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.
