POEM

 

 

 

 

by Rem Tanauan

Though I have not gone out

of the house yet, the golden sun

now enters the window.

It gets through hazy jalousie

and filtered by yellow curtain.

It blends this twilight,

a balance of dim and vivid,

these gentle rays merging

with the door, the wall,

the ceiling, and how they

travel fast across the darkness

of the universe is hard

to make sense of. What’s important

is they come here to me, here

inside our home, as if this is

their singular end,

the terminus of their infinity,

bringing with them the message

of heaven before they hide

on the other cheek of the world:

 

that this time

is the most luminous

before darkness bites,

before the night swallows

the entire skies,

before dreams

twinkle

and awaken again.

 

The original poem in Pilipino:

KUNG DI KO MAN MAKITA ANG

LULUBOG NA ARAW

 

Hindi pa man ako lumalabas

ng bahay, pumapasok na

ang gintong araw sa bintana,

tagós sa malabong jalousie

at sinasala ng kurtinang dilaw.

Tinitimpla ang dapithapon,

balanse ng lamlam at tingkad,

sumasanib sa pinto, sa pader,

sa kisame ang mga banayad

na sinag, na kung paanong

mabilis na naglakbay sa dilim

ng sansinukuban ay mahirap

nang arukin. Ang mahalaga

ay dumarating sila sa akin, dito

sa loob ng bahay, na para bang

kaisa-isa nilang hantungan,

ang dulo sa kanilang walang-

hanggahan, baon ang mensahe

ng langit bago magtago sa

kabilang pisngi ng daigdig:

 

na ito ang oras

na pinakamaliwanag

bago kumagat ang dilim,

bago lunukin ng gabi

ang buong papawirin

bago kuminang

ang mga panaginip

at muling magising.


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.