Iyo an bangging udang bulan kan nahiling ko siya

An lalaking naghibi nin kalayo

Nagduman ako saiya asin naghapot kung tano

Iyan baga luha nin kamunduan?

O kaanggutan?

Dae siya nagsimbag

Mas dakol akong beses maghapot

Mas dakol na kalayo ang nagrarata sa saiyang mga mata

Asin nagpuon akong magngalas

Pigiisip kaya nyang natatakot ako?

Kan salog na nagkikinang na pula

Kan kadikluman ning bangging panginoron

Dae siya nagtatao sakuya nin simbag

Asin minumuya na itulod ako parayo

Alagad kaipuhan ko maaraman

May iba ibang klase nin kamunduan

Iba ibang klase ning kaanggutan

Asin pati gayod iba ibang klase ning kaogmahan

Naghiling sya sako kang maitomon nyang mga mata

Nagbubulos ning kalayo pasiring sa daga

Naghibi siya nin magkapirang panghabambuhay

Antos ang liwanag magluwas sa kapalibutan

Asin bigla na lang siyang nawara

Liban kang nagkalat na basang pula

Ang ebidensya kan saiyang pagkawara

Saaga mabalik ako

Asin sa masunod na banggi

Para haputon ang naghihibing lalaki

Anong igwa sa likod kan saiyang mga luha.

=——————————-=

It was a moonless night when I saw him

The man who cried fire

I went up to him and asked why

Were they tears of sadness?

Or anger?

He did not reply

The more I asked

The more fire fell from his eyes

And I began to wonder

Does he think I am frightened?

By the pool of glittering red

By the darkness of the night sky

He would not give me an answer

And sought to push me away

But I needed to know

There were different kinds of sadness

Different kinds of anger

And maybe even different kinds of joy

He looked at me with his jet black eyes

Pouring flames onto the ground

He wept for several eternities

Until the light broke from the horizon

And in an instant he was gone

With only a puddle of red

As evidence of his passing

Tomorrow I will return

And the night after that

To ask the crying man

What is behind his tears

=———————————=

*Central Bicol, commonly called Bicol  Naga, is the most-spoken language in the Bicol Region of southern Luzon, Philippines. It is spoken in the northern and western part of Camarines Sur, second congressional district of Camarines Norte, eastern part of Albay, northeastern part of Sorsogon, San Pascual town in Masbate, and southwestern part of Catanduanes. Central Bicol speakers can be found in all provinces of Bicol and it is a majority language in Camarines Sur.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Bicol Translation by Monmon Nietes

Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Monmon Nietes

Inongok Illustration by Joshua Hamangal
IG: https://www.instagram.com/ishart1228

*Note this story is in Cebuano

Mangiob niadtong gabhiuna nga nakita ko siya

Ang usa ka tawo nga nagluha ug kalayo

Giduol ko siya ug gipangutana’g ngano?

Nagdanguyngoy ba siya sa kasubo?

O kaligutgot?

Apan wala siya mutubag.

Sa pagpadayon ko’g pangutana

Mas nidaghan usab ang kalayo nga nidagayday gikan sa iyang mga mata

Ug ako nakahuna-huna

Nagtuo ba kini nga ako nahadlok kaniya?

Sa nagbaha niyang mga makalayo

Ngitngit ang langit niadtong taknaa

Ug wala akoy nakuha nga tubag gikan kaniya

Iya akong giabog pahilayo kaniya

Apan, gusto nakong masayod.

Adunay nagkadaiyang klase sa kasubo,

Nagkadaiyang klase sa kasuko,

Ug nakadaiyang klase sa kalipay.

Milantaw siya kanako nga itom ug mugto ang iyang mga mata

Samtang nagatulo ang kalayo sa yuta

Nagadanguyngoy siya sa dugay nang panahon

Hangtod nga ang kahayag mibiya na sa kalibutan

Ug sa usa ka pitik, siya nawagtang

Samtang nagpabilin ang lin-aw nga marka

Usa ka pamatuod kaniya.

Ug ugma mubalik ako puhon

Ug sa gabii sunod niana

Aron pangutan-on pag-usab ang tawo nga nagsagmuyo

Ug unsay hinungdan likod sa iyang mga luha.

=————————=

English Version

It was a moonless night when I saw him

The man who cried fire

I went up to him and asked why

Were they tears of sadness?

Or anger?

He did not reply

The more I asked

The more fire fell from his eyes

And I began to wonder

Does he think I am frightened?

By the pool of glittering red

By the darkness of the night sky

He would not give me an answer

And sought to push me away

But I needed to know

There were different kinds of sadness

Different kinds of anger

And maybe even different kinds of joy

He looked at me with his jet black eyes

Pouring flames onto the ground

He wept for several eternities

Until the light broke from the horizon

And in an instant he was gone

With only a puddle of red

As evidence of his passing

Tomorrow I will return

And the night after that

To ask the crying man

What is behind his tears

=——————————-=

*The Cebuano language, alternatively called Cebuan and also often colloquially albeit informally referred to by most of its speakers simply as Bisaya (“Visayan”, not to be confused with other Visayan languages nor Brunei Bisaya language), is an Austronesian regional language spoken in the Philippines by about 21 million people, mostly in Central Visayas, western parts of Eastern Visayas and most parts of Mindanao, most of whom belong to various Visayan ethnolingusitic groups, mainly the Cebuanos. It is the by far the most widely spoken of the Visayan languages, which are in turn part of wider the Philippine languages. The reference to the language as Bisaya is not encouraged anymore by linguists due to the many languages within the Visayan language group that may be confused with the term.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Cebuano Translation by Anelyne Ruflo
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Anelyne Ruflo

Inongok Illustration by Joshua Hamangal
IG: https://www.instagram.com/ishart1228

*Note this poem is in Tagalog

Wala ang buwan nang siya’y makita

Lalaking apoy ang iniluluha

Ako’y lumapit at inalam ang dahilan

Ito ba’y luha ng kalungkutan?

O kapootan?

Siya’y walang katugonan

Sa’king bawat pagtatanong

Kanyang naglalagabgab na pagluha’y humahalik sa lupa

Sa akin, naghari ang pagtataka

Aking pagkatakot, kanya bang iniisip?

Sa pula’t makinang na lawa

Sa kadiliman ng kalawakan

Ipinagkait niya sa’kin yaring kasagutan

At ninais na ako’y lumisan

Ngunit nais kong malaman

Iba’t ibang uri ng kalungkutan

Iba’t ibang uri ng kapootan

O maaaring ito’y iba’t ibang uri ng kagalakan

Itim niyang mga mata’y sa akin tumama

Bumuhos ang apoy at diniligan ang lupa

Pinahid niya nang walang katapusan

Hanggang sa liwanag ay gumuhit sa abot-tanaw

Sa isang iglap, siya’y naglaho

Tanging pulang lusak

Ang patunay ng kanyang paglisan

Bukas ako’y babalik

At kapag gabi ay dumating

Lalaki’y aking tatanungin

Ano’ng dahilan ng ‘yong mga luha

=—————=

English Version

It was a moonless night when I saw him

The man who cried fire

I went up to him and asked why

Were they tears of sadness?

Or anger?

He did not reply

The more I asked

The more fire fell from his eyes

And I began to wonder

Does he think I am frightened?

By the pool of glittering red

By the darkness of the night sky

He would not give me an answer

And sought to push me away

But I needed to know

There were different kinds of sadness

Different kinds of anger

And maybe even different kinds of joy

He looked at me with his jet black eyes

Pouring flames onto the ground

He wept for several eternities

Until the light broke from the horizon

And in an instant he was gone

With only a puddle of red

As evidence of his passing

Tomorrow I will return

And the night after that

To ask the crying man

What is behind his tears

=——————-=

Inongok Illustration by Joshua Hamangal
IG: https://www.instagram.com/ishart1228

*Note this story is in Kapampangan

Metung benging alang bulan anyang ikit ke

Itang lalaking tinangis api

Lepitan ke saka ke kitnangan bakit

Lua la bang lungkut den?

O lua lang mua mu?

E ya mekibat

Kontorung mengutang ku

Mas menulu ing api kareng mata na

Karin ku mipaisip

Aisip na kaya nung mengatakutan ko?

Miglawa nang malutu

Dinalumdum ne ing langit

Oneng ali ya pa din mekibat

Bagkus, tinapus naku pa palawut

Oneng kailangan kung abalu

Na ating miyayaliwang lungkut

Na ating miyayaliwang mua

Ampong sigurung miyayaliwang saya

Linawe naku kareng matuling nang mata

A manuling api king gabun

Menangis yang pilang alang anggang panaun

Anggang minaslag ya ing sulu king panakit ku king malawut

King metung iglap, mewala ne

Miglakwan yang malutung lawa

Katunayan na linabas ya

Pangabukas milbalik ku

Ampo keng benging kayari na ning bukas bengi

Bangkanita akutnan ke itang lalaki

Nung bakit ya manangis

=————————————-=

English Version

It was a moonless night when I saw him

The man who cried fire

I went up to him and asked why

Were they tears of sadness?

Or anger?

He did not reply

The more I asked

The more fire fell from his eyes

And I began to wonder

Does he think I am frightened?

By the pool of glittering red

By the darkness of the night sky

He would not give me an answer

And sought to push me away

But I needed to know

There were different kinds of sadness

Different kinds of anger

And maybe even different kinds of joy

He looked at me with his jet black eyes

Pouring flames onto the ground

He wept for several eternities

Until the light broke from the horizon

And in an instant he was gone

With only a puddle of red

As evidence of his passing

Tomorrow I will return

And the night after that

To ask the crying man

What is behind his tears

————————–————————–——————–

Inongok Illustration by Joshua Hamangal
IG: https://www.instagram.com/ishart1228

*Note this story is in Hiligaynon

Nakita ko siya sang kagab-ihon Kung diin wala ang bulan

Ang tinuga nga naga luha sang kalayo

Ging kadtuan ko siya kag namangkot

Luha bala ina sang kasubo?

Ukon kaakig?

Wala siya nagsabat

Mas nag damo ang  ilig sang luha nga kalayo sa iya mata

Amo gani nanumdom man ako

Abi bala niya nahadlok ako?

Sang pula kag naga sidlak nga balanaw

Sang madulom nga kagab-ihon

Indi niya ako pag hatagan sang sabat

Gusto lang niya ako pahalinon

Pero gusto gid ya mahibal-an

Kadamo klase sang kasubo

Kadamo klase sang kaakig

Kag siguro, kinalain-lain man nga klase sang kasadya

Ang madulom nga mata niya, nagatulok saakon

Mga mata nga naga tabiris sang kalayo sa duta

Nang halayaon siya sang makapila

Asta nga nag abot ang makasililaw nga kasanag sang tuip.

Madasig siya nga nadula

May ara lang danaw sang pula nga dagta

Ebidensya sang iya paghalin

Bwas magabalik ako

Kag sa masunod pa nga mga gab-i

Para mamangkot sa nagahibi nga tinuga

Kung ano ang buot silingon sang iya mga luha

-=——————————————–=-

English Version

It was a moonless night when I saw him

The man who cried fire

I went up to him and asked why

Were they tears of sadness?

Or anger?

He did not reply

The more I asked

The more fire fell from his eyes

And I began to wonder

Does he think I am frightened?

By the pool of glittering red

By the darkness of the night sky

He would not give me an answer

And sought to push me away

But I needed to know

There were different kinds of sadness

Different kinds of anger

And maybe even different kinds of joy

He looked at me with his jet black eyes

Pouring flames onto the ground

He wept for several eternities

Until the light broke from the horizon

And in an instant he was gone

With only a puddle of red

As evidence of his passing

Tomorrow I will return

And the night after that

To ask the crying man

What is behind his tears

————————–————————–——————–

*The Hiligaynon language, also colloquially referred often by most of its speakers simply as Ilonggo, is an Austronesian regional language spoken in the Philippines by about 9.1 million people, mainly in Western Visayas and SOCCSKSARGEN, most of whom belong to the Visayan ethnic group, mainly the Hiligaynons. It is the second-most widely spoken language and a member of the so-named Visayan language family and is more distantly related to other Philippine languages.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Hiligaynon translation by Eloiza Gaduyon
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Eloiza Gaduyon

Inongok Illustration by Joshua Hamangal
IG: https://www.instagram.com/ishart1228

It was a moonless night when I saw him

The man who cried fire

I went up to him and asked why

Were they tears of sadness?

Or anger?

He did not reply

The more I asked

The more fire fell from his eyes

And I began to wonder

Does he think I am frightened?

By the pool of glittering red

By the darkness of the night sky

He would not give me an answer

And sought to push me away

But I needed to know

There were different kinds of sadness

Different kinds of anger

And maybe even different kinds of joy

He looked at me with his jet black eyes

Pouring flames onto the ground

He wept for several eternities

Until the light broke from the horizon

And in an instant he was gone

With only a puddle of red

As evidence of his passing

Tomorrow I will return

And the night after that

To ask the crying man

What is behind his tears

————————–————————–——————–

Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Inongok Illustration by Joshua Hamangal
IG: https://www.instagram.com/ishart1228