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Melchor F. Cichon
An Aklanon Poet
by Peter Solis Neri
Panay News, Iloilo City
February?, 2006
By
profession, Mel Cichon is a librarian. He is the head librarian of the
College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of the Philippines
in the Visayas based in Miag-ao, Iloilo.
But
Mel is also serious about writing poetry. In addition, he likes to
write profiles of successful people, and local history. He claims that
most of his published works were written while traveling from Iloilo
City to Miag-ao, and back.
Melchor
F. Cichon was born to a poor family. Although his father was the
municipal treasurer in the town of Lezo in Aklan, feeding and sending to
school eight children proved too much for the older Cichon. To make it
worst, Mel’s mother was sickly so she had to be constantly admitted to
the Aklan Provincial Hospital.
Growing
up in such impoverished conditions greatly affected Mel’s studies. In
fact, while in the elementary, he had to repeat Grade 5 because he could
hardly read. But that incident encouraged him to value his studies even
more. So after two more years, he graduated from Lezo Elementary
School.
Then,
he had to stop schooling because his parents could not afford to send
him to high school. Fortunately, his elder brother Manuel found
employment at Zamboanga General Hospital in Zamboanga City. Upon
learning that Mel was out of school, he encouraged his brother to go to
Zamboanga to continue his studies. And that’s how Mel graduated first
Honorable Mention at the Mindanao Regional School of Fisheries in Rio
Hondo, Zamboanga City.
It
was in Zamboanga that Mel realized that he had an inclination to
creative writing, especially in Filipino. When his English teacher
learned about it, Mel was chosen as one of the staff members of their
school organ.
Because
there were no other colleges of fisheries in the Philippines then
(1963), his parents decided that Mel would go to UP Diliman.
It
was in Diliman that Mel’s interest in writing was developed. Instead of
joining student organizations, he spent most of his time in the library
reading books, magazines, journals or just anything to improve his
vocabulary, and to learn the techniques in writing. To test his skills,
he would send letters to the editors of the various national newspapers
like Manila Times, Manila Chronicle, and magazines like Focus
Philippines, Philippines Free Press. He also sent poems and letters to
the editor of the Philippines Collegian.
Most
of his letters and poems were rejected by the editors. But some were
lucky to be published. Thus, he saw his byline in the Philippines Free
Press, Weekly Graphic Magazine, Mod, and in the Philippine Collegian.
Because
his parents could hardly send his monthly allowance, Mel had to work a
little harder than most. His first employment was at the canteen of the
Narra Residence Hall, one of the dormitories in UP Diliman. There, he
would serve rice to the students at dinner time. His duty at the canteen
would start from 5 pm, and end at around 8 pm, Mondays to Fridays. He
did not receive any compensation, he said, but he had free breakfast,
lunch, dinner, and merienda from Monday to Sunday. That solved his food
problem.
After
working at the Narra Residence Hall for one year, he was transferred to
the UP Main Library. It was at the UP Main Library that Mel was exposed
to so many reading materials, including those that were not open to the
general public. It was also in that library that he met many editorial
staff of the Philippine Collegian. Through his connection with them, he
was able to publish the first and only Aklanon poem ever published in
the famous student newspaper. It was entitled “Inay.”
It
was also in the UP Main Library where he met Mithi, the son of Teo
Baylen, the poet laureate from Cavite. Through Mithi, his poem “Oyster”
was first published in a book, Kalabaw at Buffalo.
Mel
credits his mother as the first influence in his writing. “Although my
mother could hardly read and write, she taught me some songs like Ahay
Kalisod and Dandansoy. The rhymes of the lyrics of these songs stayed
with me until now.” Mel also adores Robert Frost. “His poem, The Road
Not Taken, looks so simple and yet so meaningful. So I said I want to
write poems of this kind, simple yet with deep meaning.”
But
the person who greatly influenced Mel was Dr. Leoncio Deriada, the
Palanca Hall Famer and Metro Bank Awardee. “It was Dr. Deriada who
practically twisted my arms to improve my writing skills. It was he who
encouraged me to join creative writing workshops. It was he who
encouraged me to send my works to various magazines and to join poetry
contests. In short, it was Dr. Deriada who molded me as a poet.”
Mel
has won several regional and national awards. Some of his works include
Ham-at Madueom Ro Gabii [Bakit Madilim ang Gabi?] (1992), Haiku, Luwa
and other Poems by Aklanons (2005), and Philippine Oddities. He
co-edited the special Aklanon issue of Ani, a literary journal of the
Cultural Center of the Philippines, and the pamphlet, ILA Lang Na Tanan
(aton man ina gihapon…) 2002 of the Ilonggo Literature Archive, Inc.
Mel
is also the co-author of the first extensive book on Katipunan in Aklan
published by the National Historical Commission. He maintains the
website, Aklanon Literature
(http://www.geocities.com/aklanonliterature).
Mel’s
awards include: First prize, 1994 Home Life Poetry Contest; First
Aklanon CCP grantee for Aklanon poetry, 1994; First prize, regional
poetry contest sponsored by Sentro Ng Wikang Pilipino, UP in Visayas,
2002; First Aklanon recipient of Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas
Award presented by the Unyon ng Manunulat sa Filipinas, 2001.
Mel
was a UNDP-NSTA-UP fellow to a one-year Post Graduate Training Course
for Information Specialists in Southeast Asia, in Diliman, Quezon City
in 1982. On July 22, 2004, he received the Chancellor’s Award as the
Most Outstanding REPS (Research, Extension and Professional Staff) of
the University of the Philippines in the Visayas.
Currently.
Mel is enjoying writing Aklanon luwa, haiku and other poems. Some of
his haiku can be read in his blog, http://anahawleaf.blogspot.com. Mel
also writes profiles and other articles on fisheries and other topics.
These can be seen in http://www.goodnewsphilippines.com.
“I
usually write my poems while riding on our shuttle bus from Iloilo City
to Miag-ao, and vice-versa. And then when I reach home, I revise them,
once or more times. But before I begin to write, I first read poems or
any other reading materials. This way, my mind is tickled, and then I
compose my own poems.”
As
to that boy who had to repeat Grade 5 because he could hardly read,
well, he grew up to finish his Master’s Degree in Management from UP
Visayas in 1982, and Master in Library Science from UP Diliman in 1986.
Melchor F. Cichon is a librarian by profession. But guess what? The librarian is also a poet!
Haiku by Melchor F. Cichon
rainy afternoon
a spoonful of sunshine
between dawn and dusk
***
cool morning—
the smell of garlic bread
reaches the street boy
***
Sunday morning—
A boy digs in the mud
That buried a cathedral
(Published in Heron’s Nest, September 2002.)
A Letter
John,
I will definitely go home
To our house
Where we can see the clouds
Through the roof.
I'm fed up
With the twinkling neon lights,
But I have not yet paid
For the earrings that I got
From Mama San.
I need them so my tinkling
Will be louder and my hips
Will be heavier.
Don't worry, John,
This Christmas
You and I will create a moon
And through the roof
We two alone
Will grasp its light.
Ana
(1st Prize Winner, Homelife Poetry Contest, 1994)
Ham-at Madueom Ro Gabii, Inay?
Inay, ham-at madueom ro gabii?
May buean, Toto, ugaling may galipud nga gae-um.
Inay, ham-at madueom ro gabii?
May bombilya ro mga poste't Akelco,
Ugaling may brown-out.
Inay, ham-at madueom ro gabii?
Ginsinindihan ko ro atong kingke,
Ugaling ginapinaeong it hangin.
Inay, ham-at madueom ro gabii?
Toto, matueog ka eon lang
Ay basi hin-aga temprano pa
Magsilak ro adlaw.
Indi, 'Nay ah!
Sindihan ko't uman ro atong kingke.
EVA, SI ADAN
Bangud ginabot ka eang kuno sa gusok ni Adan
Agud may anang hampang-hampangan,
Maistorya-istoryahan ag mapautwas-utwasan
Sa oras nga anang kinahangean
Hay abu eon nga ngaean
Ro andang ginsueat sa imong daean:
Salome, Magdalena, Maria Clara, Bagyo Esyang.
Bangud mahuyang kuno ring dughan,
Maski ro bagyo nga makaeuka't butong
Ag makapaeunod it barko
Hay ginapapangaean man gihapon kimo.
Pero owa madumdumi't mga eaki
Nga maski si Mark Anthony
Hapatiyog-tiyog ni Cleopatra
Maski sa guwa it kama.
Owa nanda madumdumi nga si Gabriela gali
Ro nagpahaba't daean ni Diego Silang.
Ag sa Edsa kon owa ring kaeambong
Maghigot it rosas sa punta't armalite ni Freddie
Hay basi owa si Cory makasindi't kandila
Sa ermita't Malakanyang.
Mayad gid sanda magpalitik kon paano
Ka eang mapasunod-sunod sa andang ikog.
Owa gid sanda gapalitik kon paano mor magamit
Tanan ring utok, wawas ag hueag
Para kita tanan makatakas sa linaw it utang.
Owa ka gid kuno't kalibutan
Sa pagdumaea't gobyerno o simbahan.
Mayad ka eang kuno maghibi-hibi, magkiri-kiri
Kon magumon ring hilo sa imong saeag-utan.
Kon abu ring hasayran ag kon maghambae ka't
Kontra sa sueondan nga anda man nga hinimuan
Isaea ka ka amasona ag dapat eang nga isilda.
O kon bukon ngani myembro ka't grupo ni Brainda.
Eva, tupong gid eang kamo ni Adan
Sa tanan nga lugar, sa tanan nga butang.
Kon ham-at imo imaw nga ginapagustuhan?
O gusto mo gid eang nga ipadumdom
Nga kon ham-at makapalingkod imaw it leon
Hay ikaw ro anang kaibahan.
SI AMBONG, ATI
Si Ambong, Ati—maitum.
Kueong ra buhok, gision ra eambong, ga siki.
Gakung-kong, kung-kong ka maeupsi nga eapsag
Gapakalimos sa Jaro Cathedral, sa J.M. Basa Street
Ay gintabog eon ra pamilya sa eugta nga anay ginaayaman nanda’t haeo.
Si Ambong, Ati, maitum, indi kantigo magbasa, indi kantigo magsueat
Maski ka anang ngaean ay sa andang barangay owa’t eskuylahan.
Si Ambong, Ati, ginasinggit-singgitan, ginadela-delaan
It mga unga kun imaw mag-agi sa daean ay maitum.
Ginapahadlok it mga nanay sa andang gatangis nga mga unga.
O sa mga unga nga indi magtueog.
Kon fiesta, ginataw-an si Ambong it salin nga suea
Ginasueod sa plastic o sa bag-ong bukas nga lata.
Kun bukon ngani, ginabagsakan it gate.
Agod makayupyop it sigarilyo, gapamueot si Ambong it upos sa kalye.
Agod makasamit it hamburger o juice sa pakite,
Ginapaeapitan ni Ambong ro nagakaon maski sin-o nga anang maagyan.
Pag-abot it gabii, maeugad si Ambong sa sidewalk o sa waiting shed
Kahulid ka anang maeupsing eabsag—
Mayad eang kun may karton nga banig ag owa’t baha o uean --
Agod magbaskug euman ra tuhod sa pagpakalimos pagka-aga.
Si Ambong, Ati—maitum. Ra ele-ele, ra hibi, ra pangamuyo
Indi mabatian, indi mabatyagan it gobyerno sa siyudad it tawo.
Ra singgit it tabang hay singgit sa Pluto.
Si Ambong, Ati-- maitum, indi makit-an it atong gobyerno.
Kon Dinagyang, sa selebrasyon etsa pwera si Ambong.
Eutay kuno imaw sa mga bisitang dumueo-ong.
Si Ambong, maitum, ginatabog it blue guard
Bag-o pa man imaw maka-eapak sa gate it Atrium ag SM Shoemart
Kunta may Gloria nga magbatak kay Ambong sa libtong it kaimueon
Agod sa ulihi ro gobyerno may buwes nga masukot kay Ambong;
Agod sa ulihi makabakae man imaw it Levis o barong
Agod sa ulihi makaeskuyla man sa U.P. ra mga inapo;
Agod sa ulihi owa kana’t magtamay, owa’t magtabog
Kon imaw mag-agto sa SM City ag sa Atrium.
Si Ambong, Ati--Maitum. Apo ni Maniwantiwan.
Ag Filipino. Pares kimo, pares kakon.
Kon ham-at owa imaw sa listahan it mga Filipino nga dapat buligan?
Kon ham-at indi imaw makasueod sa atong ugsaran?
Kon ham-at indi naton imaw maagbayan?
Kon ham-at indi imaw makadungan katon magkaon sa restauran?
Siyudad man baea ra’t tawo, indi baea, banwa? Indi baea, banwa? |
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