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Friday, May 31, 2013

KUNDIMAN by EMMANUEL LACABA, Trans. by PAOLO JAVIER

After Paolo Javier became the Poet Laureate for Queens, New York, he instigated several lovely poetic projects, such as this feature of "Kundiman," a Tagalog poem by Emmanuel Lacaba that Paolo translated into English.  Both may be seen HERE, though I present the English version below

LOVE SONG

What you said was red is a favorite of yours.
What I said is white was a favorite of mine.
When the two of us saw each other last night,
I dressed in red and you wore white.

Paolo (I believe) had translated the poem before he became Queens' Poet Laureate.  As such, he once created this nifty project where he presented both printed on a tiny piece of gold-flecked, translucent paper.  He then inserted that slip of paper into an envelope aptly colored red (red may also be read to have significance that relates to Emmanuel Lacaba's role as a revolutionary warrior against the Philippines' Martial Law dictatorship):










Given its 2 5/8" x 4 1/8" size, this lovely red project fits with SitWithMoi's "Books on Chairs" collection!  So I'm pleased to move it from the regular Poetry Library to SitWithMoi's library!  Which means, where shall we shelve this "book"?  Well, why not with the other similarly-sized  HAIKU by Ivy Alvarez and FLORULA LUDOVICIANA by Marthe Reed on the comfortable rocking bench with rush seat and throw! 




I think they all look comfy together, don't you!?
 
 
 

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