’t be happy with what I’ll be able to write.
Because maybe,
just maybe,
it won’t be able to write something good,
it won’t be worth reading,
it won’t be heard.

Oh goodness!
Forget about it.
I’m tired.
I’m feeling lazy.
I’m scared.
Erase it.
Erase it.
Forget about it.

Oh goodness!
I already started it.
Actually,
I seems like I don’t want to stop this anymore.
Because maybe,
just maybe,
I’ll be able to write something.
Because maybe,
just maybe,
someone will read it,
someone will listen to it.
Write it.
Write it.

Okay, fine,
I’ll start it now.
Actually,
I’m going to begin now and on the  coming days ahead,
writing my very first poem.

It is those nights again
Just after you switched off the lights
And hurried beneath your blankets
You were trying to shut your eyes
But then the world started to brighten up
Ray of sun breaks through your broken window pane
You washed your face
Checking on the mirror
“Okay, not bad.”
Looks up at the sky and asked:
“Did you talk to him today?”

“Did I talk to him today?”
Looks up the night sky and said:
“Okay not bad.”
Checked on the mirror
Washed my face
As soft light came through our broken window pane
The world started to dim down
I tried to shut my eyes
Hurried beneath my blankets
Switched off the lights
It has been those nights again

Thinking of my dear
On a cold desert midnight
Wishing they were near

Please, for once, just look his way
He waited for this day
Or else
He’ll go home
To hide in his tomb
And write his tears away

Please, for once, just give him a shot
He worked hard for this slot
Or else
He’ll go crazy
If you, he can’t marry
And it’s going to be your fault

I have never been drunk my whole life,
Until today.
It started with a sip, then a shot;
Until I had a glass almost empty.
I couldn’t stop, I needed more;
Every words slipping out aroused my whole being;
Every letter, every pause, every rhyme;
I felt a stranger’s heart, it became my reality.
My head was spinning hard,
I didn’t want it to stop.
So this is how it feels to be drunk.
Can I have more?
Please, just one more shot.

One of the most beautiful moments of my life
is when I witness
Tatay, in one corner
silently,
reading his Bible.
Nanay, on the other side of her world
silently,
meditating His Word.

Oh, such a beautiful moment of my life
when I witness
Tatay, in one corner
solemnly,
head bowed in prayer.
Nanay, on the other side of her world
solemnly,
hands folded in prayer.