A poem titled 'Balak' by Rene Estella Amper, originally in English as 'To My Mother' and published in the Philippine Free Press, has been translated into Cebuano by Lamberto G. Ceballos. The poem, dated May 13, 2026, from Boljoon, Cebu, expresses deep longing and connection between a child and mother.
Poem Content
The speaker addresses the mother, saying: 'In a place, you wait for me, holy among the stars, with my small spirit in your white hands. I fled long ago. We chased each other, breathless in the movements of distance in space, united but far, like summer and the rose in summer in the garden where I always see you swaying among the flowers.'
The poem continues: 'No pain you endured is greater than the pain when I leave you in silence. You are the heart that cradled my childhood in the cradle of my toys gathered on the shelf. I have been away for so long. I exchanged my clothes of the world for a carnival ticket of sorrow. I am stained, Mother. I smell of sadness. I became a poet.'
Translation Context
Lamberto G. Ceballos translated the original English poem into Cebuano, preserving its emotional depth and imagery. The poem reflects themes of separation, memory, and the enduring bond between mother and child.
