GEORGE T. CALAOR
OWA NABATIAN NGA TANGIS
Inubahan
it nagakaeayo nga baeatyagon
it anang sueok
nga mga buesa--ako hay ginkurog
ro eangit hay
nagtangis
ag ka't do uean
hay nagta-o it daean
sa ibabaw it tig-ilinit --ako hay naglitik
sa idaeom it mga dahon
it mga nagkaeahuslog nga sanga.
Pero ro akong ugayong
hay hasapawan
it mga binaeansang papel
para sa andang buesa.
***
OWA'T SUEOD NGA PINGGAN
Pinabay-an nga mahuslog
do anang eambong pagkakita
it gapaeamukoe nga
kahita.
Kinimbot na ro anang buli
sa anang atubangan.
Sa dueom,
do mga tinaga nagsiklab
owa't pakundangan nandang ginhutik,
ginbale wala
ro laragway ni Kristo
sa puti nga dingding.
Kinahangean nana ro anang
hueas
para sa andang galitik
nga pinggan.
***
SAKADA
Buyti't hugot ring espading
Ag hawani ratong mga panamgo
Nga ginakapyutan it kalisud
Iya sa maliway nga kampo.
Tapsa ro mga pagduhaduha
Nga nagapaeuya sa eawas
Ag pas-anon ro mga kalisud
Nga nagapabakod it dughan.
Nagadaea it pag-eaom.
Ag sa pangamuyo mo
Buksi ring tagipusuon
Ag isugid sa Ginuo
Ro bug-us nimo nga ginapangayu:
Nga ro katubwan hay mangin saksi
Sa pag-abot ku oras,
Sa mabahoe nga kadaeag-an--
Ag padayon nga kahilwayan.
***
HAMPANG BALAY-BALAY
Bangon anay
Amon Tatay
Kag magbakal
Sing tinapay
May sulod pa
Ang botely
Pero kami
Ginagutom na.
Nagabaskuog ang ulan
Kag kami ginatuluan
Diri sa amon nga higdaan
Kag ang salog ginbahaan.
Tatay sa diin si Nanay
Nga-a waay pa ta pagkaon?
Kay ikaw waay ginagutom
Kon ikaw nakainom.
Ari na si Nanay
May dala nga tinapay
Pero ini si Tatay
Waay gid gapangabudlay.
Si Tatay waay obra
Si Nanay labandera
Kami nga mga puya
Waay kakaon, napasma.
***
EANSANG NGA LAPIS
Dahil sa kadueom it buesa ni Lolo
Eansang ro lapis ni tatay:
Sim ag kahoy do anang ginasueatan.
Ag sa indi mahuyap nga pukpok
Ako hay nangin maestro.***
The Sinner: The Saint
by George Tumaob Calaor on Sunday, August 28, 2011 at 6:34pm
You asked me to kneel
in front of you
and instead of saying
the lord’s prayer...
you asked me to caress
the manhood
under your
cassock
Ignoring my pleading you moaned...
drowning the agony
of my innocence
in the stream
of the climax
of thy
glory
blessing me
no mercy
you left
my sobbing soul bleeding
with a torn
dignity
when I complained...
you maligned the truth
in my confessions
and condemned it
as mortal
sin
and when justice is demanded to reign...
you called me insane
while covering your face
with the image
of a
saint.
****
Storm
by George Tumaob Calaor on Saturday, August 27, 2011 at 8:55pm
Oh sky...
I adore you
for crying out
the atonement
of the oppressed
and the exploited
through your weeping
grumbling their sufferings
through your thunders
against the storm
whipped by the hands
of the fascist
Oh sky...
I adore you
for the while
of sheltering
the aching souls
of the slaves
healing the whip-marks
of slavery on their skins
and lighting up
their spirits
to grow hope
and courage
to be free
that from the dark clouds
of your keeping...
oh sky...
they will become blazes
of a lighting
and the world will be shaken
as they kiss heaven on earth
on the graveyard
of the unforgiven
soon
at soonest time!
****
Certainty
by George Tumaob Calaor on Friday, August 26, 2011 at 6:56pm
Oh sea…
ask your waves
to embrace the weight
of my weary soul
and let the calmness
of thy ocean
wash away
the stains of weariness
from my thoughts
as it strengthen
the courage of my spirit
and bravery will keep my way
on the right track
of this journey...
with the growing range and numbers
of dreamers dreaming and fighting
so liberty will completely be won
Oh sea...
ask thy waves
to warm the chilling
of my mortality
so my will
to unchain freedom
shall not be bewitched
by the bribes of riches and power
from the fire of its winning time…
so protracted yet so near
passionate and so genius
to win the victory of a cause
selflessly struggled against
this enslaving time
of our birth
Ask your waves oh sea...
to touch my heart
with the deepness of its ocean
so I will feel the thrill
of the fast trailing moment
of a triumphant day
when heaven’s reign
shall be restored
by the makers of history
upon this earth
when homelessness becomes a shelter no more
hunger shall no longer be fed among poor
and begging will lose its space to rule
and equality shall be looked upon above all
Ask your waves to ease away
restlessness from mine soul...
oh sea
rest all the wearies from mine thoughts
and bury them to the deep
of thy ocean’s bed
so when I wade to mark
the foot-steeps to our final leap
on the sand of your awaiting shore
on the graveyard
of all the wicked
that we befall
victory of the free...
will stand tall!
****
Ang Banal: Ang Baliw
by George Tumaob Calaor on Sunday, August 28, 2011 at 8:18pm
Inutusan mo akong lumuhod
sa iyong harapan
at sa halip na
manampalataya...
inutusan mo akong
hawakan si adan
sa loob ng iyong
sotana
isinawalang kibo ang aking pagsusumamo...
hinalinghing mo
ang panaghoy
ng aking
kamusmusan
nilunod sa kasukdulan
ng iyong
glorya
at walang awang
tinalikurang duguan
niyaring tahasang mong
pinunit kong
puri
ako ay nagsakdal...
tinuligsa mo
ang katotohanan
sa aking
ikinumpisal
at tinawag itong
kasalanang
mortal
at nang hustisya ay hiniling ng mangibabaw...
ako ay tinawag mong baliw
habang mukha mo
ay ikinubli
sa imahe
ng isang
banal!
****
The Rise after Dawn
by George Tumaob Calaor
the night
is so quiet
so calm
as its darkness
paint the images
of life
of the passing days
filled with
inspirations
that the sun
will shine upon
tomorrow
at its
dawning
the night birds
are with me
tonight...
as my soul
waltzes with
the softness
of the wind
waving
as it sails
the romance
in their song
that shadows
of the hays
on the fields
of our
golden dream
to be free
sways the clear
vision of
the fast coming
and triumphant
day of
liberty
the absence
of the moon
is a chance
laid unto the
darkness
and darkness takes
its time to reveal
its confession
about the affair
between...
the fire and water
wind and the sea
heaven and earth
the plains and mountains
thunder and the storm...
how will they unravel
the chain of slavery
from the bondage
of greed
by the walks
in the wilds
of a protracted
march for
freedom.
the night is so calm
and quite
but this is not
freedom yet...
for liberation
at the moment...
is still taking
its pace in
encircling the eve
of its festivity
at the weakening
and dying
hours of the
enemies
the night birds are with me...
as shadows
that waltzes
with the hays
in the fields
of our
coming
day
dance the signs
and rituals
with passion...
conquering the moment...
as reign of equality
is at the peak to declare
the final blaze
of justice
so defined
to aim the
winning line
of a victorious
day!
*********
Subjective Soul
by George Tumaob Calaor
Thursday, September 22, 2011 at 9:30pm
why blame the moon for not shining
when it is you who failed to see the light
why accused the night of mourning
when it is you who failed to smile
why accused the sun for not rising
when it is you who failed to rise
why accused the wind for not blowing
when it is you who wants to die
why accused the rainbow for not wearing its colors
when it is you who lied
why accused the hours for slugging
when it is you who is not willing
why accused the truth for not telling
when it is you who refused to learn
why accused freedom of slavery
when it is you who refused to be unchained
why accused the silence in absence of peace
when it is you who is afraid of fighting
why accused victory of losing
when you did not struggle to win!
***
