Tubig

malungkot ang gabi

tila nakikiayon

sa aking nararamdaman

napakadilim ng kalangitan

ang mga bituin

ay nagsipagtago

at pati ang buwan ay nakiisa

sa mga ulap

ay ikinanlong

ang taglay nitong liwanag.

kumidlat

kumulog

bumuhos ang ulan

kasabay ng paglandas

ng mga luha sa aking pisngi.

sumisigid ang lamig

sa aking paanan

ay malayang

nakikipaglaro ang alon

hindi katulad ko.

malupit ang mundo

wala na akong lakas pang lumaban

nasaid na

sa kung ilang taon ko ring

pakikipaghamok

sa mga unos ng buhay.

hayan na ang tubig

niyayapos

ang pagal kong katawan

ang tubig

na hanggang sa huling sandali

ng malungkot kong buhay

ay aking kaulayaw

hindi na nga lang ngayon

sa anyo

ng mga luha.

----------
H2O
the night is lonely

seemingly agreeing

to how i feel

the sky is too dark

ominous

the stars refuse to shine

and even the moon

is in connivance

as it chooses

to hide itself

beneath the clouds.

lightning

precedes the clap

of thunder

the same instance

when tears

stream down my cheeks

the coldness of the night

is seeping

down to my bones

on my feet

the waves

ricochet

against the shoreline

freely

so very unlike me.

the world is cruel

harsh

i don't have the strength

anymore

to continue fighting

for my strength

has been sucked out of me

drained

from fighting

too many

of life's battles.

here goes the water

embracing

my exhausted self

the water that

until the very end

of my sad life

has been

my constant companion

but now

not in the form

of tears.

=================

"Tubig" or "Water" is the only Filipino poem that I ever wrote, written when I was twelve. Inspiration struck one night when the world was asleep and the kindred soul in me lay awake. The English translation was written in March this year.