THEY CAME TO ANNOUNCE THE RAIN

Layug–layug as we called them in Bikolnon. They came to announce the rain the other night. They came at the time when the heat seemed eternal and God-given. And what a welcome sight. After-all it is almost June, and with this we are reminded of drizzles and school children walking about in their raincoats. We just hope that their classrooms are ready to house their intellectual pursuits.

We hope to see the election fever washed away by the rain. After much bickering, it is time to cool down and work on the real issues and get things done. What is the use of our insitutions if their machinery will not work for the people? If not then we better not have them.

The layug-layug came and went. It was just a visit after-all.

NEW PODCAST

UNIBERSO

Sa unang pagpintig ng pulso sa puson,
Pulang araw ang buhay sa uniberso ng laman.

Iikutan ang atom ng lakas ng electron
At didilat ang nucleus ng musmos na dugo.

Sisipa ng sigla ang mitochondrion
At kuyom na kamao ang bagsik ng lyzosome.

Sasabay sa indak at himig ng Dibdib
Ang mumunting sayaw ng mga chromosome.

Anupa’t kung may Hiblang humaba o kumapal,
O kaya naman ay may Hiblang lumabis;

Tutulis ang mga ngipin at hahaba ang kuko.
Lalapad ang braso at balahibo ay damo.

Sa dikta ng Hibla ay susunod ang hanay
Ng osteocyte, fibrocyte at adiposa.

Lalapatan ng laman ang binhi ng paghinga
Sa diperensasyon ng utak, baga at atay.

Saka unang iluluwal sa liwanag ang baguntao
At iiyak sa unang paghaplos ng simoy.

Saka unang huhugot ng hangin ang bronchus
Na wala pang kilalang buntunghininga.

Madulas ang pagyakap ng pericardium sa sentro
Ng mekanikal na pandama ng kaluluwa.

Ihehele ng duyan ang pagsibol ng puso
At duduyan ang dugo sa fossa ovalis

Na foramen ovale sa dibdib ng fetus.
Titingala ang erythrocyte sa anulus ovalis

Na naglahong pintig ng septum primum ng embryo.
Na kapwa nagmula sa septum secondum.

Anupa’t sa kalawakan ng lupa at dagat,
Ang sayaw ng paghinga ay sa tambol lamang ng cardium.

Sa libong spermatozoang sumisid sa ovum,
Perlas tayong umahon na walang kawangis.

Ang pulang araw sa simula ng uniberso ng laman
Ay pipintig ng liwanag sa angking sandali.

At ang kalawakan ng huklubang uniberso ng mga tala
Ay may binhi ng salaysay ng ating kaluluwa.

-Jose Jason L. Chancoco

(Photo by Kaye Buena)

http://www.gcast.com/u/hagbayon/

PUSAKAL

Just got an SMS from Allan Popa, the co-editor of NA for L to be Cirilo F. Bautista for the literary anthology called “Mga Bagong Tulang Tagalog”. Yes, I am included in the said collection, and needless to say, I am happy about it. More than awards, I trust publications more because it is the better way to reach one’s readers. Too much awards will only make your head swell. And besides it’s not the only measure of writerly existence.

The anthology, I heard, will be printed by the UST Press and set to come out within the year. Surely, there will be a book launch somewhere in Manila to be attended by the contributors and readers. I am looking forward to it. I miss Manila and everything good or bad about it. As you see, I am the ‘Pusakal’ and I am dying to leave this cell. (Photo by Kaye Buena)

 Allan also requested me to call the attention of fellow Bicolanos and contributors Carlo Arejola, Kristian Cordero and Jaime Jesus Borlagdan. Hey guys, submit your short bio today, Friday, May 4, 2007. It must contain your birthdate, birthplace, educational background and current preoccupations. Send it to 09167173107. So there.

One thing more, here’s the new issue of Makata:

Check out the latest issue of the Makata at http://www.dalityapi.com/

THE MAKATA (POET) Vol.8
http://makata.dalityapi.com/

Makata Issue No.5, May 2007 is now available online featuring the works
of our home-grown and international poets.

Poetry
by Aurora Antonovic, Luis Benitez, Luis Cuauhtemoc Berriozabal, Zig
Madamba Dulay, Dennis Espada, Manuel Lino G. Faelnar, C W Hawes, Rey
Tamayo, Jr. and Robert Wilson.

Send all submissions / contributions for Volume 8 June 2007 issue to
svillafania at yahoo [dot] com and to Jason Chancoco at tarusan22 at
yahoo [dot] com (for Tagalog/Filipino & Bikol poetry). Also accepting poems
written in other Philippine languages: Cebuano, Iluko, Hiligaynon,
Waray,  Kapampangan, Pangasinan, etc.