POEM
by Rem Tanauan
I’m about to hail a jeepney
when I suddenly remember
I’m not wearing a mask.
I cannot travel
with face fully exposed
to the public.
I did not intend it,
I just remember
immediately that the times
are not normal at all.
Air is already
a dream. Nightmare is
this tiniest and invisible
fear, more contagious
because how rapidly it jumps,
from smartphone to smartphone,
from TV and newspaper, breathed
quickly by the crowd. Like it is normal
to get infected and to infect
gloom, not from sneezing,
but from the nimbus of the world.
This is not just abnormal, but
paranormal – haunting our
minds, it’s almost wicked
to breathe freely.
Is it a mask (or a disguise?) the right
countermeasure? I’m not sure if
we are still protected by a piece of cloth.
So I teach my own
nose to get used from now on
in breathing deeply
prayers and spells.
(in the original Pilipino language)
MASK
Papara na sana ako ng dyip,
nang bigla kong maalala
wala nga pala akong mask.
Hindi puwedeng bumiyahe
na bukas na bukas ang
buong mukha sa madla.
Di ko naman sinasadya,
naalala ko na lang
agad-agad na hindi nga pala
normal ang panahon.
Panaginip na ngayon
ang hangin. Bangungot naman
ang napakaliit at di makitang
takot, mas nakakahawa
dahil ambilis nitong tumalon,
smartphone to smartphone,
mula TV o diyaryo, malalanghap
agad ng tao. Parang normal
ang mahawahan at makahawa
ng lagim, hindi galing sa bahin,
kundi sa dagim ng daigdig.
Di na rin ito abnormal, kundi
paranormal – minumulto
ang ulirat, at may sa maligno
ang huminga nang maluwag.
Mask ba (o maskara?) ang dapat
pangontra? Di ako sigurado kung
protektado ba tayo ng kapirasong tela.
Kaya tinuturuan ko ang sariling
ilong na masanay mula ngayon
na magbuntong-hininga
ng dasal at orasyon.
About the poet:
Rem Tanauan is a translator, writer, poet, Ginhawa well-being facilitator and a Yijing consultant on personal decision-making and life direction. He is the lead teacher of Tungko ng Tula, a 9-week poetry class and community for poets and artists and creatives. He is currently running its third batch. You can find his poems and photos on Instagram.com/ditomuna.
