Sa bawat paghakbang ng paang maputik,
anaki'y malugmok ang katawang impis.
Hindi iniinda ang ngawit ng bisig,
sa bawat paghampas ng pulpol na karit.

Mata'y pumapait sa agos ng pawis,
di ramdam ang init sa katawang manhid.
Sa bawat pagbuhos ng mumunting bagsik,
tila sumasaliw sa pintig ng dibdib.

Tinig ng sikmura'y parang humihibik,
lalong gumagatong sa hapo at sakit.
Pilit pinapawi sa tuwing iihip,
ang simoy ng hanging tila umaawit.

Sa gitna ng hirap na pinagdaanan,
ang tanging hiling sa Poong Maykapal.
Nawa'y didiligan ang sangkalupaan,
at binhi'y tutubo't ang punla'y mabuhay.

Sapagkat sa munting pawis-magsasaka,
sanlibong sikmura ang pinapasaya.
Ang tinik sa paang nakapanghihina,
Sanlibong katawan ang pinasisigla.

Ginaw ng tag-ulan at init ng sikat,
hindi iniinda kahit naghihirap.
Para may mahain sa mumunting hapag,
at pagsasaluhan na mayroong galak.

Ang iba'y inisip kung anong lutuin,
ngunit sa kanila'y mayr'on bang mahain.
Ito ba ang buhay, Diyos na mahabagin,
ang mga nagtanim salat sa makain?

Ganito ang buhay ng may gintong kamay,
na puno ng lipak, marumi't magaspang.
Subalit malinis ang pusong tinaglay,
bisig ng daigdig, sa pagod nabuhay.

Sila ang bayaning dapat na purihin,
sandata'y palakol, tumana'y suungin.
Sa bawat pagpatak ng pawis sa tanim,
katumbas ang bungang gumigintong butil.

©Raffy Love Canoy |May 2019|

Pag ikaw Ay kasama lahat ay parang kay bilis,
Panahon at oras na mayron tayong dalawa Ay parang lobong umi impis...

Lumiliit ng lumiliit, pa iksi ng pa iksi,
Oras na maka kasama ka ay parang pinuputol na tamsi...
Parang isang napaka gandang panaginip ang sa akin Ay iyong hatid,
At ang maka sama ka Ay mawawala na lamang ng hindi natin batid....

Oras Ay gustong kong pigilan,
Dahil kung anung meron tayo Ay ayaw kong mapunta sa kawalan....
Ngunit mahal ko, ayaw kong maging sagabal at pa bigat,
Maluwag na tatangapin ang iyong pag lisan kahit ang puso ko’y mawawarat...

Ang hirap isipin, mukha **** maganda’y di na muli pang makikita,
Mga mata at labi ng isang anghel na aking sini sinta...
Oh aking anghel san ba pupunta??
Ang langit ko bay mag sasara
na??

i

this reminds me of my first walkman
i paid one hundred pounds for that one
back in ´81..

after three month of a shared house
from hell..
i was so ill
with every scab and car
problems..

we liked st paulis..!
we sat in the rain..
p..would say
do you know what i say
when people ask me
what i do for a living
silence..
i say i go on picnics..
what our german hosts
thought..
they were drunk
we were ******..
b considered cricket
we sat in car
a court case on wheels..
i could not do the sums..
it was the most lethal
of times..too many..
times only in bad dreams
now..i had these red lines
that were agony..septic wise..
so i bought my new walkman..

ii

it meant more than any
other singular purchase
before or since..

iii

hear that lily..
kind of verse..
remember things
ordinary things..
a vauxhal estate
rained mud
schnapps and grass..
a picnic..arguemant
argued morning to night
sat on the porch
and argued there
went to the bar..
argued there..
went home..
...

iv

when it rained
i liked the still
we would stop arguing

and listen to the first drops..
here was some magic!
lets have a sandwich and
forget boys..

v

r broke through my door
like an avenging angel
armed with trident
i shat..

vi

b considered cricket
i listened to my walkman
s was homesick
chicken and chips..

impis..
we always
got
good grass..

I didn’t seek you out
Or know but a faint sniff of your existence.
Whilst I sat by the quiet waters of Mpushini Falls
Where mighty Shaka and his impis speared tribes into oblivion,
You sleighed your way down crispy white snow
Once stained by the blood of atoning fathers
Which rolled the red carpet over white supremacy.

You got my details from the nuns.
They thought it would be best
To make connections over the hinterland and ocean.
You were much better than the German Greek who
Was your predecessor.
You should have seen him – posing on the couch
So snugly with mom, dad and sis. Where was I going to fit?

Was it shame that moved you to write?
Trying to water choked South African wild oats
With your western notion of outreach,
Thinking that you have everything that I don’t?
No swollen bellies or elephant-back taxi rides here:
I’m just a budding soul finding my peace.
You’re disturbing this process – now buzz off.