The following is my translation of ‘Kahit Saan’ by Huseng Batute (pronounced Who-seng Bah-tooh-teh). It is a love lyric written in Tagalog with 6 stanzas consisting of 5 lines each. Batute, otherwise known by his real name José Corazon De Jesús, was a Filipino poet active during the 1898-1946 American Occupation of the Philippines, known as the ‘King of Balagtasan’ (a style of debate performed in verse) and ‘Poet of the Heart’ (due to his countless love poems, of which this is one). My translation aims less for a textual fidelity than a teleological one, whilst nevertheless maintaining each quintet’s dodecasyllabic pattern for the first four lines before switching into hexasyllabic for the fifth, as well as the overall monorhyme scheme. I wanted to transplant the staccato sound of Tagalog with its short vowels and sharp syllables, which is rather difficult when compared to the naturally iambic stress-unstressed sound of English. I believe I’ve made it work here though; the linguist’s love shines through.
TRANSLATION
NO MATTER WHERE
If along the paling paths upon which one walks, Where among the bowed blades stands the snow-silver stalks Who cognise your crossing and like hands of the clock Face away in ashame with their hearts in deadlock. . . Irog, I am your clock! If a single bird arrives each lonely twilight, Tender-care approaching with eyes widening-white, If it enters your room and abides by your blight And hums his harana for your nightly delight. . . That bird is I, my light! If from beneath you admire the darkling peace Where an orphaned star gleams as in a sterling fleece And explodes through apertures with certain cerise In ray-beam tears of melancholiac caprice Mutya, I am that peace! If you are awoken by some mortared morning, To witness a potted butterfly’s scorning For its unslaked thirst and its hemispheres storming With frozen wings which wither into a warning. . . Lover, I am mourning! If within your prayer His eyelids swell with tears And upon your bashful sight Hesukristo nears, If you cannot slough away your sorrowful years And like doleful Job trial through your Godless fears. . . We won’t cohere, my dear! But if Ama Namin names our places and times, Then I forfend all forfeits and render them crimes; The distance be damned, you shall scale such trying climes Where potter’s field and duryans peeled reek of old pines. . . And we’ll meet like wind chimes!
ORIHINAL
KAHIT SAAN
Kung sa mga daang nilalakaran mo, may puting bulaklak ang nagyukong damo na nang dumaan ka ay biglang tumungo tila nahihiyang tumunghay sa iyo. . . Irog, iya’y ako! Kung may isang ibong tuwing takipsilim, nilalapitan ka at titingin-tingin, kung sa iyong silid masok na magiliw at ika’y awitan sa gabing malalim. . . Ako iyan, Giliw! Kung tumingala ka sa gabing payapa at sa langit nama’y may ulilang tala na sinasabugan ikaw sa bintana ng kanyang malungkot na sinag ng luha Iya’y ako, Mutya! Kung ikaw’y magising sa dapit-umaga, isang paruparo ang iyong nakita na sa masetas mong didiligin sana ang pakpak ay wasak at nanlalamig na. . . Iya’y ako, Sinta! Kung nagdarasal ka’t sa matang luhaan ng Kristo’y may isang luhang nakasungaw, kundi mo mapahid sa panghihinayang at nalulungkot ka sa kapighatian. . . Yao’y ako, Hirang! Ngunit kung ibig mong makita pa ako, akong totohanang nagmahal sa iyo; hindi kalayuan, ikaw ay tumungo sa lumang libinga’t doon, asahan mong. . . magkikita tayo!
Beautiful poem, and thanks for taking the time to translate! It's one of the most important things writers should be doing right now.
polyglot ACTIVITIES💜