"Pagsakay sa Tren"

Daíng giróng an istasyón.

Alágad an nagkakápirang mga daghán

igwáng pag-alángan, tibáad,

huli sa mga bábayáan

o mga aabtan. Asín mamansayan

an nagbábaklay pang bulan

sa ibábaw kan mga kabukídan,

mga niyugán, o madidiklóm

pang mga badáng na tibáad man

daí na liwát magudák o matanumán,

minsán sa likód kan panátang

mabalik liwát. Minákusog

an mga buót huli ta malulúya

pa an dagubdób kan paabúton na tren

asín man an hinghíng pang pagsilbáto.

Harayô pa, harayô pa.

Alágad igwáng tikbá, o pùngáw

sa huring kugos o huring hadók

sa namúmùtan. Alágad,

pag sinasarà na kan kakahúyan

an tingráw kan tren

na minápasilyab sa mga kabóg

na nagrúrulupádan, mináiktin

an mga bitís, dagos kapót

sa mga daradára, patí naman

sa daghán na uróg pang

panô nin bagáhi—agóm, akì,

tugang, katúod, girumdóm

asín an sadíring haróng.

Asín sa pag-abót kan tren,

pagdangádang sa andén,

mináiba an kulór kan kublít,

nagígin siring iní sa buláwan—

mináliwánag an lawog

siring sa nakapintáng kaugmáhan.

Tibáad nakahilíng sa padúdumanan

na sa paghunà harayúon na marháy.

Asín an pag-akò mináabot.

Susundan nin sinublían na kurugusán

o luhang ngunyán saná maturò.

Paáram. Sa liwát. Asín an makina

ma-áyon sa nakákabungog niyáng silbáto.

(English)

"Before Boarding the Train"

The train station is quiet.

But there are some hunches

of hesitation, perhaps

because of those they will leave behind

or where they will arrive.

And they will watch the moon still waxing

over the mountains,

coconut groves, or the still dark

plains which perhaps

will not be cultivated or tilled again,

despite the promise

of homecoming. They gain resolve

for the rumbling

of the coming train is still faint

and its whistling a whisper.

It is still far, far still.

But there is fear, or ache

for the last embrace or kiss

of the beloved. But

once the trees filter

the sheen of the train

which sparks the fruit bats

to flutter, the feet stir

and they hold on

to their luggage, and also

their breasts which are more

laden with weight—spouse, child,

sibling, friend, memories

and one’s own home.

And when the train comes,

as it nears the platform,

the skin changes,

it becomes like gold—

the visage sparkles

like a painted joy.

Perhaps looking at the direction

one assumes is so distant.

And then the acquiescence.

Next will be the borrowed embraces

or tears that will only fall now.

Goodbye. Till next time. And the engine

merges with its deafening whistle.

Pagsakay sa Tren (Before Boarding the Train) is a poem in the Bikol language from V.D.T. Nierva's first book 'Antisipasyon'. The piece is read by the author.

"Isla"

Sa kagagapuán na pampáng

kainíng isla, nápaísip akó

kun idtóng mga istórya

tutúo: mga surat

na linaóm sa bote na nakákaabot

sa saróng baybáyon halì sa sarô pa.

Nápaísip man ako

sa karaníhan—bakô, bakóng

karayúan—kainíng

mga isla na nahíhiling ko;

mga parabarútong sabát sa balúd

minádara satô, asín ngunyán, kitá

minátiklop asín nagígin mga surat

nakalaóm sa mga bote o barúto.

Sa sarô pang baybáyon,

tibáad sa bakô nang magapô,

minaláom kitá na akúon

asín basáhon asín rimpusón.

(English)

"Island"

Along the rocky shores

of this island, I wonder

if those stories

are true: letters

in bottles reaching

one shore from another.

I wonder, too,

of nearness—no, not

distances—between

these islands that I see;

boatmen brave waves

ferrying us, so that now, we

fold and turn into letters

kept in bottles or boats.

On another shore,

perhaps a smoother one,

we hope to be received

and read and kept.

Isla (Island) is a poem in the Bikol language from V.D.T. Nierva's first book 'Antisipasyon'. The piece is read by the author.

"Pagpulî"

Iinútan ko an maagahón

tangáning abúton an inot na turáok

kan mga manók ni tatay. Idtóng

daí nindá maáaráman

o marirísa na akó nag-abót na

asín nasa laóg na kan haróng.

Iinútan ko an dikítdikit

na pagliwánag kan langit

asín an pagmatá kan banwáan.

Buót ko na mainot akó

sa pagkaràkarâ kan binúbukasan

na radyo o binúbuklat na diyáryo.

Iinútan ko an inot na gios

kan mga guráng asín mga akì,

malihip tangáning daí makaribaráw.

Huli ta an buót kong mangyári

magmatá sindáng garó kaibá

nindá akó kan nakaáging banggí.

(English)

"Coming Home"

I will come before dawn

to hear the first crow

of father’s cocks. So that

they will neither know

nor feel my arrival

and that I am already at home.

I will come before the skies

slowly brighten before

the town rises up from slumber.

I want to be there before the sound

of the radio being switched on

or a newspaper being opened.

I will come before the first stir

of my folks and my siblings,

and be still to not disturb them.

Because what I want is this:

that they wake up as if

I were with them last night.

Pagpuli (Coming Home) is a poem in the Bikol language from V.D.T. Nierva's first book 'Antisipasyon'. The poem is read by the author.

"Antisipasyón"

Igwá nin halabáon na panahón

sa pag-ultánan kan paghalát asín kan pagdatóng—

arog kan mga huring aldáw kun saín

an tag-ínit nagígin urán.

Kun pànóng an tubig, haros,

nasa satóng mga palad o, garó mga kristál,

minádukot sa satóng mga buhok, haros—

haros saná, asín mayò pa.

(English)

"Anticipation"

There is a very long time

between waiting and coming—

like the last few days that turn

summer into rain.

How we feel the water, almost,

in our palms; crystal-like,

clinging to the strands of our hair, almost—

almost, and yet not there.

Antisipasyon (Anticipation) is a poem in the Bikol language from V.D.T. Nierva's first book 'Antisipasyon'. The pience is read by the author.