Cicadas sing love
Chants of Gregorian tenors.  
Nature’s selections.

[Para kay Emerson David V. Jacinto, February 16, 1962 - May 02, 2011)

Mula paglilihi sa ningas ng ilawang gasera
sa sulok ng angking dunong, kaisipa’y namunga,
hanggang sa pagluwal, kasaliw ang palakpak ng sigla,
ulilang panaghoy at sigaw ng malayong pag-asa
- sa panawaga’t tinig ng Inang Bayan, tumugon ka.

Kusang-loob, inihandog, buhay at panahon
Walang alinlangan, payak na pamumuhay ay tugon
Sa lamig ng gabing kamao’y nagkuyom
Kumot mo’y pusong malasakit ang nilikom
- Unan ay konsyensyang malinis at tapat sa layon.

Mapait na dagta ang sa damdami’y nanalaytay
tila ipinahid ng mahabang paghihintay
sa mayamang dibdib ng ating kinagisnang Inay
- ang Inang Kalikasan. Doon ka humimlay,
- Makabuluhang buhay ang iyong tagumpay

I can’t always offer my other cheek
for you to have some sad surface to slap
I don’t have to.
                            Maybe because I’m not
your holy friend, and I don’t have to be
what people set -
                                someone or somebody
in this planet where paper roses bloom
inside plastic boxes.

I don’t think that I’ll throw away to you
a piece of bread, a slice of precious loaf
in return for that hard stone you did cast.
I don’t have to.
                             Maybe because I’m not
your haloed friend, and I don’t have to be
what people set -
                                standards, morals decreed.
Rigid squares, straight lines drawn.
                                                                Old World pretends
to be modern.
                          And . . . . . accommodating.

Oh no! It’s not. It’s not!
                                           The limits, too narrow,
define the soul,
                            poison minds,
                                                      choke the heart.

Life’s lessons
                         safeguard
                                            the survivor . . .

The journey’s still long
                                          along this
                                                             lonely road.

Earth makes silken webs.
Break one strand, you break the rest.
Humans’ fate is sealed.

Trees win life’s struggles
Bats feeding, fireflies swarming.
Humans find meanings.

Tagbulaklak uli ngayon
Sa manggahang nililingon
Na sa nagdaang panahon
Saksi sa ating maghapon.

Mula Lunes laro’t aral
Hanggang B’yernes, walang tumal
Puti’t asul di nagtubal
Buhok hippie sadyang bawal.

Kabataan no’ng nangarap
Maabot ang alapaap
Ngayong layo’y lubos-ganap
‘Igan pa ring nakaharap.

Kaibiga’y nasusukat
Di sa yaman ni sa agwat
Tunay yaong di napuknat
Mula musmos ay matapat.

Si Mabini nagwika rin
Katapatan ang habilin
Kapatid ang sadyang turing
Noon, ngayon at bukas din.

Pook na may kalayuan
Di madali kung puntahan
Kubli’t payapang kanlungan,
Malayo sa kaguluhan.

Minsan kita’y papasyalan
Pag isip may katanungan
Doon ko matatagpuan
Puso mo ang kasagutan.