I Pilan Anggen Mandagi


I once had the experience of being in a short, intense and confusing relationship with someone for a single month. Desde gualafon asta gualafon. From full moon to full moon, we fell in love and then I watched as she, following the phases of the moon, disappeared into the darkness of the sky and rapidly fell out of love. It was a strange experience because it felt deep and felt real, but then disappeared, out of my grasp like trying to catch the moon or its light between finger-lengths. 

At the end of that bewildering experience, I wrote this poem, trying to take stock of what had happened, but also somehow hoping that with the changing of the moon again, she might come back, and the light that lit up her face and the sky might return. It did not. 

***********************

Pulan

Kada puengi 
Anai hu atan hulo’ gi langhet
Ya hu li’e’ i pilan
Bai hu hahasso hao

Ya bai hu na’hasson mamaisa yu’

Na hunggan i pilan yanggen tumaigue
Guaha triniste gi tinaigue-ña

Lao hunggan lokkue’, i pilan yanggen sumåhi
Guaha tinanga gi sumahi-ña

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