Poetry # 1: Ditoy Laud (Here in the West)

January 7, 2010
By Mighty (Who am I?)

This is the first poem in my 30-day poetry challenge.

Ditoy Laud

Alas tres ti agsapa nagmulagatak
Awan pay lawag
Ta ti Init nabati dita Daya
Nanam-ay ita ditoy pagid-iddaak
Nabara met toy ules
A nangbalkot kaniak
Nupay nalam-ek
Naglam-ek
Ti Enero ditoy California ita.

Alas tres ti agsapa bimmangonak
Diakon makaturog
Ta ti bagik makigidgiddan latta
Iti taray ti lubong dita Daya
Uray mano a bulan ti lumabas
Ngata daytoy pusok
Daytoy nakem
Sapulennanto
Ti bara dita daya.

Here’s the rough English translation. Pardon me, this isn’t the best translation but perhaps I can improve it at a later time.

Here in the West

I woke up by three a.m.
The light hasn’t arrived
The Sun slept in the East
My bed comforts me
and the blanket’s all over me
I feel warm
In spite of the cold
It’s so cold
In January here in California.

I rose by three a.m.
I couldn’t go back to sleep
My body keeps running
To the beat of the East
No matter how many months pass
Perhaps this heart
Perhaps this mind
Will keep longing for
The warmth in the East.

image credit: Travelblog

6 Responses to “ Poetry # 1: Ditoy Laud (Here in the West) ”

  1. RB on January 7, 2010 at 11:05 pm

    naglaing, nagpintas. :D i’llcontinue to read your poems kuya. :D God bless sa project mo, ikkan na ka kuma ni Apo ti sirib tapno makaaramid ka pay ti adu a tula.

  2. Mighty on January 9, 2010 at 11:48 am

    Agyamanak RB! God bless!

  3. RB on January 9, 2010 at 10:28 pm

    awan apo aniaman na. :D

  4. zzzz on January 27, 2010 at 12:45 pm

    Naimbag nga aldaw. This is my first time to read an Ilocano poetry piece and I think it is good. I am an Ilocana myself, but I was brought up using Filipino. I can read and understand Ilocano, but poetry written in that same language can get me instantly curious.
    Keep it up!

  5. Mighty on January 27, 2010 at 12:47 pm

    Hello zzz. Thanks for visiting my site! :D I’m glad that you liked the poem. I have more poems here but I haven’t really found the time to post them yet. For more info on Ilokano poetry, you can also check http://www.gumilfilipinas.com, dadapilan.com and other links there.

  6. Letty on February 25, 2010 at 7:35 pm

    Hi Mighty,

    Did I get it right you are from San Manuel, Isabela ? Which district ? I am just browsing about Cagayan Valley, and then I found your site.

    I wonder if you know, Gil Nool from District #3. I am his eldest sister with a family now in UK. I was there last Jan 31-Feb.3 and it was very very hot. I ended up sick with bad cough due to dust and very hot weather, but don’t get me wrong I love being there: lots of long time not met friends and relatives make the day different.

    Maybe you can write poems about valuing trees. Remember ” Trees ” by Joyce Kilmer ? Something that can withraw people from harming trees and enjoy the returns they bring to mankind.

    Dios ti Agngina,
    Manang Letty

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