Haiku: Pieces of Mirror

Pieces of Mirror

1) A ball of fire

sinking in the west

a break from sorrow.

2) I follow a birdsong

In my palm’s mountain

I think like a river.

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3) Dismantled hovels

with cardboard faces:

at stake is political will

4) Moonshine in August

shrouding kids’ hunger pangs

eve of a forced eviction.

5) Dark Asian eyes

a fresh clean river

men undressing.

6) A spotless body

a heavy drapery

hiding one’s wounds.

7) A city’s cancer

children sniffing rugby

pickpockets roaming

8) Extended hands

giver and taker

in busy sidewalks

9) Pasig River

a big black ribbon

on plastic thrash

10) Roofs made of tires

A single mom brooding

before a passing train.

11) Stray dogs and cats

in a kitchen without food

outside, the moon shines.

12) Half-naked children

look through the glass window

of a restaurant.

13) Twilight creeps in tears

as sidewalk vendors flee

to No Man’s Land.

14) Caressing dewdrops

on a plotted plant by the gate

is writing a poem.

15) Plucking the guitar

is gently knocking

at the door of special memories.

16) Sweat on a mother’s brow

an early morning painting

beside a pump well.

17) Bent elderly praying the rosary

tears about to fall.

18) A lonely firefly

in a bottle on display

a sad metaphor.

19) Rain on potholes

a lump in the throat

of good citizens.

20) A worker’s hand

speaking through a handshake

a sacred space.

21) A birthday card

sent on a hectic day

is a rare orchid.

22) Drizzles on gray hair

are knots of time and space:

diamond buttons.

23) A woman’s breasts

two precious seedlings

from paradise.

24) Ferns at daybreak

a maya’s velvet carpet

to the morning light.

25) Listen to the cicadas

after a long wet day

they’ll share their secrets.

Parasang Salming

1) Bola nin kalayo

sa sulnupan

pagpahingalo sa kamunduan

2) Sa pagsusog ko kan awit nin gamgam

sa bolod kan palad ko

salog ako kun mag-isip.

3) Rinarangkang barong-barong

carton na mga pandok:

kasusupgan nin gobierno an nakataya.

4) Saldang nin bulan sa Agosto

patos-patos an kagutuman nin mga aki

gagarabaon an harong pagkaaga.

5) Matang maitomon nin Asiano

salog na malinigon

naghuhurubang mga lalaki.

6) Hawak na daing pinilaan

sarong kurtinang mahibogon

pantago kan kalugadan.

7) Cancer nin ciudad

mga aki na nagra-rugby

maski saen may pickpocket.

8) Bukas na palad:

Paratao asin parakua

diyan sa matawong sidewalk.

9) Salog nin Pasig

dakulang lasong itom

sa mga basurang plastic.

10) Inang daing katuwang

nagmomongon

sa atubangan nin nag-aaging tren.

11) Layas na mga ayam asin ikos

sa kusina na daing kakanon

sa luwas, nagsasaldang an bulan.

12) Mga aking nakasarwal sana

nagmamasid sa restauran

na salming an lanob.

13) Naghihikihik an panirum-sirum

na nagluluha

Nagdudurulag an mga paratinda

dai aram an padudumanan.

14) Paghapiyap kan to’nog sa masitera

sa luwasan

sarong pagsurat nin rawitdawit.

15) Pagkiblit kan guitara

maluwayon na pagkatok

sa puertahan nin especial na guiromdom.

16) Hinang sa pandok nin ina

Agang amay na kuwinadrong ladawan

na harani sa poso nin tubig.

17) Boktot na gurang

nagrorosaryo

napapaluha.

18) Solong aninipot

sa laog nin bote na naka-display

mamondong komparasyon.

19) Uran sa mga bobon-bobon

sa tinampo

mga bilog-bilog sa halunan

nin mga marhay na ciudadano.

20) Mga kamot nin obrero

kun nakikipag-abrasa nagtataram:

Ini an sagrado kong lugar.

21) Sarong birthday card

na ipinadara sa sibut-sibut na aldaw

sarong especial na orchid.

22) Mga tipsik nin uran sa uban

mga binugkosan nin panahon asin

kinamumugtakan

mga butones na diamante.

23) Mga dodo nin babae

duwang tambo na daing kabaing

hale sa Paraiso.

24) Mga pakό pagmaaga

pilus na alpombra nin rignos

para sa kaagahon.

25) Himatea an mga duli-duli

pakatapos nin mauranon na aldaw

minahing-hing kan pigtatago-tago ninda.