Ni MARK ANGELES
Bulatlat.com
Syria, halika at saluhan ako sa aking almusal.
Kagatan mo itong binili kong shawarma.
Itong baklava, kasintamis ba ng tinitinda
sa iyong abalang mga bangketa?
Gusto kong malaman kung paano mo natitiis
ang alinsangan. Masaya ka ba tuwing taglamig
at nasasabik sa pagpatak ng mailap na niyebe?
Patawad, Syria, ngunit hindi ko maiwasang
ungkatin kung nabigyan ba ng disenteng libing
ang iyong inang nasawi sa gutom noong isang taon.
Nakita na ba ang dinukot mong kapatid?
Naalayan na ba ng bulaklak ang lugar
kung saan binaril ang iyong batang pamangkin?
Ano’t maligalig ang panginoorin kagabi,
nagbabadyang lalo pang magiging maligalig.
Gusto kong makiramay sa iyo, Syria.
Gusto kong magdalamhati sa iyong tabi.
Ngunit gusto ko ring lumaban,
sagutin ang mga agaw-buhay na usal:
Kapayapaan. Kapayapaan. Kapayapaan.
(English Translation)
Syria, come here and eat breakfast with me.
Take a bite of this shawarma that I bought.
This baklava, is it as sweet as the ones sold
in your busy sidewalks?
I want to know how you cope up
with the heat. Are you happy every winter
and so eager to see the reluctant snow?
Forgive me, Syria, for I can’t help
but ask if a decent funeral was already given
to your mother who died of hunger last year.
Have you found your abducted brother?
Have you offered flowers at the spot
where your young niece was shot to death?
The skies were troubled last night,
forewarning more troubled days.
I want to condole with you, Syria.
I want to grieve by your side.
But I also want to fight,
answer the dying laments:
Peace. Peace. Peace.
