Surprise Quiz / Poem by Jaime Jesus Borlagdan

Kan naitao na su kahaputan
luway-luway na luminuwas
su ribok sa kwarto. Garo pagpundo
kan ngarakngakan
pag may biglang nagadan
sa pilikulang paulok.

Kun ano man na aking ogma
an naghuhurunlakan sa aki nindang isip
kuminilpis pagtuktok kan kahaputan
sa saindang mga pintuan.

Su irinuman pakatapos kan klase
isinuksok muna sa irarom kan ulnan,
su tuparan sa sinehan kan piday pag-urulian
isinalya muna paluwas sa bintana,
hinipid su samok kan isip na gubot
ta su kahaputan hipidon an sulot,
nagaarik-arik an silyab kan sapatos,
malipot arog kan magurang na dai makasabot.

Sa hampang kan kahaputan
ginubot ninda su buhok na haluyon
pinakaray kan sukray (para sa piday) ,
sinanlian su malinawon na isog kan saidang kaakian
ki murusot na nagwagas ki mga talaw na linya.
Sa hampang kan kahaputan
tuminalikod sinda pasiring
sa kwartong saindang pigdudulagan. Sa kawartong ini

nawalat sa mga tukawan
su mga lawas na karamaskamas.
Kamrag pasakat kan nabulot
sa hararom na kalot. Karagnas
kan papel na ginumos.

Makagirabo
an kadaehan na ribok.
Gari arog pag banggi
pag an mga suriyaw
nakalaom sa laog.
Pag an isip
nakikigumulan
sa paros. Sa kawaran
ki laog.

Garo
may nagibo akong
sala.
Garo
may tursidong
nagdara ki gabat
dawa siyerto
an pagpatod.

Kuminagrit su bel.
Saro-saro sindang nagtirindugan.
May pigtitipon sindang paros
gibo kan haralawig na hinangos,
kan pigtitipon ninda sa hampang ko
su mga papel na daing simbag,
dai sinimbagan. Garo mga panyong
gamit buda habo nang gagamiton.

Insigida
pagluwas, pigkalagkalag ninda su saindang tinarapok
kan nakua, pinalaog ninda sa saindang mga payo,
na pano ki paghidaw arog sa nasuway na pagkamoot,
ining mga bagay na muya buda kaya sana nindang isipon.

*

An natada sa kwarto, ako.
Nakahiling na garo igwang lawas
an sakuyang kahaputan
buda an saiyang kasimbagan
na anod-anod na garo dampog
sa ibabaw kan binarayaan na tukawan,
kargado ki enerhiya buda lipot, na pagminasalpukan,
minagibong daludog na ako sana
an nakakadangog.

English:

After the question was given
the ruckus tiptoed out of the classroom. Like the halting
of laughter
during a sudden death
in a funny film.

Whatever juvenile joy
romps around their juvenile minds
thinned out at the rapping of the question
on their doors.

The drinking spree after class
is slipped under the pillow
the rendezvous with the lover at the after class cinema
is thrown outside the window,
they have straightened out the mess in their tangled minds
for the question's clothes are creaseless
intense is the shine of its shoes
cold like a parent who wouldn't understand.

In the face of the question
they ruined their hair
combed for hours (for the lover)
the naked boldness of their youth
is switched with a frown spreading cowardly lines.
In the face of the question
they turned their back to a room
they are running away from. In this room

left on the chairs
are the squirming bodies.
Upward clawing of one which fell
to a deep pit. Racket
of a crumpled paper.

The absence of sound
is hair-raising.
Like during at night
when the screams
are muffled within.
When the mind
wrestles
with air.
With emptiness.

It's as if
I have made
a mistake.
It's as if
a thread
carried a weight
even if snapping
is certain.

The bell shrieked.
One by one they stood up.
They created a breeze
made by their exhalations
while they gather in front of me
papers without answers,
unanswered. Like used
and now unwanted handkerchiefs.

Instantly
when they were outside, they searched for what they had thrown
finding them, they ushered these back to their heads
filled with longing as a separated beloved
these things they want to think of and are only capable
of thinking of.
*
What's left in the room is me.
Staring at, as if with bodies,
my question
and its answer
floating like a cloud
above the abandoned chairs,
charged with energy and coldness,
that whenever they collide
they create a thunder which only me alone
can hear.