LOCAL WRITERS from the Province of Bohol
Marjorie Evasco
An award-winning Filipino poet,
born in Maribojoc,Bohol on
September 21, 1953. She writes:
English and Cebuano-Visayan. She
is a recipient of the SEA Write
Award.
Born into a Family of teachers who
were “always talking English”
She was brought up a Roman
Catholic and her formative years n
school were spent under the tutelage
of German and Belgian nuns. Her family then moved to Manila
She finished her B.A in 1973 from Divine World College of Tagbilaran, Masteral Degree in
Creative Writing in 1982 at Siliman University.
Her works: Origami (from Dreamweavers), A Legacy of light: 100 Years of sun Life in the
Philippines, Six Women Poets, Kung Ibig Mo: Is it the kingfisher?
Adonis Durado
Is an award-winning Cebuano poet,
illustrator, and graphic designer. He was
born on August 25, 1975, in Cebu City
Philippines. He is a Fine Arts graduate
from the University of San Carlos,
Philipines and was awarded the 2017
Viscom knight fellowship in Ohio
University.
He has published four books of
Cebuano poetry, Dili tanang matagak
Mahagbong, Minugbo alang sa Mugbo
og kalipay, Lipay sa Bugan and
Pahinugnod sa Di Hingtungdan.
He was a recipient of 2017 NCCA
Writer’s prize and Emmanuel Lacaba Prize 2000 awarded by the National Commission for
Culture and the Arts. He also received the outstanding “Young Cebuano Writer” from the
USC-Cebuano Studies Center and “ Writer of the Year Award” by BATHALAD Literary
group in 2012
Origami (from Dreamweavers)
“Dili tanang Matagak Mahagbong”
-Marjorie Evasco -Adonis Durado
This world unfolds, gathers up wind Pagpangga
To speed the crane’s flight North of my sun to Kung duna kay panggaon,
you. Tigumon mo diha niya
Ang imong kaugalingon.
I am shaping this poem Lakob mo ang imong palad
Out of paper, folding Distances between our Diha sa iyang palad,
seasons. Susama sa pagtak-om
Sa duha ka nabuwag
This poem is a crane. Nga kabhang sa kinhason.
When it wings unfold, Hipuson mo tuod
the paper will be pure and empty. Iyang pahiyomug tutok,
Diay aron iuli nga tibuok
ORIGAMI Pinaagi sa halok
Marjorie Evasco Mahimong itugot mong
Isum-ok ka niya
Mibukhad kining pulong, mitigom sa hangin
Ngadto sa lasang
Pagpadali sa lupad sa talabon
Sa iyang gibati ug hunahuna,
Amihanan sa akong adlaw, ngadto kanimo.
Tungod sa sa utlanan niini,
Nasayod kang ang mga sulog
Gilalang ko ning balak
Sa buhay sa iyang handumanan
Gikan sa papel, gi pilo-pilo
Kay misteryusong matigom
Ang gilay-on sa panahon.
Nganha sa lawod
Sa imong dughan.
Kining balak us aka talabon.
Ug kini ang rasun nganong
Inig bukad sa iyang pako,
May kamingaw ka
Ang papel motin-aw ug mahawan.
Nga masabtan diha sa anino
Sa nag-inusarang kahoy
Nganong may kasikas
Sa kabalaka nga mamukaw
Inig bukot sa kadlawon
Dihang mialimungaw kanimo
Nga wa siya sa imong kiliran.
Apan sa pagkaplag
Nga nahinanok ra diay
Siya sa imong luyo,
Gakson mo siya uban
Sa kalipay nga nasinati
Sa umang nga nakakaplag
Og bag-o niyang bayanan.
Pansit IS IT THE KINGFISHER?
Marjorie Evasco
Adonis Durado
This is how I desire god on this island
Mahadlok ko sauna
With you today: basic and blue
Kung gutomon si Papa, Ma.
Dili na siya mokaon.
As the sea that softens our feet with salt
Ang platong gisudlan nimo And brings the living wave to our mouths
Sa sud-an mokalit lag hagtok Playing with sounds of a primary
Sa imong bagulbagol. language.
Ug sama kaguba “God is bue,” sang the poet Juan Ramon
Sa karaan natong banggira Jimenez,
Ang mga balikas ni Papa: Drunk with desiring, his hair, eyebrows,
“Litse! Atay! Yawa! Eyelashes turned blue as the kingfisher’s
Wa ka bay laing ipakaon nako wings.
Kung di puros lang pansit? It is this bird that greets us as we come
Lab-as pa kayo kanako Round the eastern bend of this island;
hangtod karon, Ma, Tells us the hairbreadth boundary
ang repolyong sagol sa pansit. between us
Nahinumdom pa ko Is transient in the air, permeable to the
Sa ka humot sa hebe blue
Ug tambok sa ginisang baboy Of tropic skies and mountain gentian.
Nga nanab-it sa imong buhok. Where we sit on this rock covered with
Diin sa nagkamantika seaweeds,
Nimong danguyngoy I suddenly feel the blueness embrace us,
Gipuga sa atong bentana This rock, this island, this changed air,
Ang lemonsitong buwan. The distance between us and the Self
We have longed to be. A bolt of burning
blue
Lights in my brain, gives the answer
We’ve pursued this whole day:
Seawaves sing it, the kingfisher flies in it,
This island is rooted in it. Desiring
God is transparent blue – the color
Which makes our souls visible.
