REPORTERS

Angel Nicole R. Nanit Aliyah Mae M. Bautista Lady Merianne A. Caguiat

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 Michael
'Myke'
Obenieta
REGION VII
Michael 'Myke'
Obenieta
Born in Cebu, Philippines
A truly Cebuano indeed
One of the pillars of contemporary
Bisaya Poetry.
Writes poetry and prose in both
Cebuano and English
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 His Literary Works
He has written and published anthropologies and
magazines for the Free Press, Graphics, Panorama,
Inquirer, Home Life, and Bisaya, among others.
His best known works are "New writers speak up
and mantala," "Likhaan," "Fiction(1996 to 1997),"
and many more.

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 Awards and Achievements
Honored in the Bathalad Hall of Fame as a result
of five consecutive first prize wins in their
poetry contest.
Received the Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas.
Recognized as the most creative editor in House
Awards of Sun Star Cebu (2005).

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KAY ANG KAHILOM USAB
KA SILOY

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Obenieta is known to be skilled in using words
that are rich in meaning. Line by line, you
will be drawn to his background. His poetry can
be called casual.

Two of his poems are all about his great love

for his mother.
Michael Obenieta is well-known for his works,
including "Kay ang kahilom usab ka siloy,"
which depicts a mother's love for her child.
This work of his lets the reader understand how
important our mother, or should we say,
Philippine literature, is in our life, which we
have neglected and do not pay enough attention
to.
Haw-ang ang tanang Mitugdon sa iyang dila
garay, tanang ang agiw sa naugdaw
pasumbingay, Nga mga balhibo sa ugis
Kon motugbaw ang pako ug langyaw
sa panghupaw ni Nga langgam. Inanay
nanay:Pastilan, pa-ita naabo ang bulok
ining gredwan ra ta, Sa iyang matang
Kilawon unta’ng inengles nagkaawop,
kon kasabot pa... nagpirok-pirok.
Samtang iyang Ug sarang na ang
gipahiluna ang karaang siga-sayaw sa among
antipara lamparilya.
Samtang gapunsisok ang Sa among amakang
mga anunugba bungbong misalida
Sa among bag-ong Ang iyang kamot,
plorisin. Kaniadtong mipasundayag og pako
lunhaw tadlas
Ang akong pagtilok sa Sa akong alimpatakan.
gamut ug liso, tataw Aron dili ka maihalas
Sama nako, matod niya, Nga iyang gisagol sa
basa gyu’g taman... sabaw isip palihi
Tin-aw gihapon hangtud Niadtong punga-punga
karon, dili daman, pa ang akong ikasulti
Ang dam-ag sa iyang Mao’y mipikas sa akong
tingog. Ug ako nagtuo dila pinaagi sa mga
Nga kadtong gipaagiw pulong
nga letra sa alpabeto Nga duna’y pako,
hangtud ako karon
napakong
Sa panganod. Apan bisan
nanghupaw si nanay,
Nagkayuring sa langyaw
kong garay, wala’y
Laing tingog sama
kalunsay sa iyang
pahiyom
Gawas sa pagsiloy sa
among kahilom.
In the poem Kay ang Kahilom Usa Usab ka Siloy, he told how much
his mother was proud of him, what he had achieved, and the
wisdom he had learned:

And the light dances in our lamp

Her hand moved to our stepfather
Showed wings across my path
So that you don't go wild like me, she said, the garden is wet.
And the last stanza of that poem reveals that his mother did not
fail to encourage him to write and to express wisdom:

And I believe those stolen letters of the alphabet

which he mixed in the soup as a garnish
I was still in my infancy
My tongue was torn by words
With wings
Until now I'm stuck in the cloud.
Thank you
for listening!