
10 Marso 2009
Ngayon sana ang iyong kaarawan, Daddy.
Isa pa sanang taon na mahahagkan ka
ni Mommy samantalang pinipisil ninyong kapwa
ang mga guhit ng inyong palad.
Umuulan ng tuyong dahon sa labas ng inyong silid.
Isang pares lamang ng mga matang
unti-unting lumalamlam
ang ngayo’y nakakapagmasid.
Isa man lamang
sa mga dahong iyon
ay may mga ugat
na salamin ng iyong palad
Na hindi na masasalat.
-o-
10 March 2009
Today would have been your birthday, Daddy.
It would have been one more year to make
a kiss linger with Mommy as you both pressed
the lines in each other’s palms.
Dry leaves rain down outside your bedroom.
Only one pair of slowly
dimming eyes
watch them cascade.
Perhaps but one
of those leaves
bears ghostlines
of your palms
Now beyond touch.
-o-
Memory and imagination. Here they come together in place of absences and distances. My father passed away when our kids were under a year old. I was not there with him.
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About matangmanok
Jim Pascual Agustin writes and translates poetry. Sometimes he tries his hand at essays and stories.
His latest book is BLOODRED DRAGONFLIES, published by Deep South in South Africa. Check out the official blog page for Bloodred Dragonflies.
In 2011 the University of Santo Tomas Publishing House in Manila released BAHA-BAHAGDANG KARUPUKAN (poems in Filipino) and ALIEN TO ANY SKIN (poems in English). The same publisher released his most recent poetry collections SOUND BEFORE WATER and KALMOT NG PUSA SA TAGILIRAN. In 2015 a new poetry collection in English, A THOUSAND EYES was released. His first collection of short stories in Filipino, SANGA SA BASANG LUPA, was released in 2016. UK publisher The Onslaught Press launches his poetry collection, WINGS OF SMOKE, worldwide in February 2017. San Anselmo Publications released HOW TO MAKE A SALAGUBANG HELICOPTER & OTHER POEMS in 2019 followed by CROCODILES IN BELFAST & OTHER POEMS in 2020 - both books can be purchased through their Facebook page.
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March 18th, 2009 at 17:03
lovely piece, thank you.
March 18th, 2009 at 18:08
Sal,
Thanks for stopping by. I’ve had a quick look at your blog, too. Will get back there later for another read.