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Saturday, July 31, 2010

Ro Ginhalinan It Mga Alibangbang

Ro Ginhalinan it mga Alibangbang
Gin-sueat it Oman ni Lolo Maeara
July 31, 2010

Kato anay, may sangka magueang nga baye nga naga-estar maeapit sa pangpang it Akean. Sa ana nga harden may mga manami imaw nga mga rosas, rosal, orkids, ag iba pa nga mga manami nga bueak. Raya nga lugar hay perming gina-agtunan it mag-asawang manugbaligya it isda agod magbaylo it bueak.

Kon gabii, perming makita ku mag-asawa ngara nga sobra kahayag ro harden ku rayang magueang. Ag permi pa nanda nga magit-an nga may dwende nga nagabulig sa gwapahon nga daeaga nga nagaatinder sa kabueakan.

Sangka adlaw, may daywang magnobyong pamatan-on nga nagbisita sa lugar it magueang. Masyado sanda ka bugaeon ag agig sanda sa mga butang nga owa’t sayod. Hakita nanda ro mga manami nga kabueakan ku magueang ag nagpupu sanda’t bueak. Gin-akigan sanda it magueang ag ginhambaean nga maghalin. Pero embes nga maghalin, ginsinunlog pa nanda imaw. nga maeaw-ay.

Sa kaakig, binakulo sanda ku magueang ag ginhambaean nga bangod gusto nanda ro mga manami nga mga pagkabutang, ginhimo sanda nga alibangbang.
Sa masunod nga makakita kamo it daywang manami nga mga alibangbang nga nagapaeapit sa bueak, panumdumon ninyo ratong daywang bastos nga pamatan-on.

The Race

Thursday, July 29, 2010

After the Recital

after the recital--
mother catches
my tears

Maeara
July 29, 2010

MWSS Bosings

MWSS bosings--
P211.5 million nga bunos
maea nga gripo

Maeara
July 29, 2010

Source: http://dateline.ph/?p=4641

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Tambak-Tambak Nga Bugas

tambak-tambak nga bugas
ginaueod sa bodega
gutom si Lola

Maeara
July 27, 2010

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Baha sa Karsada

uean--
mabaho it gas
ro baha sa karsada

Maeara
July 25, 2010

Wet Market

wet market--
the floor sweeper
changes his broom

Maeara
July 25, 2010

Waves

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Manubo nga Buean

manubo nga buean--
ro kahumot it kape
owa imaw sa lamesa namon

Maeara
July 21, 2010

Full Moon


--Model: Shiela Jamolo

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Sandra

Monday, July 19, 2010

Tears on the Bed

at her laughter's end
tears dropping
on the bed

Maeara
July 19, 2010

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Baeanaw sa Karsada

hanging tig-ilinit
gakatunaw
ro baeanaw sa karsada

Maeara
July 18, 2010

Sa Eamay

ugsad
ginputos ni Nanay ro tinapay
sa eamay

Maeara
July 18, 2010

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Tuktukon nga Bunit

salikaeum
gin-islan ni Yoyo
ra tuktukon nga bunit

Maeara
July 17, 2010

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Bagyo Basyang

Bagyo Basyang--
gapanilong ako
sa nagatueo nga overpass

July 13, 2010

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Kunta Iya Imaw

kunta iya imaw--
ginahimas-himas ko
rang cellphone

In Boiling Oil

in boiling oil--
shrimps straighten their bodies
lunch time

Maeara
July 11, 2010

Daybreak

daybreak—
her embrace
is tightier now

Maeara
July 13, 2010

Pagkurap Ko

pagkurap ko--
knock down
si Bernabe Concepcion

Friday, July 09, 2010

Gaani't Paeay

Tatay, Nanay, Lola
sa among eanas
gaani't paeay

Tongue Twister

Kon tig-ueoean nagadanlog ro daean sa kaeanasan.

Tig-ueoean

tig-ueoean--
naggutok ro ospital
dengue

Maeara
July 9, 2010

Thursday, July 08, 2010

My Wife and I

my wife and I
holding hands, holding minds
full moon

Thursday, July 01, 2010

Funeral Parlor

funeral parlor--
a wife cannot see the body
of her husband

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Bagyo Frank

Bagyo Frank--
naduea ka man, Akean,
sa panan-awon namon

Uubo Lang

walang maiiwang
naninigarilyo--
yong uubo lang

Monday, June 28, 2010

Sunset

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Anointment

golden wedding anniversary--
their partial response
to His anointment

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Blue Sky

blue sky--
the bride goes home to her mother
the groom goes home to his mother

Maeara
June 25, 2010

Friday, June 25, 2010

After Elections

after elections--
promises
become after

Maeara
June 25, 2010

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Fireflies

summer--
no more mangroves
for the fireflies

Maeara
June 24, 2010

Sunset

sunset--
the orange skies move
under the still sea

Maeara
June 24, 2010

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Lunch Time

lunch time--
he eats slowly
to see more eye candies

Maeara
June 22, 2010

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Dr. Jose P.Rizal*

Dr. Jose P. Rizal--
your words and deeds
still words and deeds

*Today, June 19, 2010 is his birthday.

And It Rained

and it rained
rose petals
each with Her Image.

Maeara
June 19, 2010

Ili-Ili of the One Left Behind

By
Alex de los Santos


I am the land you left behind.
After you have plowed, combed,
Pulverized, sweated and planted it
With your pure seed,
Here I am alone.
You parted from me
To plow other’s land.

Our young child
Is looking for the dripping sweat
Of your strong fingers
And your brawny shoulder
That carries him
No matter how hard you try to stop him from crying
When he gets hungry.

My breast has dried up
Because of a long draught
It’s not enough that I just feed him fully
With a song: “Ili-ili sleep for the time being,
Your father is not here.”
Pretty soon, he will learn
To ask: “Why, Mother?”

Translated by Melchor F. Cichon
May 29, 2004

Monday, June 14, 2010

Dungdung

gapasueay
ro pantat--
dungdung

Maeara
June 14, 2010

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Kahilwayan Naton Makaron

Makaron nga adlaw kahilwayan naton
Pati ro mga tiktik ag mga wakwak sa karsada gahinugyaw
Pero kaabuan ku mga Filipino ro andang tiyan garebolusyon
Ag ro andang pini-ino sa sueod it inumok ku anay nagdumaea katon

Maeara
June 12, 2010

El Nino

El Nino
she performs
a rain dance

Maeara
June 13, 2010

Friday, June 11, 2010

Protest Rally

protest rally commotion--
someone starts singing
the Lupang Hinirang

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Wednesday, June 09, 2010

Town Fiesta

town fiesta--
the whole family
goes to the beach

Tuesday, June 01, 2010

Nagpaalam Ang Araw

nagpapaalam
ang araw
sa maalon na dagat

Monday, May 31, 2010

LRT Ride

LRT Ride--
passengers packed like
gravel and sand in a truck

Maeara
May 31, 2010
Makati City

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Her Embrace

her embrace--
warmer
than the sunshine

Melchor F. Cichon
May 27, 2010

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Ngayong Presidente Na Ako

ngayong presidente na ako--
hindi na bawal
manigarilyo sa Malacanang

Inch by Inch

inch by inch
my rice fields
turn into a river bank

Melchor F. Cichon
May 24, 2010

Monday, May 24, 2010

Pilma...

Life is Like



life is like
a
setting sun

Melchor F. Cichon
May 24, 2010

Friday, May 14, 2010

Elections Eve

Elections Eve
hundred-peso bills go
from house to house

Bang! Bang!

May 10, 2010 elections-
peaceful...
bang! bang!

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Keep Calm, My Child


Two mothers carrying their crying babies while waiting for their turns to cast their votes during the May 10, 2010 elections in the Philippines.

***
keep calm, my child--
Villar promises
to end poverty

Elections Over



elections over--
propaganda materials
still pasted on the walls

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Pagtueod Ku Gabii

Here is an Aklanon translation of my poem, Pushing The Night. It was translated by
Nynn Arwena G. Tamayo

Pagtueod Ku Gabii
ni Melchor F. Cichon

Makit-an mo imaw sa libot-libot
Eambong gunit-gunit, nakasiki
Nagatueod ku anang tiko nga karito
Sa pagpangita nga owa it daya
Sa bulag nga banwa.

Ginasindihan na ro kingki
Sa anang gabot-gabot nga baeay
Agud i-tueod ro gabii
Apang sige nga paeong ku hangin
Kaangay ku anang karito
Padayon ro anang pagtueod ku gabii
Agud mahangpan ro kaaganhon.

Passing Shadow

knife in hand
I go upstairs to see
the passing mysterious shadow

Monday, April 19, 2010

Political Butterflies

two political allies
now they bang
each other

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Impression

I heard a holy mass this morning at the SM City, Mandurriao, Iloilo City with Fr. Jonas Mijares as the celebrant.

This morning his homily focused on how we react to a person's actions.

And he classified them into three groups.

There are people who live by their first impressions.

And this impression is lasting. So we have to be careful with our actions, or words we say to our newly met person or group of persons because that impression will either be advantageous to us or not. If the impression is negative toward us, we will surely get a negative response from these people. They will be cold to us the next time we meet them. They will not cooperate with us. If the impression is positive, they will warmly welcome us, and they will easily cooperate with us.

But there are other people who live by their last chance. These are the people who give a chance to people who committed them a wrong doing. And always think that people will always realize their mistakes, and later on will correct them.

And there are still other people who live by indefinite chance, indefinite opportunity, indefinite boundary. These are the people who have big hearts, who live by the spirit of His words. These are the people always forgive and forget the wrongdoing they get from other people.

Now where do you belong?

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Rainy Days Are Coming

ants
climbing up the wall
rainy days are coming

Nasyon It Mga Politiko

nasyon it mga politiko
may ginsugid ka nga matuod
kaina sa rally?

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Kalantiaw Code

I am so honored that an eminent Philippine historian has quoted my poem and published it in a national newspaper, Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Below is my "haiku" that Ambeth R. Ocampo quoted in his article "Revisiting the Kalantiaw Hoax", in his column "Looking Back", Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A15, April 14, 2010. Unfortunately, he distorted the 3rd and 4th lines. He also said that this work is a haiku.

"Pag-agto ko sa Batan. Ha kita ko si Ambeth Ocampo. Ginpaeapitan na si Datu Kalantiaw. Nagkaea to ero an dangueo. (When I went to Batan, I saw Ambeth Ocampo. He approached Datu Kalantiaw. Both scratched their heads.)”

For the benefit of my readers, the above poem is a luwa and not a haiku. Here is the correct version:

Pag-agto ko sa Batan
Hakita ko si Ambeth Ocampo
Ginpaeapitan na si Datu Kalantiaw
Nagkaeatoe ro andang ueo

In this particular article, he said that "Each semester when I discuss the pre-Spanish Philippines in my undergraduate classes, we all have a big laugh when we discuss the Code of Kalantiaw. For example: Rule III states that if you are excessively lustful you will be condemned to swim in the river for three hours for the first offense, and lacerated with thorns for the second!"

Of course, I did not have a big laugh when he said that the above poem is a haiku and when he distorted the Aklanon words. I pity him for his ignorance of our language, Aklanon, and our literature. I am afraid however when Aklanon words are distorted by a national figure like Mr. Ocampo and published them in a national newspaper like the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

I do not know if Mr. Ambeth Ocampo and his undergraduate students will have a giant laugh if they discuss the Code of Hammurabi.

Here are seventeen example laws, in their entirety, of the Code of Hammurabi, translated into English:

* If anyone ensnares another, putting a ban upon him, but he can not prove it, then he that ensnared him shall be put to death.

* If anyone brings an accusation against a man, and the accused goes to the river and leaps into the river, if he sinks in the river his accuser shall take possession of his house. But if the river proves that the accused is not guilty, and he escapes unhurt, then he who had brought the accusation shall be put to death, while he who leaped into the river shall take possession of the house that had belonged to his accuser.

* If anyone brings an accusation of any crime before the elders, and does not prove what he has charged, he shall, if a capital offense is charged, be put to death.

* If a builder builds a house for someone, and does not construct it properly, and the house which he built falls in and kills its owner, then the builder shall be put to death.(Another variant of this is, If the owner's son dies, then the builder's son shall be put to death.)

* If a son strike his father, his hands shall be hewn off.

* If a man give his child to a nurse and the child dies in her hands, but the nurse unbeknown to the father and mother nurses another child, then they shall convict her of having nursed another child without the knowledge of the father and mother and her breasts shall be cut off.

* If anyone steals the minor son of another, he shall be put to death.

* If a man takes a woman to wife, but has no intercourse with her, this woman is no wife to him.

* If a man strikes a pregnant woman, thereby causing her to miscarry and die, the assailant's daughter shall be put to death.

* If a man puts out the eye of an equal, his eye shall be put out.

* If a man knocks the teeth out of another man, his own teeth will be knocked out.

* If anyone strikes the body of a man higher in rank than he, he shall receive sixty blows with an ox-whip in public.

* If a freeborn man strikes the body of another freeborn man of equal rank, he shall pay one gold mina [an amount of money].

* If the slave of a freed man strikes the body of a freed man, his ear shall be cut off.

* If anyone commits a robbery and is caught, he shall be put to death.

* If anyone opens his ditches to water his crop, but is careless, and the water floods his neighbor's field, he shall pay his neighbor corn for his loss.

* If a judge tries a case, reaches a decision, and presents his judgment in writing; and later it is discovered that his decision was in error, and it was his own fault, he shall pay twelve times the fine set by him in the case and be removed from the judge's bench.

* If during an unsuccessful operation a patient dies, the arm of the surgeon must be cut off.

Sources:

http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/columns/view/20100413-264099/Revisiting-the-Kalantiaw-hoax
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_of_Hammurabi
Retrieved: April 15, 2010

P.S.

I lifted these reactions from the Facebook of Ambeth Ocampo (Retrieved: April 23, 2010):

Christine Mae F. Sarito I am just so proud that Mr. Melchor Cichon is mentioned in Prof. Ambeth's column today about the Kalantiao hoax...Mr. Cichon is one of the library personnel in the University of the Philippines Visayas Miagao, Iloilo Library where I finished college. Eventhough Prof. Ambeth may not be welcome in Aklan, I know for sure that he is more than welcome in other parts of the Philippines. My sister works in the condominium you are staying Professor, and I just so envy her every time she mentions that she's in speaking terms with you...I should have given my sister my copy of "Rizal Without the Overcoat" so that you may sign it Professor. ^_^Thank you very much for enlightening us with your researches. Truly, we are thankful that we have you in this lifetime.
See More

April 14 at 10:15pm

Al F. Dela Cruz

I beg to differ from your assumption, ma'am. Batan and its nearby municipalities are renown for its hospitality. Even the Augustinian missionaries had observed that during their time of evangelization, our forebears where the most hospitable, peace-loving, highly-cultured people in the peninsula (cf. R. Morales Maza's The Augustinians in Panay [... See More1987]). Of course, the professor is always welcome here in our place. We tolerate dissenting opinions even to the point that "mag kaea-eatoe ro among ueo" (our heads would be itchy).

April 16 at 8:48am · Report
Christine Mae F. Sarito

I wrote "eventhough Prof. Ambeth may not be welcome in Aklan" because it seems to be implied in the column. ^_^
I did not mean to generalize...

April 16 at 6:56pm · Report

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Alumni Reunion

Grand Alumni Reunion--
Are you Melchor?
Sorry, I'm Arnold.

Empleyado It Gobyerno

May kilaea ako nga empleyado
Kon sa tsimis daug pa ro radyo
Pero kon hanungod sa trabaho
Mas makupad pa sa bao.

Maeara
April 14, 2010

Monday, April 12, 2010

Grand Alumni Reunion




Grand Alumni Reunion--
smiling to fellow alumni
not knowing their names anymore

Melchor F. Cichon

Lezo Elementary School, now Lezo Integrated School Grand Alumni Reunion, April 9-10, 2010
Mr. Herbert Retonio, LES/LIS Alumni Association President delivers his message.

Monday, April 05, 2010

Aral Sea

Aral Sea--
once a fishing area
now a graveyard of ships

Sunday, April 04, 2010

Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday--
no one greets an Ati
Happy Easter

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Linigis Nga Daeaura

linigis nga daeaura--
owa gid gahueag
ro tubi sa Maeara

Monday, March 29, 2010

Retirement

retirement
midnight humps
created by hawks

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Clear Skies

clear skies
smoke and smog
in a city

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Boracay

Boracay--
indi makabati
kon tawgon nga Bora

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Sa Punta't Puso

sa punta't puso't saging--
nahueog ro
tun-og

Rang Lola

rang lola--
haeos pareho
ku letra C

Sa Idaeom It Rima

sa idaeom it rima
gapapueok
si Lolo ka daeag nga ilahas

Para Kay Bing

Kon ako eon lang nga isaea
Ag mahayag ro ugsad,
Ginapanumdom ko ikaw.
Ginapanumdom ko
Ro gabii nga daywa eang kita
Galingkod sa Tambak
Gatan-aw ku humbak
Nga gapaeapit katon.
Gapamati ku kanta it baeod
Nga amat-amat nga nagapalinong
Ku atong paminsaron.

Huo, ginapanumdom ko
Ro gabut-eak nga adlaw
Ag ro silak
Nga nagaharu katon
Sa adlaw-adlaw
Ag bisan ro asaw-asaw sa buean it Mayo
Ag ro bagyo kon Agosto.
Ginapanumdom ko.

Ag ginapanumdom ko
Ro oras nga maski mauean
Ginabakean mo ako't akong bueong
Ag maski madueomdueom pa hay ikaw gabangon
Agod ako hay eahaan it baeon.
Ginapanumdom ko ron.

Ginapanumdom ko
Ro atong mga unga sa anda nga pagdaeagko
Hasta mag-abot si Sean Marie sa atong euyo.

Raya tanan kon hidumdoman ko
Nagakaeaduea rang kahidlaw.
Rang kamingaw.
Rang kalipayan nagalig-on.

Pero kon umabot ro oras
Nga indi eon ako makadumdom,
Panumdumon mo man ako.

Aklan Independence Day

after three centuries--
Aklan breathes
freely

Monday, March 22, 2010

19 Martyrs of Aklan

Martyrdom of 19 Aklanons
gunfires awake
Aklanons

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Kon May Eleksiyon

Kon may eleksiyon,
Gaeuhod-euhod gid ro mga kandidato;
Kon una eon ngani sanda sa pwesto,
Indi eon haeos sanda makatueok katon.

Melchor F. Cichon

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Liberation of Panay

Liberation Of Panay
still fresh wound
in Lolo's memory

Sa Laban ni Manny Pacquiao

Sa laban ni Manny Pacquiao
sablay lahat
ang kumanta ng Lupang Hinirang

Where Is My Phone?!

cellphone conversation
where is
my phone?!

Monday, March 15, 2010

Ro Hangin

ro hangin
gabalik-balik
kaibahan ku plastik

Philippine National Anthem

Manny Pacquiao fight
the NHI's singer
sings the Philippine National Anthem

NHI (National Historical Institute)

After Pacquiao-Clottey Fight

after Pacquiao-Clottey fight
many Filipinos
got bored

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Pacquiao-Clottey Fight

Pacquiao-Clottey fight--
election campaigns
temporarily stopped

***March 14, 2010 in Texas, USA.
Manny won by unanimous decision.

Pacquiao's Fight

Pacquiao's fight--
holy morning mass
full pack church

Bonsai

bonsai--
Tay, will I grow
that small, too?

Philippine Summer

Philippine summer--
are we in Aklan
children?

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Motherhood

motherhood--
golden moments
with children...

Friday, March 12, 2010

Uean sa Marso

uean sa Marso--
nagbueongguan
ro mga bote sa kanae

Fishpond

fishpond--
fish kills
El Niño

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Staff Meeting

staff meeting--
nobody talks
but the boss

Cracked Ricefields

cracked ricefields--
clouds refuse
to touch each other

Election Period

election period--
a hand grenade explodes
in front of a mayor's bakeshop

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

March Shower

March shower
a heron
steps on my footstep

Ilabas

ilabas
sa sabaw ko
ro uyahon kang mahae

Tuesday, March 09, 2010

Lunch Time

lunch time--
a cat and a dog share
a dog's food

Monday, March 08, 2010

Dried Up

dried up
in Maeara*
the catfish


*Maeara is a man-made lake in Sta. Cruz, Lezo, Aklan.

Sunday, March 07, 2010

Killer Whale

killer whale--
he kills his trainor
inside a tank

Flowerhorn

Flowerhorn--
it jumps off
from the aquarium

Tuesday, March 02, 2010

Earthquake

earthquake
buildings collapse
tsunami--oh, my God!