Madalas sa madalas, tuwing tayo'y nag-uusap,
di ko mawari kung sino ang iyong nakikita
bago mo pa isa-isahin ang plastik na butones,
bago mo tanggalin ang tupi ng aking mga manggas.
More often than not, when I catch ourselves talking,
I have to second-guess who it is you see
even before you remove my buttons one by one,
before you unravel each and every fold of my sleeve.
Dahil kapag niluwagan na ang sinturon at nahulog
ang pantalon, nakakalimutan ang landas ng sapatos,
nawawalan ng kasaysayan ang dumikit na alikabok.
Iisang mata lamang ang malulusutan ng sintas,
Because once belts are unfastened and trousers
surrendered, where my shoes have been doesn’t matter,
there is no history to the dust stuck to my soles.
There is only one eyelet to thread our laces,
ngunit pareho tayong nakapikit, natatakot
hubarin ang pinakahuling pilas ng damit.
Pawisan, balat sa balat, dagli tayong nagbibihis,
sinusuot ang sari-sariling kamiseta ng hininga.
but we go through the motions with eyes closed,
afraid to cast off our last layer of clothes.
With sweat sticking skin to skin, we quickly dress,
pulling our breaths like we pull our shirts.
Dahil bago mo pa ako hinubaran sa tingin,
sinimulan na kitang unti-unting tastasin.
Because even before you undressed me with one look,
I have already begun unthreading you from the hook.
************
Shirt and jacket: both thrifted; braided belt, Brave Beltworks; jeans, Levi's; laceups, Marlboro Classics; bag, 5cm; wristwatch, Tissot; pencil case, from Market Market; 'A Village Life' by Louise Glück, from PowerBooks
For more of my poetry and works by other authors, visit Buraburador