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Jun Lit Aug 2019
I know this.
I knew this.
I’ve always known this -
that life
no matter how precious
could be snatched away
in the wink of an eye . . .
or even less . . .
even quicker.

Another tree
with so much promise,
cut in the careless gust
of a passing wind;
Another soul
who cared much
for this one and only Earth
had gone too soon.

I know this.
We know parting
but whenever parting comes
the sadness is never familiar.
We’re shocked
and need to be consoled:
This loving planet
never forgets its carers -
trees, butterflies, birds
and all it breathed to life
and all it nursed.

And when big trees go
the wildlings and saplings
the seeds you’ve sown will grow
in your steps, in your shadow
they’ll follow

the forest of our dreams lives
and that, as you rest in solemn space
you’d be happy to know
It would comfort us
who you’ve known , , ,
I know this . . .
To the memory of Ms. Eds Lopez, forester and environmentalist
Jun Lit Aug 2019
bukal na buhay, dalisay, malamig
agos ng pag-ibig
ni Mariang Makiling
mula sa kanyang dibdib

duyan ni Rana
nagpapatulog kay Troides
ipinaghehele si Buot
sa harana nina Balikasyaw at Tariktik
pook-sayawan ng mga bayawak
tuwing konsiyerto ng mga paagang
at mga kuliglig

ninuno ng Lawa
ina ng kapa-kapa
ama ni Strongylodon
kapatid ng tibig at lipa
among tunay ng kawayang-tinik
uway, gugo, saging na pula
Aristolochia

Kagalang-galang kay El Niño
kinakanti-kanti ni La Niña
paliguan ng mamang hubo
labahan ng aling maganda

naglalaro
ang batang takot sa engkanto –
bingwit, tampisaw, lukso
sa mga bato

subalit
ang polusyon –
tahimik na namamaybay
isang almuranin –
mabalasik
ang kamandag
nakalalason, nakamamatay
sapagkat
mga tao’y nagbubulag-bulagan,
bulag.
English Translation:
Molawin

a living spring, pure, cool,
flow of love
from the *****
of Maria of Makiling

cradle of the frog Rana
puts the birdwing butterfly Troides to sleep
sings lullabies to Buot, the cloud rat
accompanied by serenades from the passerine Balikasyaw
and the hornbill Tariktik.
dance floor of the monitor lizards
every time the cicadas and the crickets
have their concerts

ancestor of the Lake
mother of the magnificent Medinilla
father of the Jade vine Strongylodon
sibling of the riverine fig and the nettle tree
the true lord of the spiny bamboo,
among tunay ng kawayang-tinik
rattan, shampoo liana, red banana
the vine Aristolochia

Respected by El Niño
Tickled by La Niña
bathing place of the naked man
washing area of the pretty woman

there they play
children weary of the forest fairies –
line fishing, treading, hopping
among the boulders

but
pollution –
silently swims with the flows
like the cobra, that there also grows –
potent,
its venom
poisons, kills
because
humans feign blindness,
are blind.

Additional Notes:
Rana, Troides, Strongylodon, Medinilla and Aristolochia are scientific (genus) names of a frog, birdwing butterfly, the Jade vine, a magnificent-flowered shrub at a vine that serves as a butterfly larval host plant, respectively, all found along the areas of Molawin Creek; their use in this poem is an attempt to illustrate the important role of biology in understanding the intricacies, not only of Molawin Creek, but also of the entire Mount Makiling, a forest reserve in the southern part of Luzon Island, The Philippines..
Jun Lit Jul 2019
Kung dumating ang panahon
Ulap na lang, aking dahon
Kung sakaling may magtanong
Pag-ibig ang s’yang tutugon.
My poem in Tagalog written in traditional dalit form; dalit is a short poem with 4 lines per stanza, and 8 syllables per line.
English translation:
TREE OF LOVE
If and when does come that season
My leaves have dropped, just clouds to don
And someone asks where have I gone
My love for you shall speak, lives on.
Jun Lit Jul 2019
On her lap still warm
Hugging dear life and her man
Judged by social gun.
Inspired by a photo by Raffy Lerma of the Philippine Daily Inquirer: https://frame.inquirer.net/2694/la-pieta/
Jun Lit Jul 2019
[isang pagsasalin sa Tagalog, batay sa orihinal na
"When tomorrow starts without me" ni David Romano]

Kapag nagsimula ang bukas na di ako kasama,
at ako’y wala roon upang makita;
Kung sisilayan ng araw ang iyong mga mata,
na puno ng luhang para sa akin, Sinta;
Labis kong nais na hindi ka lumuha,
katulad ng sa araw na ito’y iyong ginawa,
habang inaalala ang maraming bagay at salita,
na hindi nasabi o hindi nawika.

Batid ko kung gaanong kamahal mo ako,
kasingsidhi ng pag-ibig kong tanging sa iyo,
at sa tuwinang ako’y iisipin mo,
Alam kong hahanap-hanapin mo ako;
Subalit kung ang bukas ay magsimulang wala ako,
nawa'y pakaunawain mo,
na isang sugo ang dumating at tinawag ang aking ngalan,
at ang kamay ko’y kanyang hinawakan,
at wika’y handa na ang aking paglulugaran,
sa malayo’t mataas na kalangitan,
at kailangang lumisa’t talikdan,
tanang sa aki’y mahal, lahat ay iiwan.

Subalit pagtalikod kong palayo,
Isang patak ng luha ko’y tumulo,
pagkat buong buhay, lagi kong kinukuro,
Ayokong mamatay.
Maraming dahilan para ako’y mabuhay,
maraming gagawin pang mga bagay,
Tila imposible, hindi kailanman,
na ikaw mahal ko’y iiwan.

Bumalik sa ala-ala ko ang mga araw na nagdaan,
ang masasaya’t ang mga kalungkutan,
Pumuno sa isip ang pag-ibig nating pinagsaluhan,
at lahat ng ating galak at kaligayahan.

Kung sa kahapo’y mabubuhay akong muli,
kahit man lamang kaunting sandali,
Magpapaalam ako’t hahagkan ka
at marahil, makikita kong ngingiti ka.

Ngunit lubos kong napagtanto,
na hindi na kailanman mangyayari ito,
sapagkat pagkawala’t mga ala-ala na lamang,
ang sa aki’y papalit at maiiwan.

At nang maalala ko ang sa mundo’y mga kasayahan,
na bukas ay di ko na matitikman,
ikaw ang naging laman ng isipan,
at puso ko’y napuno ng kalungkutan.

Ngunit pagpasok ko sa pinto ng kalangitan,
Ramdam ko’y ako’y nakauwi sa tahanan.
Pagdungaw ng Bathala’t ako’y nginitian,
mula sa kanyang gintong luklukan,

Wika’y “Ito ang Walang Hanggan,
at lahat ng pangakong sa ‘yo’y inilaan".
Sa araw na ito, natapos ang buhay sa lupa,
ngunit dito ngayon ang simula.
Di ko ipapangako ang kinabukasan,
ngunit ang ngayon ay magpakaylanman,
at dahil bawat araw ay pareho lamang,
ang nakaraa’y hindi na kasasabikan.

Ngunit ikaw ay naging matapat at naniwala,
tunay at totoo, lubos na nagtiwala.
Kahit may panahong may mga hindi tama,
na alam **** hindi dapat ginawa.

Ngunit ikaw ay pinatawad na
at ngayon sa wakas ay malaya na.
Kaya’t kamay ko ba’y hindi mo hahawakan
at sa buhay ko, ako’y sasamahan?

Kaya pag sumulong na ang bukas at wala na ako,
huwag **** iisiping nagkalayo tayo,
dahil sa tuwinang iisipin mo ako,
Nandito lang ako, diyan sa puso mo.
My translation into Tagalog of David Romano's "When Tomorrow Starts Without Me" -
"When tomorrow starts without me,
and I'm not there to see;
If the sun should rise and find your eyes,
all filled with tears for me;
I wish so much you wouldn't cry,
the way you did today,
while thinking of the many things,
we didn't get to say.

I know how much you love me,
as much as I love you,
and each time that you think of me,
I know you'll miss me too;
But when tomorrow starts without me,
please try to understand,
that an Angel came and called my name,
and took me by the hand,
and said my place was ready,
in heaven far above,
and that I'd have to leave behind,
all those I dearly love.

But as I turned to walk away,
a tear fell from my eye,
for all life, I'd always thought,
I didn't want to die.
I had so much to live for,
so much yet to do,
it seemed almost impossible,
that I was leaving you.

I thought of all the yesterdays,
the good ones and the bad,
I thought of all the love we shared,
and all the fun we had.

If I could relive yesterday,
just even for awhile,
I'd say goodbye and kiss you
and maybe see you smile.

But then I fully realized,
that this could never be,
for emptiness and memories,
would take the place of me.

And when I thought of worldly things,
I might miss come tomorrow,
I thought of you, and when I did,
my heart was filled with sorrow.

But when I walked through heaven's gates,
I felt so much at home.
When God looked down and smiled at me,
from His great golden throne,

He said, "This is eternity,
and all I've promised you".
Today for life on earth is past,
but here it starts anew.
I promise no tomorrow,
but today will always last,
and since each day's the same day,
there's no longing for the past.

But you have been so faithful,
so trusting and so true.
Though there were times you did some things,
you knew you shouldn't do.

But you have been forgiven
and now at last you're free.
So won't you take my hand
and share my life with me?

So when tomorrow starts without me,
don't think we're far apart,
for every time you think of me,
I'm right here, in your heart."
Jun Lit Jul 2019
(To Dr. Adelina A. Barrion,
September 9, 1954-July 10, 2010)

You expertly explained to me
sources of variation,
and the role of mutation,
much of the raw material
for the mighty driver - selection
and along the way
I also learned acceptance.
Everything, everyone
can be the same and unique
at the same time
And it’s perfectly alright
to be different.

You demonstrated
how encoded messages
for passing on traits
within populations
change in frequencies
and distributions,
how nature makes blind choices
how the fittest survives
and I learned deeper
my evolution.

Unconsciously, you made
aspiring for genuine honor
and excellence
more deeply rooted
in the loci of the heart
and the helices of the mind.

You taught me genetics
but you made me learn
Life is to be enjoyed,
much, much greater
than its four letters.

You proved -
great teachers never die,
they always live
in the lessons they give.
Jun Lit Jun 2019
Tiny springtails jump
As mites haste, return the keys
Where all life begins.
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