In Her Eyes

SONA Ni Pinoy

SONA Ni Pinoy
Ni Melcichon
July 29, 2014

Kahapon,
Hindi ko napanood ang SONA ni Pinoy.
Pero nakita ko sa TV Patrol
Ang mga fashionesta ng Kongreso--
Pangiti-ngiti, pahawak-hawak-kamay
Sa kanilang 35K na gown,
Habang binubomba ng mga bombero
Ang mga rayalista sa kalsada.
At naghahalungkat
Ng mga bote o karton sa mga basurahan
Ang mga nanay at tatay
Na walang makain.
Sila bang mga fashionesta ng Kongreso
Ang mga salamin ng ating bayan?
Sila ba ang mga taong nanunumpang
Magbibigay ng kanin at ulam
Sa lapag ng mga kapus-palad?
Sila ba ang mga taong magpapalago
Ng ating kayamanan?
O sila ang mga taong
Nag-iisip, nagsusunog ng kilay
Kung papaano lumaki ang kani-kanilang tiyan
At umawas ang pera ng kaban ng bayan
Sa kanilang mga bulsa?
O Dyos ko.
Sana bumangon si Cardinal Sin.

The Akeanon Literary Circle

The Akeanon Literary Circle

by Melchor F. Cichon
July 29, 2014

It was in the early 1990s when Dr. Leoncio P. Deriada, known as the Father of Western Visayas Literature, started engineering the local literature in Western Visayas. He started conducting literary workshops to literary people in Iloilo, Antique, Aklan. Some of those Aklanons he taught the techniques in poetry and short story writing were Melchor F. Cichon, John Barrios, Alex de Juan, Joeffrey Ricafuente. Later he also encouraged elder writers like the late Roman dela Cruz to attend literary workshops. While conducting these workshops, he also encouraged the participants to enter literary contests. Some of those who won literary contests were Melchor F. Cichon, Alex de Juan, John Barrios, Pett Candido, and Roman dela Cruz.

Dr. Deriada also encouraged the Aklanon writers to form a literary group. Spearheading this was Joeffrey Ricafuente, John Barrios, Pett Candido, and Alex de Juan. They called their group as Akeanon Literary Circle. The first president was Mr. Ricafuente. Their adviser was Mr. Cichon.

One of their aims was to help develop the Aklanon Literature by encouraging all Aklanon writers all over the world to write in Aklanon.  Alongside with the founding of their printed literary journal, Bueabod, they also made use of the internet most specially so with the coming of the presence of blogspots. The editors of the printed issues of Bueabod were Melchor F. Cichon, John Barrios, and Alex de Juan. Its first issue came out in December, 2005. After its ninth issue in September 2006, Bueabod folded because de Juan and Barrios had graduated from college and had been busy with their respective careers. 

Bueabod resurrected in May 2010 when Arwena Tamayo, John Barrios, Alex de Juan and Melchor F. Cichon met in Kalibo, Aklan to discuss the possibility of reviving Bueabod. So Volume 2, Number 1 came out in that year featuring a short story of John Barrios and the poems of other Aklanons from around the world. 

Aside from the publication of Bueabod, the Circle conducted workshops in Kalibo, Aklan to encourage more Aklanons  to write poetry with Dr. Deriada as the resource person. Later, the late Dominador Ilio shared his expertise as a resource person in its succeeding literary workshops.

After several workshops, Dr. Deriada along with Mr. Cichon and others edited an anthology of poems written by Aklanon. This was published in 1993 as a special issue of ANI, the literary journal of the Cultural Arts of the Philippines (CCP). This was the first time that an anthology of Aklanon poems were published nationally. This special issue, Ani 21, featured 48 poems by 27 Aklanon poets. Most of the poems were the products of several workshops led by Dr. Deriada himself.

Other poems written by Aklanons were also included in a book, Patubas. It was published by the NCCA.

Except for the website, Bueabod, in Facebook, which is maintained by Cichon, the Akeanon Literary Circle has become inactive.

Melchor F. Cichon: A Profile

MELCHOR FRANCISCO CICHON was formerly the Head, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences Library, U.P. Visayas, Miag-ao, Iloilo. After his retirement from U.P. V., he worked as a librarian in a private college, Great Saviour College, Iloilo City, and then transferred to St. Therese-MTC Colleges, La Fiesta Site, Molo, Iloilo City, where he is also the Library Head.

Mr. Cichon was born in Sta. Cruz, Lezo, Aklan on April 7, 1945, and was educated at the University of the Philippines where he obtained his Certificate in Fisheries, Certificate in Governmental Management, Master in Management, and Master in Library Science. He used to teach management courses at the College of Management, U.P. Visayas, Iloilo City. He took his Bachelor of Science in Education, major in Library Science and minor in English at the Manuel L. Quezon University, Manila.

His works include Ham-at Madueom Ro Gabii (Bakit Madilim ang Gabi? ), 1999;Philippine Oddities, Love Can Find a Way and Other Proverbs on Love; Haiku, Luwa and Other Poems by Aklanons edited by Melchor F. Cichon, Edna Laurente Faral, and Losally R. Navarro , 2005. His other works include Matimgas nga Paeanoblion: anthology of poems written by Aklanons (2011); The 32 Best Aklanon Poets, 2009; and Siniad-Siad nga Kaeangitan (Strips of Heavens), a collection of Akeanon poems, 2012. 

His colleagues call him as the Father of Aklanon Literature.

He maintains two literary blogs: Aklanon Literature Archive (http://aklanonliarchive.blogspot.com, and Dawn to Dawn, (http://anahawleaf.blogspot.com), where his literary works are posted.

His awards: First prize, first Home Life poetry contest,1994. First Aklanon CCP grantee for Aklanon poetry in 1994. Third prize, Sentro Ng Wikang Filipino, U.P., essay writing contest, 1994; 2nd prize (Aklanon category) and 3rd prize (Filipino category), National Commission for the Culture and the Arts poetry contests; 3 rd prize in Hari/Hara Sang Binalaybay (King /Queen of Poetry), 1998 poetry contest sponsored by U.P. in the Visayas Sentro ng Wikang Filipino; 1st prize in a regional poetry writing contest sponsored by the Sentro Ng Wikang Filipino, U.P. in the Visayas, Iloilo City, February 22, 2002. On August 25, 2001, he was a recipient of the 2001 Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas Award presented to him by the Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Filipinas (UMPIL).---August 26, 2003

Brown Out

brown out---
wet
match sticks
***Melcichon
May 23, 2014

Paeaabutong Limog

Paeaabutong Limog
Ni Teo S. Baylen
Gin-Inakeanon ni Melchor F. Cichon
July 27, 2014

Paagtuna ring pini-ino igto
Sa madugong daean ku atong siglo;
Masub-eang mo ro sangka panahon
Nga gapaagto riya nga may daeang pilang pangutana.
Raya baea ro eugta nga paeanoblion ko
Nga gina-estaran it kaeayo ag taeum?
Raya baea rang paeanoblion nga akong araduhon
Nga sang tumpok nga abo ag gangangang eueobngan?
Raya baea ro kalibutang binutong kon siin
It kariton ku inyong Tikong Pag-ugwad?
Raya baea ro bunga it Arte ag Sensya?
Raya baea ro paeanoblion nga sibilisasyon?
Ruyon baea ro patag ag rato baea ro bukid
Nga akong maabutang uling eon ag tuod?
Raya baea ro katapusan ku katuyuan it Ginoo
Tag ro unang tawo hay abutan it piko?
Ruyon baea ro bukid nga owa't natumpok
Kundi mga bagoe it mga kaigbataan?
Binaog ku inyong balang makakamatay
Ag owa't hilamon nga makaugat?
Hub-eas ag gutom, maeang piniino,
Kapaslawang pagsaling ag gubang pag-eaum,
Raya baea ro akong paeanobliong mabuoe
Nga haaywan ku inyong taeamnan ag sumpa?
O mga pumueoyo ku rayang siglo
Nga baeasueon it mga inapo;
Ano sa paeabuton ring isabat
Sa pagbasoe ku mga masunod kimo?

Morning Glory

morning glory--
suddenly
a dark cloud passes by
***Melcichon
July 25, 2014

White Rose

White Rose--
he feels the breeze
as he finds his grail
***Melcichon
July 21, 2014

Writing a Tanka

writing a tanka
for our diamond anniversary
but a mosquito
was busy swimming
in my cup of coffee
***Melcichon
August 28, 2013

Like A White Rose

3:00 p.m. Shadow

3:00 p.m. shadow--
the weight of his hanging body
on a branch
***Melcichon
July 17, 2014

Reminding Her

reminding her of her promise--
she mellowed down
her voice
***Melcichon
July 16, 2014

Golden Grains

golden grains--
she holds my hand
as we pass through the ricefield
***Melcichon, July 15, 2014

Limog it Sangka Ati

Limog it Sangka Ati

Ni Melchor F. Cichon

Maeapad nga kaeanasan rang hasayran.

Owa’t eabot ro mga kabukiran

Kon siin ako libre gapangayam.

Nakapaligos man ako sa Akean

Bag-o pa man kaabot ro mga putian.

Nagapailig ako it botong halin sa bukid

Hasta sa Kalibo kon siin rang gamut ginabaylo

Sa asin, sa ibis, sa dayok nga madaea ko

Sa amon nga maeamig nga baryo.

Pero pag-abot it mga putian,

Rang kalibutan hay gin-islan:

Bukon eon kuno ako ro dag-ana

It mga kaeanasan ag mga kabukiran.

Indi eon kuno ako makakaingin,

Indi man kuno ako makapangaeam

Kon siin rang mga kagueangan natawo

Ag kon siin man ako natawo.

Kon tueokon mo ako maskin ano kataeum,

Indi magbaylo rang kueong nga buhok

O rang itom nga panit.

Paris kimo, kon indi mo ako pagbatunon nga tawo

Indi man ako mabaylo.

Rang kanta maskin ano ka baskog

O maski ano kanami

Indi mo man gihapon pagpamatian

Ay imo man lang nga ginabungoe-bungoean.

May aton man kuno nga gobyerno

Agod ro tanan hay taw-an it katarungan;

Pero ham-at kon kami gusto magsueod sa mga istablisimento

Indi pa ngani kami kaabot sa gate ginatabog eon kami it mga guard.

May aton man kuno nga mga laye

Agod ro tanan hay may kaginhawahan;

Pero ham-at ro iba may bugas, may suea

Samtang kami katueok eang?

Morning After

morning after--
he plants his seeds
in a virgin forest
***Melcichon, July 13, 2014

Two Full Moons

Two Hearts