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Patatas

In lieu of last Saturday's full moon, which was hidden by Mina's storm clouds, here is a wonderful pomme de terre written in Ilocano by Junley Lazaga, a member of Ubbog.


Patatas

Ket patatas nga naukisan iti bulan
daydi umuna nga lawas
ti Oktubre, sibubuo ket amarilyo;

Ken dagiti kudilna nga nagalip-sina
ket ti daga nga taltalunen
kadagiti bakrang ti bambantay;

Patatas ket iti bulan idi
diak makaturog rinabii,

Ukisna ket idi iti daga
di adda kadagita sadya;

Kas iti patatas iti bulan
tinaripatok ket inug-ugasak
sakbay isab-it iti langit ti arapaap;

Patatas ket met ita
nga tinubuan kadagiti mata
iti bulan nga puson iti pagbalinanna.



The Tagalog translation, by the poet:

Patatas

At patatas na nabalatan ang buwan
noong unang linggo
ng Oktubre, buo at dilaw;

At ang mga balat nitong nahiwa-hiwalay
ay ang lupang sinasaka
sa mga tagiliran ng mga bundok;

Patatas ang buwan noon
di ako makatulog gabi-gabi,

Balat nito noon ang lupa
noong nasa iyong tabi;

Gaya ng patatas ang buwan
inalagaan ko at aking hinuhugasan
bago isabit sa langit ang pangarap;
Patatas din ngayon
na tinubuan sa mga mata
ang buwan na magiging puso na.

-- JUNLEY L. LAZAGA
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