IKAW
Tula ni Vladimir Mayakovsky, 1922
Malayang salin ni Gregorio V. Bituin Jr.
Dumating ka -
determinado,
sapagkat malaki ako,
sapagkat ako’y umuungol,
ngunit sa malapitang inspeksyon
nakikita mo’y isang batang lalaki.
Kinuha mo
at inagaw ang puso ko
at sinimulan
itong paglaruan -
parang babaeng may bolang tumatalbog.
At bago ang himalang ito
bawat babae
ay maaaring babaeng nagtataka
o kaya’y dalagang nagtatanong:
"Ibigin ang taong ganyan?
Bakit, susuntukin ka niyan!
Dapat niyang mapaamo ang leyon,
isang babae mula sa palahayupan!"
Ngunit nagtagumpay ako.
DI ko iyon naramdaman -
ang pamatok!
Nalilito sa tuwa,
ako'y tumalon
at napalundag, sa namumulang balat ng masayang katipan,
Nakaramdam ako ng sobrang tuwa
at gaan ng loob.
* Isinalin: Hulyo 14, 2022
* Hinalaw sa Vladimir Mayakovsky Internet Archive
* Litrato mula sa google
YOU
Poem by Vladimir Mayakovsky, 1922
Source: The Bedbug and selected poetry, translated by Max Hayward and George Reavey. Meridian Books, New York, 1960;
Transcribed: by Mitchell Abidor.
You came –
determined,
because I was large,
because I was roaring,
but on close inspection
you saw a mere boy.
You seized
and snatched away my heart
and began
to play with it –
like a girl with a bouncing ball.
And before this miracle
every woman
was either a lady astounded
or a maiden inquiring:
“Love such a fellow?
Why, he'll pounce on you!
She must be a lion tamer,
a girl from the zoo!”
But I was triumphant.
I didn’t feel it –
the yoke!
Oblivious with joy,
I jumped
and leapt about, a bride-happy redskin,
I felt so elated
and light.
