Because it’s Philippines’ Independence Day, I thought it might be timely to post a poem in my mother tongue. I wrote this years and years ago and I happen to stumble upon it again recently. A translation is at the bottom.
Sayang Akala Ko Ito Na
Masarap ang hangin sa dalampasigan
Niliyo ako ng mga bituwin, mga apoy at ngiti
Hindi ko malimot
Ang malambot na buhangin sa aking likod
Oo, katabi ko siya
Pangarap ang lahat
Ngunit kanyang isip ay wala sa akin
Kasing layo malamang ng buwan
Na wala sa masid
Tititigan mo lamang
Ang maitim na langit na may dilaw
Hindi mo alam
Kung anong misteryo
Hanggang sa wakas
Umandar ang ulap
Ngayon, kita ko na
Ikaw pala’y nagpapanggap lamang
Tulad ng buwan ng gabing iyon
Di tunay ang iyong liwanag
Ako ang araw
I Thought This Was It
Lulling was the breeze at the shore
Intoxicated, I was, with the stars, jolt of fire and smiles
I could never forget
The softest sand beneath my back
Yes, he was next to me
Everything was a dream
But his thoughts weren’t by
As far out to the moon, perhaps they were
Which you couldn’t see
You just stare
At the darkness with some yellow tinge
You don’t know
What mystery lied
Until alas
The cloud hovered away
Now, I could finally see
It was all pretend
Like the moon that night
Your brightness was not real
I was the sun
Gem Cano 