Awit Quotes

D’aron the Daring, Derring, Derring-do, stealing base, christened D’aron Little May Davenport, DD to Nana, initials smothered in Southern-fried kisses, dat Wigga D who like Jay Z aw-ite, who’s down, Scots-Irish it is, D’aron because you’re brave says Dad, No, D’aron because you’re daddy’s daddy was David and then there was mines who was named Aaron, Doo-doo after cousin Quint blew thirty-six months in vo-tech on a straight-arm bid and they cruised out to Little Gorge glugging Green Grenades and read three years’ worth of birthday cards, Little Mays when he hit those three homers in the Pee Wee playoff, Dookie according to his aunt Boo (spiteful she was, misery indeed loves company), Mr. Hanky when they discovered he TIVOed ‘Battlestar Galactica,’ Faggot when he hugged John Meer in third grade, Faggot again when he drew hearts on everyone’s Valentine’s Day cards in fourth grade, Dim Dong-Dong when he undressed in the wrong dressing room because he daren’t venture into the dark end of the gym, Philadelphia Freedom when he was caught clicking heels to that song (Tony thought he was clever with that one), Mr. Davenport when he won the school’s debate contest in eighth grade, Faggot again when he won the school’s debate contest in eighth grade, Faggot again more times than he cared to remember, especially the summer he returned from Chicago sporting a new Midwest accent, harder on the vowels and consonants alike, but sociable, played well with others that accent did, Faggot again when he cried at the end of ‘WALL-E,’ Donut Hole when he started to swell in ninth grade, Donut Black Hole when he continued to put on weight in tenth grade (Tony thought he was really clever with that one), Buttercup when they caught him gardening, Hippie when he stopped hunting, Faggot again when he became a vegetarian and started wearing a MEAT IS MURDER pin (Oh yeah, why you craving mine then?), Faggot again when he broke down in class over being called Faggot, Sissy after that, whispered, smothered in sniggers almost hidden, Ron-Ron by the high school debate team coach because he danced like a cross between Morrissey and some fat old black guy (WTF?) in some old-ass show called ‘What’s Happening!!’, Brainiac when he aced the PSATs for his region, Turd Nerd when he hung with Jo-Jo and the Black Bruiser, D’ron Da’ron, D’aron, sweet simple Daron the first few minutes of the first class of the first day of college.

Ay, ano nga ba ang ating kaugnayan? Hindi tayo magkaano-ano. Ganitong mga nagdaang danas lamang naman ang ating napagsaluhan, mga insidente at aksidenteng puta-putaking nagdaan sa ating buhay. Malapit na malayo't Malayong malapit, nakatanod sa pagtatalamitam. Naiiba ba ito sa mga sinaunang salaysay? May darating at may magpapaalam, may iibis at may sasakay, sa bawat kasalukuyan ng ating pag-iral. Maaaring kumurot ang tuwa, umusbong ang luha, at lagi, may antak na iwa. Nawa'y hindi tumiwalag ang puso kung ugnaya'y yumao. Nawa'y hindi masaling ang kaluluwa. kahit magtakipsilim ang umaga. Nawa'y hindi mapatid ang awit sa pagtigil ng hininga.

Tahimik na awit sa ukit para sa kaniyang pagbabalik.

Sa Maisan *   * Ang tula ay malayang pagsalin ni Jun Cabochan sa tulang “In Flanders Fields” na sinulat ni Lieut.-Col. John McCrae. �Namatay siya sa digmaan noong January 28, 1918.    Sa maisan umiihip ang damo sa pagitan ng mga lapida, mga tanda ng aming dugo Sa itaas, lumilipad ang mga ibon, patuloy sa pag-awit Halos di madinig sa gitna ng putukan   Kami ang mga patay Kailan lamang ay buhay kami Dama ang bukang-liwayway, Tanaw ang tanglaw ng lumulubog na araw Nagmamahal at minamahal Ngayon, nakaratay kami sa maisan   Ipagpatuloy ang aming laban para sa kapayapaan Mula sa mga namamanhid na kamay ipapasa sa iyo ang sulo Sa iyo na ito para iwagayway Kapag sumira ka sa ating sumpaan Di kami matatahimik, kahit pa Kumakalat ang damo sa maisan

SUNYA RURI Dalam ruang yang menelan semua suara, sebelum gema sempat lahir, aku mendengarnya— batin suwung yang lebih lembut daripada embusan roh saat keluar dari ubun-ubun bayi yang baru lahir. Ia tidak datang sebagai ancaman, tidak pula sebagai pelipur, melainkan sebagai bayangan purba yang pernah berdiri di sampingku ketika aku belum sepenuhnya menjadi manusia. "Monggo pinarak..." bisiknya lirih, selembut abu dupa yang jatuh dari piringan gerabah. "Aja sumelang. Sepi ora bakal nglarani," "kejaba tumrap jiwa kang sinangkèr ing jeroning raga." Aku tidak menjawab, hanya berusaha memahami. Suwung tidak membutuhkan jawaban. Ia telah berada dalam nadiku sejak sebelum aku sadar aku punya tubuh. Lewat tatapannya yang tidak berkelopak, aku melihat ulang diriku sendiri seperti cuplikan upacara kematian kecil-kecilan: detik ketika harapan direbahkan, detik ketika aku membunuh sesuatu dalam diriku tanpa tahu apa yang sebenarnya ingin kuakhiri— nyeri atau ketidakpastian. "Ngertenono..." bisiknya lembut, seolah mencatat sesuatu pada lontar tak terlihat. "Sliramu nyepélékaké akalmu, padhahal kuwi mung bocah lugu sing kok kunci ing sanggar pamujan sing suwé ora kok buka— ngantemi gapura nganti tangané dadi pringga swara." Aku menelan kekosongan itu. Suwung memiringkan tubuhnya pelan, seakan menghirup aroma ketakutanku seperti kemenyan yang baru menyala. “Apa tresna mbingungake atimu?” suara itu menelusup lembut. "Sliramu takon jujuring liyan, déné awakmu dhéwé nganggo klambiné cidra kang wus dadi jubah ngebaki raga— nganti awakmu lali, ing ngendi mapané cahyaning pasuryan asli.” "Lan ing saben dina, kok ndhudhuki wewayangan, amung nedya nemu kulit garing tanpa isèn-isèn katresnan.” Kesunyian mengental. Ia menaruh telinganya di dadaku seakan mendengarkan gending yang patah ritmenya. “Payokna..." bisiknya lirih "Amarga ana swara anom ing jeroning kalbu kang tansah kok sédani déning karepmu dadi lumrah, arep tinampa ing bebrayan agung, lan kapéngin tan ngrépotaké sapa-sapa.” "Nanging, apa artiné tentrem, yèn saben napasmu mung gema saka kersané liyan? Bukakna lawang sanggar kasepèn, sawangen cahyané dhéwé ing jeroning pepeteng." Ia menutup mata. Sunyi Ruri menyetel dirinya pada frekuensi yang bahkan para leluhur pun tak berani sentuh. “Swara kuwi…” bisiknya hampir tak terdengar, "Kaya déné cempening mendha ing padhang, kang lumayu ing palataran laramu kang lawas." "Dheweke sesambat dudu amarga arep kinurban, nanging awit dheweke wis ngerteni: yèn sliramu tan nate bali kanggo nylametke." Tubuhku gemetar. Suwung tersenyum tipis, seperti retakan kecil pada batu padas. “Lara Ati..." ucapnya lirih. “Kuwi satunggaling sato alus. Dheweke tansah ngentèni. Dheweke tan lumaku menyang ngendi-ngendi. Dheweke lungguh— kaya déné aku— kanthi sabar nunggu wektu, nalika sliramu pungkasané wani mandheg anggènira lumayu.” Aku kaku seperti arca yang siap dipahat ulang. “Sliramu kepéngin dadi béda,” suara itu meluncur lembut, “nanging, kamulyan tan lair saka panulakan. Kamulyan tuwuh saka jeroning wantèr kang wani mbukak gapura dhiri kang njalari kalbunira gumeter.” Ia bergerak mendekat. Bisikannya menusuk pori-poriku: “Yèn sliramu kepéngin sirep saka swaraning cempe kang kebak sangsara kuwi..." "Sliramu kudu bali. Mulih menyang papan kang sinengker ing ngendi rare kuwi nemoni pati kaping sepisan.” Aku memejamkan mata. Dan saat itulah aku paham— kesunyian bukan lagi musuh, bukan lagi kehampaan yang mencekik, melainkan satu-satunya suara yang sanggup menampung semua jeritan. tanpa murka tanpa pamrih tanpa vonis hanya ikhlas. Desember 2025