*Note this poem is in Tagalog

Ang mga mata niya’y tila kumikinang na impyerno

At nang ang dila niya’y magsalita, nabalot ito ng 30 pirasong pilak

Sinulasok ng usok ang aking sentido

Nakita ko ang usok sa kung ano ito

Nararapat lamang akong magpaalam

Nararapat lamang akong magalit

At ang aking panghihinayang

O Diyos, sana ibinigay ko na lang noon iyon

Ang mga yabag niya’y unti-unting nilisan ang pinto

Ito na kaya ang sagot na hinahanap ko?

Upang sumayaw ang mga salita ko sa pahina

Upang maibigay ang buong puso ko sa bawat letra

Ang silid ay umalingawngaw sa sigaw

Habang ibinibigay ko ang sagot ko

Masyadong mataas ang presyo

At hindi ko matatanggap ito

“Oo”
Dahil ang pahina ay ang aking buhay

Ang tinta ng aking dugo

Ang mga salita ng aking kaluluwa

At dito ako nagsusulat

Sa gitna ng takipsilim

Naghihintay na kalampagin ang kampana

Aangkinin nito ang premyo

Para lang mahanap

Ang wala

Dahil ang pahina ang aking canvas

Ang tinta ang aking dugo

At ang mga titik

Ang aking kaluluwa

Sa tuwing magniniig ang panulat at papel

Ibinibigay ko ang kapiraso ng aking sarili

Na alam kong hindi ko na mababawi

Ibinibigay ko ito nang libre

Sa mga matang naghahanap

Bilang isang sulyap sa aking pagkatao

Ibinibigay ko ito nang libre

Sa mga may nais

Upang ihiwalay ang tabing ng buhay

Hindi na nito makukuha ang premyo

Dahil nakuha mo na

— Ang huling akda ng makatang si “Jillian”

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English Version

Its eyes were a glistening inferno
And its tongue spoke, covered with 30 pieces of silver
The smoke choked my senses
The smoke made me see it for what it was

It deserved my goodbye
It deserved my anger
And my regret
I wish to God I gave it then

Its footsteps nearly left the door
Could this be the answer I was looking for
To make my words dance on the page
To make my heart pour into every letter

The room rang with screams
As I gave my answer
The price was too high
The price was unacceptable

“Yes”
For the page was my life
The ink my blood
The words my spirit

And here I write
In my twilight hours
Waiting to strike the bell

It would claim its prize
Only to find
Nothing

For the page is my canvas
And the ink my blood
And the letters
My soul

Each time the pen touched paper
I give a small part of myself
That I will never get back

I give it freely
To the eyes that seek
A glimpse into my being

I give it freely
To those that wish
To part the veil of life

It will never claim its prize
For you already have

-The last work of the poet “Jillian”

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*Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a quarter of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by the majority. Its standardized form, officially named Filipino, is the national language of the Philippines, and is one of two official languages alongside English.

Written by Karl Gaverza

Translation by Gabriela Baron
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Translation Copyright © Gabriela Baron

Inspired by ‘Landas de Diablo’ in Philippine Folk Literature: The Legends. Eugenio. 2002.

The Devil (The Bargainer) Illustration by Jam Trinidad
FB: Jam-core

Watercolor by Yanna Gemora
FB: Yannami

By admin