Hun 25, 2008

Panayam ni Vlad

Alinsunod sa hindi mahihindiang mga hiling(hing) ni Vlad.

V - Sino ka (o, ilarawan ang iyong sarili sa loob ng 100-300 salita)?

A - Mabuhok ako kung sa mabuhok. Huwag mo nang itanong kung saan. Basta kahit saan mo ako hawakan, hindi ka mapapalagay kasi maghahanap ka ng balat at wala ka namang mararamdaman. Huwag mabahala, maging ako hindi ko kilala ang balat ko. Ngunit may alam ako sa sarili ko, isang bagay na hindi ko mapasisinungalingan: ako ay mangingibig. Matagal na akong umiibig at matagal pa akong iibig. May isa pa akong alam: marami akong nakilala at binuo sa aking mga panaginip upang makilala. Karamihan sa kanila, makinis. May ilan pa nga sa kanila na madulas. Ngunit anuman ang gawin kong pagpuwersa sa aking sarili, wala akong mahal sa kanila. Ni isa, wala. Maraming hindi nakaiintindi - sana hindi ka isa sa kanila - ngunit mangingibig ako, alam ko. Bagay ito na hindi ko mapasisinungalingan.


V - Saan o kanino ka nakaugnay o nakikiugnay (o, pagkukuwento ng mga relasyong napasukan sa loob ng 100-300 salita)?

A - Paborito ko sa lahat (bukod sa aking pag-ibig na naipaliwanag ko na) ang araw. Pluto ang ngalan ng kinatatayuan ko, at ipapaliwanag ko mamamaya itong lugar. Sa ngayon, kailangan mong malaman na ang relasyon ko sa araw ang paborito ko. Madalas kung sa madalas ideya lamang ang araw. Konsepto ito, at dahil sa haba ng panahon, hindi ko na mawarian kung saan nanggaling. Bakit may ideya ako ng araw? Bakit minsan, kinikilala ko ito bilang ama. O, mas eksakto, kinikilala ko bilang isang bagay na kumikilala sa akin bilang anak. Hindi ko ito makausap. Kahit sa panaginip, hindi ko ito makausap. Kahit sa ilang pambihirang panaginip na napakatotoo at tila nakikita ko na ang higanteng itlog ng liwanag (na siyang konsepto ko ng "araw"), masyado akong nasisilaw para magsalita. Minsan, lalong pambihira pa kaysa sa panaginip ng araw, ang mismong panahon na nakikita ko ang araw. Naaaninagan ko ito, pinakamabangis na tala. Ngunit saglit lamang. Bago ko pa mawarian kung araw na nga ba ang nakikita ko o isang repleksyon ng araw, wala na ito. Nangyari ito, halimbawa, kagabi (at mahaba ang gabi ng pluto, saglit lamang ang umaga at madaling malimutan). Darating ang panahon na hindi ko na naman alam kung saan ko nakuha ang ideya ng araw.



V - Sa anong mundo ka umiiral (o, paglalarawan ng mga kinalakha at ginagalawang lugar/kaligiran sa loob ng 100-300 salita)?

A - Mabuhok ako sa isang mundong mabuhok. Tawagin na nating "Pluto" ang mundong ito, gaya ng nakagawian ng ilang nakilala ko na napakahilig magpangalan at madaling magsawa sa mga panaginip. Tawagin na rin nating "mundo" ang lugar na ito, at baka ikasaya pa ng Pluto. May isa akong hubo't hubad na nakilala, malinaw ang kanyang mata at dahil sa nipis ng kanyang kilay ay madali siyang paniwalaan. Ayon sa kanya, hindi maituturing na mundo ang Pluto. Sa halip, isa lamang ito sa malalaking obheto sa tinatawag niyang "Sinturon ni Kuiber," isang napakalaking espasyo sa bingit ng solar system. Nais ko sanang ipaliwanag niya ang mga binitawan niyang salita lalo na ang isa na tila solido at tila rin hangin kung kumilos bilang tunog sa utak ko: Solar. Ngunit sinabi niyang hindi siya tutugon, sinabi niyang hindi niya ako ganoon kamahal, at nagawa niyang umalis sa kabila ng kanyang mga halik.

May 13, 2008

Para sa taong itago na lamang natin sa pangalang "Jovy"

Darating kaya sa punto - limang taon, sampo, o tatlumpo - na magkikita kayong muli at pagtatawanan lamang ang lahat nito?

Hindi ko alam kung mas mainam sabihin na sana o sana hindi.

Basta totoo na mahusay at nakagradweyt ka na.  Dito, at sa napakaraming ibang bagay.

May 8, 2008

Heard You Were Leaving

I remember dreams of Spain and the best of oars. I remember and old couch, worthless and diseased if not for our butts. Pages and pages and pages. And lips before daybreak. My dear, dear friend.

Is it sad or is it magic that I call you friend because you are leaving?

May your luck keep you warm.

May 6, 2008

Labor Day

Dennis, Manong Jerico's, at Pinky na may Neneng. Sa Jerico's Bakery. Mga alas 9, ganun.

Dennis: Manong, may pandesal ba?

Manong Jerico's: Oo, meron.

Pinky: O? Kahit gabi.

MJ: Oo, para bukas.

D: Magkano po?

MJ: 2.50 isa.

P: So magkano? Kwarenta? Ilan kaya yun.

MJ: Teka...

P: 20?

D: Hindi. Basta mga 16, 18 ganun. 2.50 e, hindi dos.

MJ: 16!

P: Kuya, padagdag naman! Para sa buntis, sige na.

MJ: Ha?

P: Dali na Kuya, para sa buntis na naglilihi sa pandesal!

D: Lupit a.


*

MJ: O ayan nagpasobra ako ng apat, para bente na!

P&D: Salamat po!

D: Ganun-ganun lang yun e. Pinagtrabaho na agad.

P: Sampung piso rin yun.

D: Neneng, chill ka lang dyan!

P: Nakasampung piso ka na, Neneng!

Abr 20, 2008

Bandian, Fonte, Crespo

Three UPLB students from the BACA program published literary works in magazines of national circulation during the last academic year. This entry is for the twin purpose of filing and gratitude.

(a) Congratulations to Timmi Bandian for her short story, "The Blessing," which was published by The Sunday Times Magazine; (b) to Paul Fonte for three of his poems which were published by Pinoy Weekly and more recently by Philippines Graphic; and (c) to Sarah Crespo for her short story, "Hidden Gods (part 1 and part 2)," published by The Sunday Times Magazine. Fonte and Crespo, congratulations also for the long-awaited and suddenly-incoming graduation.

You three, thanks for allowing me the unnecessary and superfluous grace of accompanying you in your literal maiden voyage.

Solo Passage

Poem published at Philippine Graphic, the April 21 issue.

Abr 8, 2008

Only 6 Out of 300 Songs (or, the soundtrack of our eager domestication)

Wonderful Tonight
(Eric Clapton)

It's late in the evening
She's wondering what clothes to wear
She puts on her make up
And brushes her long blonde hair
And then she asks me
Do I look alright
And I say yes, you look wonderful tonight--
--WE DINE IN HELL!!!

*

2 Become 1
(Spice Girls)

Candle light and soul forever
A dream of you and me together
Say you believe it, say you believe it

Free your mind of doubt and danger
Be for real don't be a stranger
We can achieve it, we can achieve it

Come a little bit closer baby
Get it on, get it on
'Cause tonight--
--WE DINE IN HELL!!!

*

Bluer Than Blue
(Barry Manilow)

After you go
I can catch upon my reading
After you go
I'll have a lot more time for sleeping
And when you're gone
It looks like things are going to be a lot easier
Life will be a breeze you know
I really should be glad
But I'm bluer than blue
Sadder than sad
You're the only life this empty room has ever had
Life without is going to be
Bluer than blue
After you go
I'll have a lot more room in my closet
After you go
I'll stay out all night if I feel like it
And when you're gone
I could run through the house screaming
And no one will ever hear me
I really should be glad
But I'm bluer than blue
Sadder than sad
You're the only life this empty room has ever had
Life without you is going to be
bluer than blue
I don't have to miss no t.v. shows
I can start my whole life over
Change the numbers on my telephone
But--
--TANIGHT WE DINE IN HELL!!!

*

Tonight, Tonight
(Smashing Pumpkins)


Time is never time at all
You can never ever leave without leaving a piece of youth
And our lives are forever changed
We will never be the same
The more you change the less you feel

Believe, believe in me, believe
Believe
That life can change
That you.re not stuck in vain
We're not the same, were different tonight
Tonight, so bright
Tonight--
--WE DINE IN HELL!!!

*

Saving All My Love For You
(Whitney Houston)

A few stolen moments is all that we share
You've got your family, and they need you there
Though I've tried to resist, being last on your list
But no other man's gonna do
So I'm saving all my love for you

It's not very easy, living all alone
My friends try and tell me, find a man of my own
But each time I try, I just break down and cry
Cause I'd rather be home feeling blue
So I'm saving all my love for you

You used to tell me we'd run away together
Love gives you the right to be free
You said be patient, just wait a little longer
But that's just an old fantasy

I've got to get ready, just a few minutes more
Gonna get that old feeling when you walk through that door
Cause tonight
Is the night--
--WE DINE IN HELL!!!

*

Can You Feel the Love Tonight
(Lion King, OST)

Timon : I can see whats happening-
Pumba : What!
Timon : And they dont have a clue-
Pumba : Who!
Timon : They'll fall in love and here's the bottom line: our trio's down to two.
Pumba : Oh.

Timon : The sweet caress of twilight
There's magic, everywhere
And with all this romantic atmosphere
Disaster's in the air!

(Chorus)
Can you feel, the love tonight--

LEONIDAS : WE DINE IN HELL!!!