}} Lesson in History |

Poetry at Sangam

SangamHouse

 










Lesson in History

Translated from Filipino by Kristine Ong Muslim

 
Aimed at the mountains
were the cannons of foes
this morning of May
1897. All the while

the mandate had been received
in the form of a sealed letter
Do not open. When you get
there, open this letter

read it aloud before
those two and strictly follow
what it says. May God
keep you safe

 
for a long time
For a long time, they should be wary
of you who take the life
of your Tagalog comrades

It is because history
is rehashed. History that
according to him, should be feared
because nothing is hidden from it

Here, nothing is hidden. Here,
in a region with a small mountain
near Cawayanan, on the other side of irrigated lands
the glare of the sun is on the right

I wish for daytime to be long drawn out
in the mountains. I wish for daytime
to be long drawn out in the mountains. I wish
for daytime to be long drawn out in the mountains

I wish to still be far away from my destination. I wish
respite is still far beyond my grasp. I wish
the letter had not been opened yet. I wish to not
die yet. I wish they have not gained ground yet

the enemies. The enemies
I wish they are not my brothers. Brother
forgive me. I wish
history can be repeated

 
The words
in the letter, words locked away
so they cannot be unshackled from the bounds
of expediency. With the letter unfurled

there is finality. The end
has come, although the enemies
have yet to arrive
Peloton! Preparen! Carguen

Armas! The words
that can silence. The words
that are silent. The words
that will stay unquiet for a long time

History has many versions
Verses have many versions
even these verses. It is true
Verses have history

There are verses for the slain
No verses are set out to slay
There are verses for the wife
searching for her husband

Verses that inquire, Where
to find what had been stolen from her
Verses that spout
only great lies
 
 

Aralin sa Kasaysayan (Filipino Version)