HAIKUS AND TANAGA

Haikus and Tanaga's are forms of poetry in the Philippines, they are a part of
Philippine culture and literature.

Haikus

During WW:II, The Japanese forces under Lt. Gen. Homma landed on the Northeast
with one force landing on the Southeast of Luzon. By 1941, the Philippines were in
full occupation of the Japanese. This period brought pain, hardships, and torture.
Because of the influence of the Japanese, Filipino writers started writing haikus
which were a form of literature or poetry in Japan. Haikus are short but have
deep meanings, due to the short length of the haikus, it gives the reader more
possibility and more imagination to visualize the setting and background and analyze
and interpret to understand the meanings.
Haikus follow a 5-7-5 rhyme scheme.

These Haikus were written by Gonzalo K. Flores, an Avant-garde poet during the
Japanese occupation period.
Tutubi - Tagalog
hila mo’y tabak…
ang bulaklak, nanginig!
sa paglapit mo.
Dragonfly - English Translation of Tutubi
pulling your sword…
the flower trembled
as you approached
Anyaya - Tagalog
ulilang damo
sa tahimik na ilog
halika, sinta.
Invitation - English Translation of Invitation
lonely grass
by the silent river
come, my dear.
 Tanaga

Tanaga's on the other hand, is the Philippine Haiku. Tanaga consists of four lines and
follows a 7-7-7-7 rhyme scheme. While Haiku's were of Japanese influence, the
Tanaga is already a part of Philippine literature and dates back to the 16th century
and were written in Tagalog.

SANGGOL
Pag ang sanggol ay ngumiti
nawawala ang pighati,
pag kalong mo’y sumisidhi
ang pangarap na punyagi.
BABY
When the baby smiles
sorrow disappears,
when you hold it hard
the dream to strive for.
GALIT
Ang damdami’y sumisikdo
sa balitang di-totoo;
habang sila’y nanunudyo,
poot nag-aalimpuyo.
ANGER
The feeling is overwhelming
in false news;
while they dried,
hatred simmering.

END
tutubi
hila mo’y tabak…
ang bulaklak, nanginig!
sa paglapit mo.

Dragonfly
pulling your sword…
the flower trembled
as you approached Anyaya
ulilang damo
sa tahimik na ilog
halika, sinta.
Invitation
lonely grass
by the silent river
come, my dear.