2019

King Llanza is from Lucena City, Quezon Province. His poetry dwells in the ecological and the personal. His works have appeared in Anak Sastra Literary Magazine, ALPAS Journal, Voice & Verse Poetry Magazine, SAND: Berlin’s English Literary Journal and is anthologized in BKL/Bikol Bakla: Anthology of Bikolnon Gay/Trans/Queer Writing. King is currently a graduate student of De La Salle University – Manila.

  • The Underside of Healing

    My love, I was at our backyard this morning.The rain was delivered fresh,sealed with silver lining and sunlightblessing us more than usual. Snails crawled on manicured grass and tall woodenfences. I was sitting by the garden table eatinghard-boiled eggs, tapped lightly onto rock salt in between bites. Satisfied, I put a pinchof salt on my…

  • Subukan Mong Bumangon, Isang Hatinggabi, At Pagmasdan ang Nahihimbing Mong Magulang

    Minsan, isang hatinggabinghindi ka binibisita ng antok,subukan mong bumangon.Puntahan sa tahimik na salangnag-anyong silid-tuluganang iyong mga magulang.Marahan, buksan mo ang ilaw,payapa silang pagmasdan.Sa simula, maiingayan kasa kanilang hilikhanggang makasanayanng iyong mga tainga, kalaunan.Ganito ang huning mga kuliglig.Ganito ang himigng gabing tahimik.Pakinggan pang maigi.Unti-unti mo na bang naririnigang kanilang mga lungkotpangamba, pangungulila at takotNa sa bawat…

  • To Mother

    The poet dedicates this to her own mother, Lea Belen Santillan. The first poem she has ever written for her. Under the tangerine sky           I frantically wore            my yellow tsinelas            from an afternoon             of bato lata             and Slipper X I dusted myself offand waved farewellto my playmatesas their motherswiped sweat off their faceswith Good Morning towels I wonderwhy Mother never            fetched…

  • Biyaya ng kutob

    Madalas sumasang-ayonsa hinuha ng inaang panganib ng takipsilimKaya nasanay siyang sumangguniSa kutob at hinahayaangMagdabog ang nalalabing tiwalaSa kanyang dibdibBinabagalan niya ang novenaat hinihila ang orassa hawak na rosaryo: Unang Misteryo ng Galak.

  • What the Brooke’s Point Farmer Taught Me

    There are things bigger than me.            Like husking the coconut             to sip its water,            hacking the shell, and scraping the meat            into strands before the third moon sets. Perhaps your oracle eye fishes in the shallows for the glimmer of a treasure chest in the waters off this Palawan quarry.            Like deciding which fruits of…