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Lola Isyang and the Old Star Apple Tree (Si Lola Isyang at ang Matandang Puno ng Kaimito)

By Anonymous
Grandma Isyang and the Old Star Apple Tree
by Chary Lou Navarro
translated by J.A. Del Prado

One night,
Grandma Isyang looked out of the window.
She saw the fingers of the wind
Gently picking one by one
The leaves of the old
star-apple tree.

The same fingers
Pinched Grandma’s eyes.
She closed the window
And lay in bed gently.

There, Grandma Isyang felt
The pain of the pinch.
Gently,
She closed her eyes
As the old star-apple tree
Shed its leaves.


In the original language (Filipino):

 Si Lola Isyang at ang Matandang Puno ng Kaimito
ni Chary Lou Navarro-Defante

 Isang gabi
Si Lola Isyang dumungaw sa bintana
Natanaw niya ang mga daliri ng hangin
Isa-isa, dahan-dahang pinipitas
Ang mga dahon ng matandang puno ng kaimito.

At ang mga mata ni Lola ay kinurot
Ng mga daliri ring iyon
Isinara ni Lola ang bintana
At dahan-dahang nahiga.

Doon naramdaman ni Lola Isyang
Ang hapdi na dala ng kurot
Ang talukap ng kanyang mga mata’y
Unti-unting nag-abot
Kasabay ng pagkaubos ng mga dahon
Ng matandang puno ng kaimito.

Note: This has been published in the Issue 4, 2013 of K1N Journal of Literary Translation (University of Ottawa)
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Comments

  1. AnonymousFebruary 18, 2010 at 1:57 AM

    gud pm

    hi im from ust rin

    i was wondering if u have the filipino version of this>> lola isyang

    i need it for lit102

    pls email it to me at s02cjbnet@yahoo.com

    thnks a lot

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousFebruary 22, 2010 at 7:30 AM

    HI im also from ust, AB..

    WE are also discussing that poem. WE have a tagalog version of that in our book name: " Philippine literatures:tests, themes, approaches" by augusto antonio A. Aguila.

    just in case you want to research the book itself.

    ReplyDelete
  3. yrah c.February 27, 2010 at 7:41 PM

    Hi! For those who need the poem and the author's background, please check out this site: http://charylou.blogspot.com....

    ReplyDelete

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