My photo
ALBERT B. CASUGA, a Philippine-born writer, lives in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, where he continues to write poetry, fiction, and criticism after his retirement from teaching and serving as an elected member of his region's school board. He was nominated to the Mississauga Arts Council Literary Awards in 2007. A graduate of the Royal and Pontifical University of St. Thomas (now University of Santo Tomas, Manila. Literature and English, magna cum laude), he taught English and Literature (Criticism, Theory, and Creative Writing) at the Philippines' De La Salle University and San Beda College. He has authored books of poetry, short stories, literary theory and criticism. He has won awards for his works in Canada, the U.S.A., and the Philippines. His latest work, A Theory of Echoes and Other Poems was published February 2009 by the University of Santo Tomas Publishing House. His fiction and poetry were published by online literary journals Asia Writes and Coastal Poems recently. He was a Fellow at the 1972 Silliman University Writers Workshop, Philippines. As a journalist, he worked with the United Press International and wrote an art column for the defunct Philippines Herald.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

AN UNCERTAIN QUIET



AN UNCERTAIN QUIET


(For Mother*)


But there is silence now at the phoebe’s nest–-/ the fledglings have flown–-Icarus-like must test/ their wings against the sinews of a summer wind. / Is this uncertain quiet also an augury of mourning? ---From “Gone: A Weaning Song”, A. B. Casuga, 06-10-12



Is this uncertain quiet also an augury of mourning?
It is a cool, bright, and clear but silent morning,

what should move have not, even the gentle breeze
ruffling foliage rampant now on the crowns of trees


seemed to have gone still like the stale pool of mud
that must have caked in the warm night and seized


around the trunk clinging, child-like, on Mother’s
knee wailing: Don’t go! Don’t leave me! Please stay?


But she could not; she has waited for this clear day
to take a trip she must have wished for among others,


all dreams gone stale then, but she must go and meet
Father somehow where he has waited along a street


Where they were to see each other again on a cool day,
Eager to wrap each other in arms that pleaded: Stay!



---Albert B. Casuga
06-14-12



*Nenita Buenaventura Casuga, b. January 11, 1923 , d. June 11, 2012)+ R.I.P.


(Click on Image to Zoom in)



Mother with her children, l-r: Albert, Charito, and Brenda. Daisy, not in photo, is eight years younger than the littlest one here, Charito. (Ca. 1950s)



2 comments:

Hannah Stephenson said...

So sorry for your loss. It's good to write about it here.

ALBERT B. CASUGA said...

Thank you, Hannah. An overpowering grief at this point.