Saturday, October 11, 2008

12:32 AM | Dili Tanang Matagak Mahagbong

I find it sad that many in the Philippine literary world do not know the vibrant Cebuano poetry scene that includes the likes of Marjorie Evasco, Cora Almerino, Erlinda Alburo, Merlie Alunan, Ester Tapia, Hope S. Yu, Januar Yap, Myke Obenieta, and Michael Ligalig. One of my favorite Cebuano poets is Adonis Durado, and this year, he is finally coming out with his first book of Cebuano poetry, Dili Tanang Matagak Mahagbong (Not All That Drops Falls), with translation by Merlie Alunan.

The launch will be on October 18, Saturday, at 7:30 pm at the Gallery Q in A.S. Fortuna Street, Mandaue City. It will be a rare fusion of the arts as a show of paintings, sculptures, music, art performances, and poetry readings will be held to celebrate the launching of a local poet's first book of verses. The art exhibit will run until October 30. The multi-awarded poet and graphic designer is set to come home from Bangkok, Thailand, where he is currently working as design director for US-based magazines, for the launch.

Durado, who received the Emmanuel Lacaba Prize from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts in 2000 and "The Best New Writer" award from the Cebuano Studies Center and the Faigao Foundation in 2001, will also exhibit his artworks together with fellow artist-writers Josua Cabrera and Radel Paredes. Cabrera and Paredes will show their paintings, drawings, and ceramic sculptures inspired by the poems of their friend, Durado. Paredes also did the cover illustration for the latter's book.

Here is a sample poem by Adonis, with translation by Ma'am Merlie:

suwat sa sugarol

parts, musta na? nakabuno
kuno atong hiniktang ugis?
idublada akong parte
ugaling itari ni joker
iyang sinyalang buwanting.
debuynason gyud lagi nang
naay gasabak sa panimalay, no?
uy, ni-tip nako si jack
nga kwadro karon iyang chicks.
gisyapulan gyud diay niya
ang kalasera nga sauna
gisuwayan sad nimog dega?
hapit baya to nimo ma-kang,
kung wa pa ka hisakpi
sa financer nimos mahjongan.
pustaanay, matutyo ra na siya?
lisod man nang upat imentin,
labi nag gamay ra kag stopper,
ug imong alas imo rang hitsura.
ang sikreto gud sa pagpangabit
kay naa sa pilde-gana:
dakung dimal kung daghag dama.
maong tagsa-tagsaa og pug-ok
ang baraha aron di dali hisakpan.
likayi sad ang queen diamond
kay ang selosong bana gadalag atsa.
taym pa, niantog kuno nimo
ang ulcer? tabla na diay ta ani:
may lunggong sa kutokuto
kung ugaling masul-an.
barawa na — imni pirmig gatas —
mao nay hirit ni doktora.
mao na nay dibidendo, parts,
kung kita magkatiguwang na.

p.s. damgo nako gabii:
gaturotot nga rayna natikangkang —
4-1-7. irambol lang.


letter from a gambler

howdy, pardner. heard our white
cock won. put my winnings in too
in case joker plays the grey,
that one’s got the marks of a winner.
well, a pregnant woman
in the family brings good luck, eh?
hey, jack tipped me off about
his chicks: he’s got full house, man.
he shuffled, got in good terms
with the lady tip-keeper
you tried yourself before.
almost got her too, i know,
if not for your lady financier
who stalled your mahjong affair.
bet his game plan won’t last.
keeping four mistresses together
is hard to maintain, especially
when you’ve got few stoppers,
and your only ace: your good looks.
the trick of keeping an affair
lies in the game of pilde-gana:
the more you got queens,
the more you lose. so play
your cards well — one at a time,
so you won’t get caught easily.
and stay away from queen diamond
who got a jealous axe-wielding
husband. wait, heard ulcer’s
got you too? that’s two of us now:
shaken dice in the stomach
when it attacks, that’s how it is.
fight it — drink lots of milk —
my lady doctor’s sweet advice.
that’s the pay-off of aging, pardy.

p.s. dreamed last night:
the queen blowing a horn fell on her butt —
4-1-7. just ramble it.

For more details about the event please visit the website.

[modified from the press release]

Labels: books, philippine literature, writers

[0] This is Where You Bite the Sandwich

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