kaniadto, miingon si Nanay,
“kanunay, ayaw gyo’g duol sa kalayo
kay anak, ang imohang mga pako
delikado―palayo.”

sa di dugay,
miabi ang akong mga mata,
mibukhad ang mga pako
ug diha, milupad―
ako, milupad.

nasaksihan nako ang timala
nasayod usab ko kon nganong kanunay
magpahimangno gayod si Nanay
apan taliwala sa kaharuhay 
ang kusog ug madagmalong puwersa
nga mao diay, uyamot
ang midani kanako sa kalayo―
kinahanglan.

sa dihadiha miduol ako
gihangop, gidawat ang pagdilaab.
Nay, nasunog ako,
apan angay ikaw makahibawo:
nasunog ako, apan
wala naugdaw ang akong mga pako.


This literary piece is part of Katitikan Issue 3: (Re) Imaginations.

By Jennifer Ebdani

Jennifer Ebdani is from Calbayog City, Samar and is currently pursuing a degree in Literary and Cultural Studies at USC. She is a member of BATHALAD-Sugbo. She was a fellow to UP Cebu Creative Writers Workshop 2014,Tagik Landasan 2015, Cebu Young Writers Studio 2019, BATHALAD-Sugbo CWW 2019, WILA's Paglambo Regional CWW 2019, Katitikan's 1st Cebu Writers' Workshop 2020 and to the upcoming 59th Silliman University National Writers Workshop.

2 thoughts on “anunugba”
  1. Hello, a good day to you.
    As a reader and of your poem, may I inquire about some terms that was use metaphorically here on your work. I was kind of confuse about the kalayo, it was mentioned by her mother not to go near the fire, but the child go near and he wasn’t burnt down. Was the ‘kalayo’ a kind of metaphor or what? Hoping for your reply asap.

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