New Hope

New Year--
even the bunker-oil covered seagrass
struggles to grow new leaf

Alone, I Left

alone, I left
alone
I will go home

Exams

exams--
tired of sending money,
go home

Christmas 2006

Christmas 2006
alone
with my flower horns

Bangud sa Yuhum Mo

Photo: Edna Romulo Laurente Faral
bangud sa yuhom mo
halipatan ko
rang baling tagipusuon

Bag-ong Dag-on

Bag-ong Dag-on
ginpabagay kakon ni Tatay
rang gitara

Bagyo Seniang

Hardin

Inay,
why are the weeds
overcrowding in our garden?



Photo: Edna Romulo Laurente Faral

Sikaeum

Photo: by Edna Romulo Ricafuente Faral

Sa Kagang It Sampaguita

at Sampaguita's branch
black ant
crawls fast

Photo Credit: Edna Romulo Laurente Faral

Typhoon Seniang

Typhoon Seniang
Boracay kneels
without question

Gahinay Nga Agoniyas

gakilo-kilo nga kingke--
gahinay nga gahinay
nga agoniyas

Tama Nga Rason

tama nga rason--
disturbo gid matuod
ro klase sa barkada

Mayad Nga Unga

mayad nga unga--
nagpaligos sa Akean
embes magsueod sa klase

Christmas Eve

Christmas eve--
I saw Mommy kissing
another Daddy

Income

he earns
less
than she spends in bingo

Bao

pagkatapos it baha--
ginpakueob
ku unga ro bao

Ripples In An Old Creek

summer—
a duck leaves
ripples in an algae-filled creek

Kapayas

gadungok
ro dueaw nga dahon it kapayas
sa asul nga kaeangitan

Photo Credit: Edna Laurente Faral

Gourami

gourami--
ginpabay-ang mamaehan
sa eutay

Breaking A Boulder

after breaking a boulder
into stones,
he smiles

Regular Employee II

she comes in
on the dot,
mostly, on the line

Regular Employee

she times out
on the dot, she times in
on the line

Deathbed

deathbed--
buyti eang ako
mabuhi ako

Eutay

tig-ueoean--
sa gihapon
mapilit ro suman

Office Weather

after hurling her papers--
the office weather
gets cool

Typhoon Seniang

Typhoon Seniang--
it reminds Boracay
to think of Him

Typhoon Reming

windy night--
too many young mango fruits
in the streets

Droplets

imagining
connecting the droplets
on her window

Typhoon Reming

Typhoon Reming--
it leaves
without shedding a tear

No Way Out

Iloilo River--
no way out
from the fish corrals

Mayor's Birthday

mayor's birthday--
the president did not pass
Nanga Bridge

Adlaw It Mga Minatay

Adlaw it mga Minatay--
tuba ag maeam-an
sa altar para kay Tatay

Mudflow

mudflow sa Guinubatan, Albay--
nagtawag si Lola
sa nanay na

Hinyo

hinyo sa adlaw
sa anang pagtunod--
magbuteak ka eagi ha