autumn equinox—
yeengas ko’y ugto
na Hiroshima
Osakikamijima—
siamaplon kupbang
pakalab ed pugaro
kasumpal na andukey ya akar
tsaa ed kabuasan
yaong na siryal
ambetel a labi—
say kasulawan
na dala’n bulan
makitir a dalan
ed kastilio na Iwakuni—
ngarem na amian
banua na Oktobri—
anggapo’y awit dan balita ira’y matatken lan wawak
para ed sika, Sadako
sanlibon tagak
tan sanlibo ni…
dia’d Hiroshima
say andukey ya amputin dalan na kareenan
dagem na lagas—
eyag na wawak
manlalapu’d arawin pugaro
…
makakailiw ak la’d luyag ko
patanir la
Osakikamijima
…
say petang
ed lagas a baog ko
saray angob to
…
(para ed sensei Kinoshita Keisuke)
anggapo’y iyan a losor
labi
anlong tan ‘sake’
***
autumn equinox—
breathing the afternoon
of Hiroshima
Osakikamijima—
ninety-nine steps
up to the hill
after the long walk
morning tea
bowl of cereal
cold night—
the fullness
of the blood moon
a narrow path
to Iwakuni Castle—
afternoon breeze
October sun—
old crows bring no news
for you, Sadako
a thousand cranes
and a thousand…
in Hiroshima
the long white road to peace
autumn wind—
crows cry
from a distant hill
…
missing my home
sayonara
Osakikamijima
…
the warmth
on my autumn skin
her kisses
…
(for sensei Kinoshita Keisuke)
an empty cup
night
poetry and ‘sake’
Translated by the author from the Pangasinan language and transcreated by Veronica Golos and Catherine Strisik