Fish/ Isda
by Kristian Sendon Cordero
Tinunaw ni tatay ang dinamita sa tubig-dagat
at pinamumog sa mga isda.
Saka itininda namin sa bangketa,
pinausukan ng tambutso
at upang agad maubos
kinulayan namin ng puting dyobus
ang hasang ng galunggong at bangus
Binabad din sa isang dakot na asin
ang di makilalang ayungin
at pinamanhid ng yelo ang kaliskis
ng pira-pirasong dilis.
Maghapong naghintay na may bumili
sa mga isdang nahuli,
ngunit wala ni isa mang nagkamali
sa mga paninda namin ni Inay.
Umuwi siyang galit sa buhay at buong bahay.
Lulutuin niya ang ulam naming bangkulis,
nakausli ang mata, tuklap ang kulay pilak na kutis
na kanina'y nakita kong dinumog ng mga bangaw
at ngayo'y nasa bandihadong puno ng sabaw.
Father dissolved the dynamite
into the seawater and fed it to the fish.
Then we sold them in the pavement
garnished with exhaust pipe smoke.
We dyed white the gills
of mackerels and milk fish
to attract more buyers.
We soaked in a handful of salt
the hardly recognizable ayungin
and desensitized with ice the scales
of the pieces of anchovies.
We peddled them all day long
but no customer came to buy.
My mother went home mad
at her life and the whole house.
She will cook for dinner the bankulis
protruded eyes, scraped off silvery scales
that was earlier feasted on by flies
but now in a bowl full of soup.
English Translation by: Angelo Ancheta
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