PAGTINDIG*
By Joi Barrios-Leblanc, Bayan Women’s Desk
Gaano kadali ang pagpaslang?
Sansaglit, at may nakitil nang buhay.
May punglo na humahagibis
At may pag-asa na napapatid.
How easily can a life be taken?
Swiftly, perhaps a moment,
A bullet breezes
And hope stands still.
Gaano katagal
Ang ating paglalamay?
Hintayin bang ang luha ay maglawa
At ang telang itim na yumayakap
Sa bawat bangkay ay maging dagat?
How long shall we mourn?
Our tears turn into lakes,
A sea of black
Draping the dead.
Luhang alat, dagat alat.
Paanong malulunok itong dahas?
We taste salt in our tears.
How does one drink
The bitterness of the sea?
Sinong hindi malulunod sa hinagpis?
Bawat dibdib ay sumisikip.
Sa bawat pagluluksa,
Habol ang hininga
Nagtatalo ang pangamba at galit
Sa bawat panganib na hinaharap.
Isa-isa tayo na kanilang nilalagas,
At ating tinatanong:
Sinong nag-uutos, sinong nagbabayad
Sa bawat pusong dinudurog,
At utak na pinapasabog?
How do we not drown in sorrow?
We grieve gasping for breath.
Anger and fear contend
at the dangers
We face.
One by one, they will kill us all,.
So we ask:
Who signs the death warrants?
Who pays for silenced tongues,
Brains blowing,
hearts suddenly still?
Hindi tayo, kundi sila
ang alipin ng pangamba, kaya’t namumuksa.
Ating tandaan, laging tandaan,
Matwid ang pinaglalaban.
Sa bawat pagkapit-bisig,
sa bawat welga at pag-aalsa,
Ang binabawi natin ay dangal,
Ang inaangkin ay karapatan.
Patag ang lupa kung saan tayo nakatindig.
Ang bayan na pinapaslang, ano’t di sisigaw ng himagsik?
Our executioners
Are slaves of fear.
The blood that does not run cold
Is the blood of the righteous.
Linking arms,
In the picketlines and the streets,
In all our fields of battle,
We stand,
Demanding dignity,
Claiming our rights.
We stand,
on leveled ground.
Slay the people,
And ask not
why the people revolt.
Ika-18 ng Marso 2005
18 March 2005
*This poem, read at a gathering of civil libertarians at the Asian Center on March 19, 2005, responds to the slaying of Victor Conception of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, Tarlac City councilor and Bayan Muna member Abelardo Ladera, Mer Dizon of Anakpawis party list, and Rev. William Tadena, a supporter of Hacienda Luisita strikers.
5 comments:
Maam Barrios! hello i need your help about the interpretation of your poem "PAGPASLANG" what it is all about and how are the involve in the poem. what kind of poem is the "PAGPASLANG" maam barrios?
pls... response ASAp!!!
from a student...
hello...pagpaslang is a about sexist language and how we should "slay" words that demean and denigrade women.
so look at all the words mentioned in the poem -- and think if these words should not be used.
the poem was influenced by the feminist movement in the 1980s (founding member ako ng gabriela) and feminist thought on women and language.
thanks. nasa facebook din ako. you might want to look me up. also, you can write to me at joibarrios@berkeley.edu. joi
Hello Maam Barrios! ahmm...
Is it possible to have 6 pages interpretatin for the poem "PAGPASLANG"?
Maam i want to know more about you!
coz i will also include informatin about the author of the poem and the interpretation of the poem!
Maam i hope u can help me!
Maam can i hve an english interpretation of you poem "PAGPASLANG"
From a student that idolize you!! ^_^
hello, thank you for taking the time to read the poem. the translation of the poem is in the english edition of philippine literature: a history and anthology edited b bienvenido lumbera and cynthia nograles lumbera. i have a brief biographical entry in the ccp encyclopedia of the arts. if you have any questions, you can write to me a mjbarrio2@mac.com. thanks again. i appreciate your support. joi
Hello Maam Barrios! can you just email to me the translation in english of PAGPASLANG? my email add is I_HumbleHeart_J@yahoo.com. i dont have kasi book nung english edition philippine literature...
paki email na lng po sana or give na lang the site kung san ko makikita ung translation.... ^_^
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