Song for the Rising
(translation by Marne L. Kilates)
http://marnescriptsmain.blogspot.com/

Morning, noon, and night
The rain is drumming
Endlessly on the GI roof.

Morning, noon, and night
The wind is beating
Incessantly its lowly wings.

Morning, noon, and night
The leaves under the clouds
Unceasingly applaud.

Morning, noon, and night
The river laughs, as does
The sea, so stormy and rough.

Morning, noon, and night,
And suddenly the Land,
Once pocked, has turned flat.

Mud, garbage, flood, ruins of houses:
Livelihood buried under muck,
Lives devoured by ravenous guck,

Dreams drifting and unmoored,
Where will tomorrow find us?
Steel and steady yourself, Pearly Land.

Rise, rise from your sorrow,
Rise and leave this mournful wake.
Tomorrow, sow once more the seed of life,

All day build the sun a home,
And all night hold steady
For the smile that dawn will bring. #

(The original was first read at AHON:
Concert and Poetry Reading for the Typhoon Victims, Conspiracy Bar, October 6, 2009)

_______________________________

Awit Sa Pag-ahon
Ni Kislap Alitaptap
06 Oktubre 2009

Umaga, maghapon, magdamag,
Nang walang patid na paglagapak
Ng mga patak sa bubungang pilak.

Umaga, maghapon, magdamag,
Nang walang patid na pagpagaspas
Ng mga pakpak ng hanging hamak.

Umaga, maghapon, magdamag,
Nang walang humpay na pagpalakpak
Ng mga dahon sa silong ng ulap.

Umaga, maghapon, magdamag,
Ang ilog ay humahalakhak;
Halakhak ng masigwang dagat.

Umaga, maghapon, magdamag,
Mabilisang naging patag
Ang dibdib ng Bayang lubak.

Putik, basura, baha, tahanang nawasak,
Kabuhayang nilamutak ng burak.
Mga buhay na nilamon ng lusak,

Mga lumulutang na pangarap,
Saan itatanim ang hinaharap?
Magpakatatag ka, Bayan ng Perlas.

Umahon ka sa kinasasadlakang lumbay,
Umahon ka sa kinalulubugan mong lamay.
Sa umaga’y muli mong itanim ang binhi ng buhay,

Sa maghapo’y muli mong itindig ang tahanan ng araw,
At sa magdamag ay muli mong tanganan,
Ang ngiting taglay ng bukang liwayway. #