I WISH TO KISS YOUR MOLE

Hereunder is one of my  poems in iluko language published in KALLAUTANG, poetic of diversity, displacement, and diaspora: ilokanos in  the americas writing which was translated in English and with a critical introduction by Aurelio S. Agcaoili, a writer, a poet, and one of the professors in the University of Hawaii.

Iluko Version:

AGKAK KOMA ‘TA SIDING

Kayatko a pinasen nga agkan                                 1

Ta agpammannimid a siding

Iti ngarab dayta a bibig; siding

A kas tumamtammidaw  nga init

Iti agsapa iti ngatuen ti apagukrad

A petalo ti nalabaga a hibiscus

Ngem napaidam dagiti ramay                               2

Ti rabii ta agtukeng a mangilukat

Iti ridaw ni ridep

A nagsampagaan ti minuyongam

Ngem uray no kasta                                             3

Agur-urayak latta

Iti lukib dagiti nakakidem

A matak, umis-isem a mangkepkepkep

Iti agdadagsen nga arapaap

A sika ken siak

Agpapasto iti duayya dagiti singin a giteb

Ti naginnakkub a barukong iti siled

Ti saan nga agpatingga a tagainep.

English Version of the above iluko poem:

I WISH TO KISS YOUR MOLE

I wish to kiss smoothly                                         1

 Your mole that looks out

On the edge of your lip; mole

That is like a sun taking a peek

In the morning on the newly-

Opened petal of the red hibiscus

But the fingers of the night                                   2

Are selfish for they hesitate

To open the door of sleep

Where the orchard bloomed

With flowers

But despite this                                                   3

I will wait in the eyelid

Of my closed eyes

Smiling while holding tight

My pregnant dream

That you and I shall be satiated

By the lullaby of the entwined throbbing

Of chests in an embrace

In the room of an endless sleep.