Agua De Mayo
The gray sky poured
falling into the cracks of the earth
sipped, sucked by the ailing
and thirsty dried mud.
Clinked, splashed on the scorching stones.
Evaporated, cooled down, revived
the chill that wakes up
insects hiding in their burrows
The clouds have cleared,
the extreme heat subsided;
back are the croaking of frogs
who are exploring the fields
The first rain of May has visited.
The strong raindrops have slid down
from leaves and fell into rice paddies.
Tomorrow, the overturning of dried mud
and the growth of the cure for the hungry.
Agua De Mayo
Nagtubod ang kalangitan nga abo
naghaplak sa nagabagtik nga litik sang duta
ginsuyop, ginhigop sang nagapanagitlon
ba-il nga gina-uhaw.
Naglagtik, nag-agsik sa nagabaga-baga nga bato.
Nag-aso, nagbugnaw, nabanhaw
ang kayami nga nagapamukaw
sa mga sapat-sapat nga nagapanago sa iya buho.
Naghawan ang kalangitan,
naghupa ang nagadaba-daba nga kainit;
nabanhaw ang urok sang mga paka
nga nagapaliwa-liwa sa talamnan.
Nagdu-aw na ang nahauna nga ulan sang Mayo.
Nag-ilig na sa mga dahon ang mapagros nga tinulo
kag nadagdag sa kinahon sang humayan.
Buas, magabaliskad ang mga ba-il
kag magatubo ang bulong sang mga gutom.
ORLAND AGUSTIN SOLIS writes poetry, short stories, and children’s stories primarily in the Hiligaynon language. His works tackle their narratives as farmers in the hinterlands of Negros Occidental. His works have appeared in TLDTD, Revolt Magazine, Loch Raven Review, and elsewhere.
ERIC ABALAJON is currently a lecturer at the University of the Philippines Visayas, Iloilo. His translations have appeared in Asymptote, Modern Poetry in Translation, Four Way Review, Exchanges: Journal of Literary Translation, and Tripwire: a journal of poetics. His debut poetry collection is forthcoming from Flowersong Press. He lives near Iloilo City, Philippines.
