Post by thepoetslizard on Oct 10, 2008 15:53:22 GMT 2
Nadine L. Sarreal was born in Seattle to Filipino parents. She is the author of two volumes of poetry, Start of Infinity (1973) and In the Fullness of Time (1991). She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Vermont College. After residing with her family in Euless, Texas, Nadine is now based in Singapore with her family. Her work has often appeared in Our Own Voice.
"Mary Claire"
No more sa malamig or sugar-cane wine.
Apple juice, Tab and chardonnay are fine.
In sunlight, her hair is a scarlet cascade,
Sleek and wavy from last night's French braid.
The skin that was brown, kayumanggi,
Is bleached unmistakeably white, puti.
Pinch her, though, and she'll start,
"Aray!" but then follow with "Damn!"
She's Pinay in her heart,
The rest of her, American.
*
"The Old People Talking"
(in memoriam, NVM Gonzalez)
It's comforting to know
their voices weave safety
over our sleepy heads
NVM talking about Cecilia's story
with his wife, Narita
Reminds me of childhood
How the walls didn't quite reach the ceiling
I could hear Mom and Dad
Talking about us,
Me, Audrey, Cindy
Our follies and glories of the day
The shoes that were wearing out
How we were doing in school
We are growing old now,
Older, anyway
And the people who talk about us
Are going off, one by one,
They leave us
To worry about the shoes
The stories, the work
They leave us
To take up the weaving
source:
Babaylan, ed. Nick Carbo & Eileen Tabios (aunt lute, 2000)
