Monster

Every 2AM
I tuck you in with a morsel
Of poison.
Not enough to kill you,
But just enough
To keep me alive.

It puts you in a trance
As if you are somewhere else
Instead of inside me
Wreaking havoc
And ruining my defenses.

See, our story would have been
One for the books,
Except I didn’t even see you coming.
You just showed up
Probably snuck in with the many
Love affairs
I tried to stage with strangers.

Each one a twisted
Once-upon-a-time
That either ended with disaster
Or never even begun.

You sensed the void
That lay in my heart
And found your niche.
You built your tiny castle
With devastation
And rot.

You are here now.
And like many of my lovers
Who did nothing but destroy,
I welcome you with open arms.

I feel you
Spreading in me
Like the seed of a pervert-
Unyielding to shame or protest.
What an enthusiastic
Sadist you are.

I once believed
That sadists made masochists
By mere association.
I know now
That who I am
Doesn’t depend on
Who you’re trying to be.

So sleep,
Little monster,
You are not the death of me.
I am your master.
I am free.

Munggo

Wala sa mga balahibo
Sa batok kong
Naghuhumindig
Sa bawat haplos mo
Ang dahilan ng aking pag-inog
Sa kalawakan
Ng aking higaan.

Wala rin sa pabulong nguni’t
Mabilis na huni ng orasan
(Ang oras natin)
Ang saglit na tumitiktak
Ay nagiging takatak-takatak
Na parang kabayong
Kumakarera sa himpapawid
Di dapat marinig
Nguni’t yumayanig
Sa pusong pumipintig.

Wala sa lamlam
Ng alas-singko nang umagang
Ginising ako ng ulam ng kapitbahay
At ang bisig mong nakadantay
Ay nagsimulang magpawis
Na para bang mga halik sa aking kutis.

O sa amoy ng araw
Sa’yong bumbunan nang magising ka
At biglang matantong nakatulog ka
Na naman
Nang di sinasadya–

Sapagka’t ‘di mo ako
Kayang malisan,
Gayung ako’y hubad na munggong
Nagsusumamo sa lupa ng yakap mo,
Na umuusbong kinabukasan
At nagiging punla.

Dahil namulat ka
At nahuli ang sariling
Naliligaw.
Tumubo ang damdamin
Na parang damong-ligaw
Binungkal mong agad-agad
Gaya ng pagsinop mo
Sa mga pinaghubaran nating
Nagkalat sa lapag.

Dahil ako’y lulong sa sakit
Na pinilit
Nang umalis kang bigla
Sa pagkakadikit
Pinaniwala ang sariling
Nag-iwan ka ng pait.




(Salin mula sa wikang Ingles: Beans)