A Hundred Sunsets



Samal Sunset, May 2012

 My friend Mon Corpuz of  Black Pencil Project said that while distributing stuffed toys to children survivors of Typhoon Sendong of Calacala, Cagayan De Oro, he received requests from some mothers if they can also get - a teddy bear.


"We said we have enough toys and made sure children who are not present can also get a plushy.


Until someone muttered, "Ma'am, they are asking teddy bears in memory ...of their child who perished during flood"."

A grieving mother never forgets.

Reading this, I was reminded of  "A Hundred Sunsets" a poem of longing which I wrote a few months back and translated into Pilipino by my friend and colleague Noel del Prado :

Daan - Daang Dapithapon
 Hanap-hanap kita,
ngunit,
hinahanap nga ba kita?

Kung lagi’t lagi kang naririto
sa puso at isipan ko
Kung lagi kitang bitbit
saan man mapadpad
Kailangan bang
hanapin pa kita?

Sa bawat kumpas
ng aking puso
umaalon pa rin ang siphayo
kahit nakatitiyak akong
hindi ito pagpapaalam.

Ang sandali kang mawala
bangin ng salita –-
salitang hindi matutuldukan,
salitang dudugtungan lamang
sa muli nating pagkikita.
Kaya ngayon,
sa pagitan ng daan-daang
dapit-hapon,
muli’t muling dadaong
at maglalayag --
taglay ang tibay
at katiyakan ng pampang.
Sa mga araw na walang tinag
at sa mga araw na walang puwang,
naririto ka pa rin
nakasiksik sa pagitan.
nanunuot dito
kahit hindi ko alam
kung paano.

The original version, which I wrote in English in March 2011,  is this...

A Hundred Sunsets

I miss you,
but then again,
do i really miss you?


When you are always
in my heart,
and in my mind.
When I carry you
everywhere.
Should I miss you
still?

In the ebb and flow
of our hearts,
there is comfort
in knowing
there are no
goodbyes.

Parting briefly
is but a threshold
until
we meet again.

And so,
in the meantime,
in the hundred
sunsets,
yet to come
and go
we bravely
carry on.

In the stillness,
and the busyness
of my days,
I find you
here
and everywhere.