MY FOUR POEMS FOR MOMMY
   By MT MERCADO MAGTULOY-EVANGELISTA

                I 

I  f  time flashes half a century back, 
R  egal life you gave up for fate and luck, 
E  nraged older folks, your One great love, 
N  o matter how pauper Daddy was clad. 
E  mbraced providence, the Will of God. 
  
A  nd then four of us came, again you said, 
N  un I wished to be, but here I am led, 
D  ivine Providence still made me feel, 
R  ightful thrones in heaven my kids can fill, 
E  ven much better, for six instead of one, 
S  omeday even best, more offsprings to come.' 
  
M  emories before I walked down the aisle, 
E  mit from within and keep rushing by, 
R  ewinding that funny, Vic's first home visit,  
C  ome in Vic, come in', and gestured him to sit. 
A  t  first instinct you already felt, the God-sent, 
D  oubts gone, being the son of a would-be priest, 
O  r  St. Vincent Ferrer's grant to our novena wish. 
  
M  eanwhile Daddy mumbled his jealous line, 
A  ge of Vic, if only the same as mine, 
G  rave be my jealousy, you treat him fine.' 
T  hat was another amusing bits of gone time. 
U  ntil, we were blest with kids of our own, 
L  ove and untiring service Vic returned, 
O  f a son-in-law, a son, you call your own, 
Y  our "God bless U" appears in all pages we turn. 
  
                          II 

I   keep walking down the memory lane, 
R  ewinding the memories we had, 
E  ach time, my heart cries in pain, 
N  ight and day, I pine and am sad, 
E  ver wishing to hug and kiss you again. 
  
A  las! My precious childhood with you, 
N  ever escape my heart and mind, 
D  etails your love, genuine and true, 
R  equired me to recite poems in rhyme, 
E  nglish words, all to me, strange and new, 
S  ix to eight, I was, a poet to bud in time. 
  
M  oments we shared in Baguio, I truly like, 
E  ject more longings only my heart can tell, 
R  eplay our South Drive and Mines View hike, 
C  hanting hymns, you taught so well. 
A  geless sacred advices you gave, whenever, 
D  own in pains, my heart can not spell, 
O  f people, of dismay, I can't decipher. 
  
M  ommy wherever you are, don't you part, 
A  sk God please, that He'll make you stay, 
G  ive me once more your listening heart, 
T  ell me again, "Hija, all pains pass away..." 
U  sher me out of the dark before I get lost, 
L  eave me not, please dwell in me, 
O  nly you, could understand me most, 
Y  ou, next to Mother Mary, my one Mommy! 

                         III 

I  n each twilight approaching swiftly, 
R  uns down these tears I shed, 
E  vening chats we used to have daily, 
N  estle all over my aching head... 
E  ntirely cut my poor sleeps in bed.. 
  
A  ccord to me... that I may see you, 
N  ot too much asking, just in dreams, 
D  ark nights will then fade from view, 
R  estore back the stars and moonbeams. 
E  nd my sorrow, my misery...please shoo. 
S  end me words to bring back my dreams. 
  
M  y loveones, MQV disturbed for me, 
E  very now and then, they feel my pain, 
R  ound across the globe, your Godson baby-- 
C  oyang Dick, Ating Cel, help me calm the rain. 
A  ll my siblings & families, CoyangJJ, M.A, JV, 
D  addy dearest, love you most deep and plain, 
O  h divine Love, vanquish our sorrow and pain. 
  
M  orning Sundays MQ bring you no costly rose, 
A   nd offer our simple flowers to God Most High, 
G  reat is your life but there, there it goes... 
T  o the whistling winds, to drift, to fly, 
U  ntil it echoes back, more and more, 
L  ouder and louder while drifting the sky 
O  nly to find, its within the heart's core 
Y  our love Mommy, lives! never to die! 

                       IV 

I  could not forget the life you knew,
R  everence in God, you cling on to, 
E  arthly ordeals, you underwent, 
N  ever your Faith, ceased a moment, 
E  ndured submissively all tests He sent. 
   
A  ll for Thee Lord Jesus', you'd say 
N  aught for me, you'd lovingly obey, 
D  ear pretty face of yours I don't tire, 
R  aised compliments, which people admired, 
E  ven then, still, you'd humbly say, 
S  weet looks would just rot and fade away... 
  
M  ultitude of hardships you had to pass, 
E  ducation in exchange, you wanted for us, 
R  eared us with love and holy lessons, 
C  harted us to become good daughters and sons. 
A  nd lo! Look mommy! The harvest you've got. 
D  own here, with Daddy, we forget you not, 
O  f your exemplary Motherhood and all that! 
  
M  orning dawn, each day, will come anew, 
A  ges shall fleet yet I bid you no Adieu, 
G  od whispers promises after each dark night, 
T  omorrow is my Hope, I'll hold on tight, 
U  ntil I see you again, beloved Mommy of mine, 
L  et me clasp your hand comes God's given Time 
O  h! let me feel your love...still, still waits for me, 
Y  onder! Take me where you are now, MOMMY! 
  
M  ommy have you read my FOUR POEMS up at Heaven's blue? 
O  h yes! You're always and  the first to read my poems as before, 
M  ommy, poetry runs in our veins, I'm a poet, all because of You...
M  y setting: Daddy here, by your terrace, facing the rivershore, 
Y  oung twilight chats again, searching up that I might see YOU! 

                                                     MTMME 
                                                     March 30, 2008 

     APAT A POEMA PARA KANG INDU
 Neng MT MERCADO  MAGTULOY-EVANGELIST A 

                  I 

I  tang singkwenta anos a dinalan, 
R  angya ning bie ‘yang kekang gilutan, 
E  sukat kemua Lugud mu, ding mangatua, 
N  ung kalulu man ing bili nang Tata. 
E  da balu kaburian pala ning Dios Ibpa. 
  
A  nyang apat kaming linto, ngamong sinabi, 
N  ung mo sa pamagmadre ing apili, 
D  apot ing Ibpa peramdam na kanaku, 
R  etang tronu banua ila sang asapak yu. 
E  sayang, imbes na metung, anam tamu, 
S  ukat ganap, dakal pang suli kekayu.' 
  
M  asayang napun, bayu ku mekiasawa, 
E  tuknang lalapo king pusu ku at diwa, 
R  etang makatulang aldo y Vic primero yang migbisita, 
C  asampat naman “Mekeni Vic, mekeni, malaus ka”. 
A  burianan meng agad, isip mu padala neng Ibpa, 
D  uda man ala na, anak yang magpari, ngamu pa. 
O  kaya pakibat nang  San Vicente king pangadi ta. 
  
M  akatula pa y Tata magselus nepin man, 
A  sne kamua ngana “Nung kasing idad kyamu ‘yan, 
G  anap ku kamua, masyadu meng istiman”, 
T  ula ku naman mo makapakailing milabasan. 
U  agas a bendisyun, mika atin kaming anak, 
L  ugud at serbisyu, keka y Vic binalik nang tapat, 
O  yning manuyang a balamu tune meng anak, 
Y  ang anggang “God bless U” mu sobra ng sapat. 

                     II 

I  ng milabas a pilit kung babalikan, 
R  ecuerdung maula lulual king simpanan, 
E  patugut pusung tatangis king kasakitan, 
N  eng bengi at aldo, lungkut kung panamdaman, 
E  na sukat malyari, kawlan ka pa’t panuman. 
  
A  be daka king kayanakan kung sinaglit, 
N  i kapilan e mawaglit king pusu ku’t isip, 
D  eting lingap at lugud Indu kekang pepakit, 
R  etang poesiang makarima kaku mu pasambit, 
E  ko man atalus ding mabayat amanung Inglis, 
S  ukat naman, anam o wali idad kumung paslit. 
  
M  ilabas a napun king Baguio pane kung akakit, 
E  mapupus gugulis king pusu ku’t isip, 
R  ing South Drive at Mines View babalik lang pilit, 
C  antang pangadi a tiru mung maplit, 
A  manung maka Dios, Indu, binye mung masipit. 
D  eti ngan makatamle king pusu kung manangis, 
O  bat alang kasing sakit, alang kaparis… 
  
M  iparas ka man nukarin, eka sa darayu, 
A  duan mu Ibpa, manatili ka siping ku, 
G  awan mu pa rin ing makramdam ka kanaku, 
T  igko muku, “lilipas ngan”, sabian mung pasibayu. 
U  ling malili ku, king dulum abayan muku, 
L  akuan…ali muku! Magdatun ka king pusu, 
O  ika mu!  Ing makaintindi kanaku… 
Y  apin! Kaybat nang Indung Maria, Indu ku ika mu! 

                       III 

I  ndat ing silim marapal yang  mamampit, 
R  ing lua ding mata mananabu nang pilit, 
E  ku akalinguan kwentuan ta keti sulip, 
N  ing tamle, buntuk ku makirut king sakit, 
E  mapupus a kirut…eku man mipaidlip.. 
  
A  sahan ku pa rin Indu ing akit da ka pa, 
N  emong pakit ka, o king paninap man sana, 
D  ulum ning bengi dumayu na’t mawala, 
R  ing batuin at bulan, ila nang sumala. 
E mu paratunan ing lumbe, itabi mu sa, 
S  ana mag-amanu ka, sunlag paninap kung mitda. 
  
M  alugud kung MQV, migaganaka kanaku, 
E  da alapsuan, araramdaman da lumbe ku, 
R  eting lipat yatu, dating bingut a inanak mu, 
C  oyang Dick, Ating Cel, patila ing uran mananabu, 
A  nggang pamilya ku, Coyang JJ, MA,JV utul ku, 
D  eti at Tata , a tiktak ing lugud na keka at masolu, 
O  ! banal a lugud, itigko mu kami king pangalugmu. 
  
M  Q balang Dominggo bitbit dang sampaga, 
A  t idaun arapan ning pekamatas Dios Ibpa, 
G  anap a bie mu Indu, miras na babo biga, 
T   utu neng pinayid ning angin, malaut na, 
U  ling king kalaut sukat a tutunugan pa, 
L  aganap king sikan tunug Karin banua, 
O  bat mo ali, keni mu king pusu, atiu ka, 
Y  ang lugud mu Indu, mabie! Kapilanman e matda! 

                     IV 

I  ng bie mu kapilanman emakalinguan, 
R  ing tiwala mu king Dios at Katapatan, 
E  mu iti, pati na laksa mung Kasakitan, 
N  i misan etinage matibe mung Kasalpantayan, 
E  ka tinerku, memintu ka, binie na nanu pa man. 
  
A  mo, “Jesus, para Keka daraun ku ngan”, 
N  gamu pa “e para kaku, Ikang mipamintuan”, 
D  angat kung lawe, e sasawa king kekang leguan, 
R  ing aliwa man, agad dakang titingalan, 
E  ka mikakunu, marapal mung sabian, 
S ukat kukupas at mawala mu iting leguan… 
  
M  arakal kasakitan kang denasan, 
E  dukasyun abie mya sa anak mung kaluguran, 
R  eting lugud at aral kekaming akaragulan, 
C  ayantabe miras king catimawang kerasan, 
A  t lawen muke ngeni casampat ming pupupulan, 
D  umungo ka lalam, ikami edaka kalinguan, 
O  yan Indung alang kapara, Indu ming nuan! 
  
M  iras ing abak ding balang aldo, 
A  nos lumabas, Indu eku mamun, eku mako, 
G  uinu man mengaku, karas ning galingaldo, 
T  ing abak kaakbe pagasa datang ing aldo, 
U  me dakang akit Indu, king oras ning Guinu, 
L  atag me at iabut kanaku ing gamat mu, 
O  ! lugud mu Indu, paramdam mu manenaya pa kanaku, 
Y  anapin Karin!  Ituki muku nung nukarin ka Indu! 
   
M  ommy abasa mo APAT  A POESIA king babo banua? 
O  ita pin!  Ika ing lagi kung mumunang taga-basa, 
M  ommy, poesia managlus king uyat ku pauli mu, 
M  akalukluk kami Daddy terasa, lawe marayu, 
Y  ananaman king silim, sana akit dakang pasibayu! 

                                    MTMME 
                                    March 30, 2009