Under the shade

He sits quietly under the shade
Towards the shining light
Where a twelve pillar court stands with
The roof: the sky and around it
The rooms like a wall.
His head raised high into the heavens
As if could see the host and the celestial
City from where the rooms are linked
to form its own wall.

He travels not knowing where to go
Like a bird on the horizon moving
to and fro the brightness and dimness
and the outcome so devastating to
cause writings perceived as hairs of
brown roots, coloured and scattered
all over the side of a building where
the light smiled at.

Life he views like a changing sky,
a blue plane, scattered with gray
patches of clouds which might soon
vanish or at a point be gathered
together like an apex of group of
mountains in the plain sky;
like the series of layers of the earth
crust hanging in the air. He hangs in
this silence as he makes this journey
without movement of body but
thoughts and senses.

The light can be so dim, bright,
so bright before it finally becomes
dim like one in preparation to go off.
Before the darkness sets in, in their
midst unnoticed, he made his journey
to this unknown land formless without
earth, plants, animals and humans yet
full of live images captured by the mind
which last as long as one wishes.

The light is very dim now, and one
knows not when it will finally go off.
They hurry to enter into safety: the lizard
into its creeping hole; men their huts, birds
their perching branches before the darkness,
sets in like a preparation of an unpreventable
doom. The trees and plants will die of
loneliness and they will rot in the buildings
around them, a grave only to be resurrected
when the dark wakes up.

is it al to it?

Is it all to it?
Is it all about being careful?
What about married men and women
Where one stays faithful
Giving in only to one unfaithful.
Is it all to it?
What about new born babies
Who have no choice when
Entering into this world
Or made to play a role to choose
Which parent to stay with:
Rich or poor, sick or well?
Yet we look on
With all scorn
Against those with AIDS,
Against those to them who give aid.
All because they were careless
But were they all?
Help AIDS victims live!
Help all AIDS foundations
Free the world of AIDS.

Gracias mamá

En tu útero no me quedaba nunca
Mi primera luna no viste nunca,
Nunca mi primer andar en la tierra
Pero tu amor maternal no me refrenaste nunca:

Un amor que nunca se hizo frio
En un lugar en mi corazón que no se negó nunca.
Nunca se completará mi vida sin ti

Nunca habrá una casa en un lugar sin ti
Nunca he abandonado esta casa por ti
Porque nunca se te puede reemplazar allá
Y la razón por qué: nunca te puedo dejar de decir gracias.

Mi maestro

Entre los pájaros estaba yo,
como ellos estaba yo
hasta que me encontró.
Como un águila me hizo él,
cómo volar me enseñó él
para que vuele alto en el cielo.
Aunque a la luna no he llegado aún,
todavía le agradezco yo
que me haga volar, no sólo como
un águila, sino para volar sin posarme.

celosa

… cuando se permite una vez.
Me parece que se oye con amistad aún
Se ven los resultados de estos
como un daño tan serio.

Eso es lo que hace celosa cuando
llamo tu nombre y doy su descripción;
destruyó todo lo que hemos creado,
toda nuestra conversación delicada,
todos nuestros secretos salieron
para causar mucha pena y dolor.
Eso sí qué es, una palabra sólo y
me parece se oye con amistad pero
se ve las resultados de estos
como daño y dolor tan grave.
El deseo para hablar contigo
lo que hay que decir y el temor de esto
me hacen un prisionero sin una cárcel.
celosa viene y se va, celosa por breve momento solo
pero nada puede dejarla a celosa
cuando se permite una vez.

ESTÉ TRANQUILO

Esté tranquilo y habla conmigo,
no oculte ninguno.
tenga calma y dígame
porque está esperando mis espaldas
que no han oído ningún llanto
ni se ha absorbido ninguna lágrima.
Hace muchos años han quedado
tiernas y blandas para recibirle

¡Oh! esté tranquilo y hable conmigo.
¿Pueden continuar como así,
silencioso y solo,
Cuando están temperamentales
fingen estar felices y alegres,
muy rápido para hacerse enfadados,
no permiten la comida,
dan un suspiro profundo y frecuente
no permiten los consuelos de amantes y amados
y olvidan la importancia de la vida?
¿Cuánto se prolongará
cuando ideas de la muerte
se imprimen en la mente?
luego se morirá y ya no vivirá
Olvidando que lo que intentamos evitar
quedaría cuando se muera.
Entonces, por qué no se resolverá
mientras se quedan a ser fieles
y los enemigos quedan lejos de ti;
mientras los problemas quedan en el estado de brotar
y se necesitará poco esfuerzo para resolver;
aunque falte de las palabras
y no sepa dónde empezar,
sólo abre tu boca con cualquier sonido:
este tranquilo, hable, lo seguiré.

NUNCA DIGA ADIÓS

Me dijo que fue para siempre
Me dijo que no me dejará.
¿Cόmo puede desaparecer la memoria?
Arranca el corazόn
cuando se conversa el dolor
profundo con la tristeza y
Cuando a mi ayuda nadie viene.
Ahora es la hora y se debe decir adiós.
Pronto uno zarpa a la mar,
Con la vela para cruzar;
El avión por el aire;
El coche por la calle.
Cuando esté lejos
El invierno y la lluvia durarán
El silencio roba a los árboles sombreados
La luz del cielo se traga
Y la noche sombra se consagra.
Se apartarían los amantes
Recuérdeme cuando este lejos
Por favor, o lindo, por favor
Recuérdeme cuando vuelva
No olvide, vuélvame
¿Me volverás? ¡Ah, no diga adiós!
Se le esperará, ¡Ah, nunca diga adiós!

NOCHE SOMBRA

Pronto la canciόn del sol se oirá
con la luz blanca que dirige,
se despeja la noche sombra
sale corriendo mi noche sombra
al lugar que no puede volverme.

Pronto mi felicidad
que se me guarda bajo llave
en las profundidades del océano,
que nadie puede verla menos
el pescado y sus ojos encendidos.

Pronto estarán listos los buzos
para ir a socorrer han perdido
la pista de la ruta marítima
unas guardias, las olas.


Entre las cosas con el habla
me puse a cubierto y cuando
se me encontrό
el sol mi amigo enseguida
cediό descansar.

Solo se quedaba
Tranquilo y calmado
Pero en ello mismo
una confusiόn ruidoso
Esperando a explotarse.

Pronto el invierno vio al verano
Pronto el otoño vio a la primavera
No me vieron y no me oyeron...
Huya mi noche, mi oscuridad
Permita mi felicidad, como canta el sol pronto.

QUÉ TERRORÍFICO

Qué miedo horroroso enfrente del pistolera
Entrando en un accidente de tráfico
Mirando a un cariño que se está ahogand
Qué espantoso mira su cara brilla
Qué terrible
Revelando
El secreto
Qué horrible
No está seguro
Si le ama
Qué temeroso
su respuesta
Qué miedoso
para decir
te quiero.

YA ES LA HORA

Ya ha cacareado el gallo;
Ya ha pasado del sol el rayo.
¡Vayamos! Alejandrinos,
Traigan las azadas y los machetes;
Ya es la hora de cosechar.

LA SOLEDAD

Me sigue por la noche y el día,
Como una amada celosa que
quiere vengarse de un esposo
que le ha dejado, sus orejas no
están cansadas de escucharme
la conversación secreta, me mira
en el cuarto encerrado con ojos

que no se satisfacen nada de
verme, me habla cuando
están lejos mis amigos.
A veces para consolarme otras
veces para molestarme
Está feliz cuando no
están cerca de mí. Me ayuda

muchas veces para reflejarme
y descansarme. Puede ser
peligroso si le tenga miedo
nadie le desea pero pasa baja
de la puerta encerrada. Quien
puede echarla de aquí, ¡soledad!
nadie le desean.

The New Year

Anytime the sun goes down
our moon changes its shape each night
but today, will set in soon:
what will usher in the new year;
like a match pass they will come
along the dusty road
into where the hazy winds will blow.

There , in our nostrils they will be
placidly a midst the noise and haste
beside a scramble for goats, cattle and fowls:
alive or sick or tiny they can be
for their blood only,
which is shed only for a celebration
on the poor soil
who only mourns the sad death of a fellow creature like himself
.
A bloodless fight of fork and knife
over whom to enter mouth
and their struggle to enter mouth
is heard as they wait
for the clap of the poor and helpless plate on the table.
Into the air, sounds of rockets
and the blurring from loud speakers
keep the noisy awake, on guard a worthless fortune,
an invaded castle of the placid
as they lie in wait,
wishing the night to pass by.

When all is over,
the bloody joyful moment
is remembered with the lips
and told by the proud;
how they caused to mourn, the ground,
while the silent moon and sun consoled..

Say no more

Even if you have all the riches in this world
One thing you can’t buy…
Appreciation.
Comb all the stores
And you’ll find not.
When you search, it becomes invisible.
Where you least expect, it hags you.
How many people will be seen with it
When all they must do,
That they open their mouth
And create a sound…
Thank you once said is enough ,
Takes care of an item
The same for a billion.
Thank you if said a thousand
For a thing is not worth more
When said once.
Never bother ,
Say no more.

We, our own hurt

Hand did the work
Eyes only opened to see
Legs carried all.
It was eyes who saw it
But mouth went into trouble for saying it.
Stomach is hungry and mouth gets choked.
Tongue enjoys the food as
Teeth goes up and down.
Eyes slept and legs entered into a ditch.
Everything is interrelated
And like the body
What you do might not affect you
But someone else

THE INAUGURATION

It is 1 AM 

and calm hover everywhere
yet in people, the war erupts
the emotional war of anxiety:

 
the inauguration of the president, the leader.

Through my radio I listened
and my audience to listen
from far away and beyond.

He has shaken the very foundation
on which their minds stood:
a black president of the states;

never has it happened

 
though once spoken of.
A hero among his race,
historic as he is soon to be inaugurated.

Despite the odds, 

so vibrant in speech;
despite the confrontations 

so full of hope:
the hope to succeed in his deeds.
This hope that he has in him

will change the world and his home

making a better place for you and me and his people.

Long live this hope in him!
Long live the hope he has brought the whole world 

Long live his people!

NB. 

In honour of US Prez. Barak Obama

before his inauguration.

Thinking aloud

Some things are not for sale
Even if you have all the money in the world

Some things are weightless
Yet the strongest man cannot lift it

Some things are just not for you
Even if you have it in your pocket

Some memories are unforgettable
Even when they cause the most pain

Some trust can be lost in a flash
Even when it took years in building

Some love for money
Even when there is no iota of love

Some may come your way heartless
Even when you open your heart to them

Some were able to laugh
Even when the going was tough

Sometimes the sun shines
Even when it is raining

Sometimes we only have to wait
Even when time runs out

Somewhere one watches over us
Even when miles away

Somewhere one weeps
Even in the arms of prince charming

Sometimes I ask when again
Even when I know not when again

So long

When I see you smile
My world looks bright
When I see you moody
My world looks dull
Something you cannot know
Something I cannot tell
It comes and goes
Your appearance and departure

You told me it was forever
You told me you’ll never leave me
How can memories fade out?
O don’t say good byeElse I die
When sorrow nears my tent
And none to my rescue comes
Yet now is the hour
That I must say good bye

Soon you will sail
Far across the sea
When you are gone
My winter will prolong
Silence swallows the scenes
The whispers under the shady trees
The night sky will need no light
Friends would be lost
Lovers could be no more

In saying good bye
My heart drowned
My dream shattered
My hope scattered
My path darkened
In the dark I sang
So long cariño
Despedida cariño

O remember me
When you return
Remember me
You’ll find me
Will you return?
O don’t say good bye!
O never say good bye!

La mano hizo el trabajo,
Los ojos abrieron para verlo
Y las piernas llevaron todo.
Fue los ojos que lo vieron
Pero la culpa fue la boca para decirlo.
Las manos robaron pero
Las piernas se pusieron a correr
El estόmago tiene hambre pero
La boca se quedό sin respiraciόn.
La lengua disfruta de la comida
Y los dientes se masticaron
Al cielo y abajo sin concluir.
Los ojos se durmieron y
Las piernas se entraron
En una cuneta profunda y ancha
Como las partes del cuerpo
Se interrelaciona todo:
Lo que se hace no podίa afectarle
Pero a otra persona.

Loneliness

It follows me night and day
Like a lover seeking revenge.
Her ears never gets tired of
Listening to our secret conversations,
Watching us in our closets
With her eyes which never feel tiredness,
Speaks to us when away our friends
Sometimes to comfort us
Other times to put us into trouble.
If friends don’t come near us she is happy
Sometimes to helps one to think and rest.
She can be dangerous if you fear her:
Nobody wants her yet passes through all,
All the locked and sealed doors.
Who can get her out of here?
O loneliness, nobody wants you.

When the folks go gay

The cock crow has long passed in a haste
the blue sky has changed gray
the rowdy air has grown cool
the dark night approaches near
the labour of the joyful day unfolds here
the birds towards their warm nest
the foxes into their hidden holes
the men of the field return home with loads

tired worn out and hungry.
While women sit by the fire cooking
their men warm themselves around the glowing fire
sipping from their gourd a tapped wine
smoking their pipes, their self-made tobacco
getting ready for the promising night
under the open and smiling sky.

Stories are told of yesteryear
of courageous acts of our heroic sons and daughters
and how they gallantly fell and won.
Stories of the dark past and how it should
never rear its heads on its ugly shoulders.
Stories of the good old days: of abundant times;
one told them, all in tales

accompanied by their singing rhymes
and dances according to the rhythmic
beats of their anklets and castanets.
Shouts of uncontrolled excitements from our men
as their women dance to please them:
the erotic dance before the moonlit night
when children are put to rest,

those to soon be mothers and fathers are left.
Palm wine on the ground is spilled
when throats can no more harbour but spit.
A struggle for women during the dance
like starved hawks after the vulnerable chicks.
Dancing ceases when feet go cold
and through a wrestling all damsels chosen.

Soon the glowing fire goes dim
and the flickering palm oil lamp snuffed off
for a march into the white clay thatch
arm in arm and arm around waste
along their wobbling feet they dragged.
To new couples their first approved moon night
men and their women their right night
waiting for the morrow soon to knock.