Diskriminasyon

By KLPP_Production

Pinagtatawanan nila ang iyong hitsura

Kasuotan mo’y gusot at luma
Sa’yo ay ayaw nilang makisama
‘Pagkat kulay mo ay naiiba.

Pandak ka’t maliit sabi nila

Kulang ka daw sa sustansiya
Payat na at maitim pa
Kaya naman iniiwasan ka nila.

Tahimik ka at mabagal gumalaw

Kaya naman lagi silang nakasigaw
Mabilis pa raw sa’yo ang langaw
Masarap kang hampasin ng anahaw

Binabatukan ka, sinisipa at dinuduraan

Pagkatao mo ay kanilang niyuyurakan.
Dahil anila ‘di ka kabilang
Dito sa mundong kanilang ginagalawan.

Tanga, bobo, mabaho at lampa

Lahat ng panlalait sinasabi nila.
Walang pakialam kahit masaktan ka
Basta gusto nilang paglaruan ka.

‘Di nila batid ang sakit

‘Di nila lasa ang pait.
Sa tulad nilang mga malulupit
Kaawa-awa ang buhay mong sinapit.

Kailan matitigil ang kasong ito?

Ang panlalait sa kapwa Pilipino?
Kailan magbabago ang pagtingin ninyo?
Kailan papantay ang inyong trato?

Walang kontes kung sinong matalino

Ang dapat ay maging makatao.
Hindi kailangan na maging henyo
Ang mahalaga ay ang respeto.
Caged Bird
BY MAYA ANGELOU
A free bird leaps
on the back of the wind
and floats downstream
till the current ends
and dips his wing
in the orange sun rays
and dares to claim the sky.

But a bird that stalks

down his narrow cage
can seldom see through
his bars of rage
his wings are clipped and
his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings

with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.

The free bird thinks of another breeze

and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees
and the fat worms waiting on a dawn bright lawn
and he names the sky his own

But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams

his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings

with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.

Maya Angelou, “Caged Bird” from Shaker, Why Don't You Sing? Copyright © 1983 by Maya Angelou.

Tinig ng Darating
ni Teo Baylen

Ang guniguni mo’y paglakbayin doon

Sa madugong landas ng ating dantaon;
Masasalubong mo ang isang panahon
Na sambuntong ako at nagngangang libing?

- Ito ba ang lupang aking aankinin

Na tira-tirahan ng apoy at talim?
Ito ba ang manang aking bubungkalin
Sa sambuntong ako at nagngangang libing?

- Ito ba ang mundong hinila kung saan

Ng Gulong ng inyong hidwang kaunlaran?
Ito ba ang bunga ng Sining mo’t Agham?
Ito ba ang aking manang Kalinangan?

- Iyan ba ang bukid na walang naimbak

Kundi mga bungo ng mga kaanak?
Binaog ng inyong punlong makamandag
At wala ni damo na diya’y mag-ugat?

- Kahubdan at gutom, isipang salanta,

Bigong pananalig at pag-asang giba;
Ito ba ang aking manang napapala
Na labi ng inyong taniman at sumpa?

O Sangkatauhan ng Dantaong ito

Na dapat sisihin ng mga inapo;
Ano sa darating ang isasagot mo
Sa sumbat ng lahing susunod sa iyo?

Tinig ng Darating at Iba pang Tula, 2001

Satao
BY STEPHEN DERWENT PARTINGTON
Satao, Kenya’s last great tusker, was poached in 2014
Cowards, let us sing in dead Elmolo
how the elephants have died.
We thank the cavemen, that they drew them,
that zoologists described them,
for the photos of them herding
which the tourists left behind,
for who would ever, fools, believe us?
Teeth from heaven to the ground!?

I stretch my arm out like a trunk

to palm the graveyard of its cranium;
it’s how, I hear, they mourned.
The brain within worked tools and language.
I have none: a useless pen
(it’s only good for drafting elegies)
and even then, no words.
We once had tuskers. Tell the birds!

This poem previously appeared in Kenya’s Saturday Standard.

Source: Poetry (January 2016)