IN MEMORIAM

Poetry by Sylvia Estrada-Claudio/ Music, Main and Back-up Vocals by Grace Nono/ Arrangement, Accoustic and Electric Guitars, Octavina by Bob Aves/ Atmo vocal tracks by Kathleen Lacaza

Through the crowd in Divisoria, / "Lumpia! Lumpia!" / Standing, eating sidewalk spring rolls / On that day so long ago. / Yellow hair in summer sunshine / Darker heads in the gathering rain / They are gone, that day with them / In that market long ago. / But home they come to me in
memory / Telling tales of sidewalk food / Passing codes of revolution / And recipes of sisterhood. / Omnipotent now in yearning absence / How they mocked their difference / Casting stones from West to East / We have not died but rest in peace. / Daughter am I of all my mothers / One taught me sunshine and also rain / A dark one brought me into brightness / A fair one spoke of my people's pain. / I recall you, Dolores and Rita / And send my best to you Priscilla / For to name is to remember / And remembering to name. / I still wage your revolution / And follow your life's recipes / I still pause to hear your laughter / As you all come home to me.

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DALIT NG PASLIT

HINDI SILA KUNDI IKAW

Poetry by Del B. Quijano/ Music by Bob Aves and Grace Nono/ Arrangement, Kudlong Lute and Dumbek Drum by Bob Aves/ Main and Back-up Vocals by Grace Nono/ Despite current strides in addressing family violence, some individuals, community agencies and institutions still support a man's "right" to control women through physical violence. This song is a call to support women survivors of family violence, help and empower them to make their own decisions at their own pace.

Masaya nu'ng simula / Hanggang sa simula lamang pala / Nang lumaon ay nag-iba / Lambing ng boses nawala / Sugal, inom, barkada / Nadagdagan pa ng iba / Ikaw na nga ang kumikita / Pag gusto'y bugbog ka pa / "Magtiis ka", sabi nila / "Iginuhit 'yan ng tadhana" / "Iyan daw ang iyong s'werte" / "nandiyan na 'yan", wala kaming paki" / "Sayang ang pagsasama" / Ang sabi pa ni attorney / "Baka naman nagkulang ka" / Tingnan daw ang iyong sarili / Lumaya ka! Ngayon na! / Korte ba ang magsasabi / Hanggang kailan mananatili / Sa sitwasyong kinalalagyan / Na pilit mong ikinukubli / Si ninong ba o ang simbahan / Ang biyenan mo o magulang / Kahit si Totoy o si Nene / Di ka p'wedeng iditine / Ang pira-piraso na salamin / Ng sarili mo'y pulutin / Buuin, H'wag nang muling / Bayaan pang basagin / Ng salita at ng kamaong / Mapanakit, mapang-alipin / Di sila, kundi ikaw / Ang s'yang dapat magpasya / Lumaya ka! Ngayon na!

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BLOOD SACRIFICE

Poetry by Maria Luisa Aguilar Carino/ First published in 1997 in the book with the same title by the University of the Philippines Press and the UP Creative Writing Centre/ Music, Main and Back-up Vocals by Grace Nono Arrangement, Accoustic Guitars and Dumbek Drum by Bob Aves

The stirrup / Is a bone in the ear / A pair of them, clasps/ to keep the knees steady/ The body opening/ its basin of secrets/ Light/ Does not resist/ conscription/ In its probing/ Desire is its own/Unpredictable science/ Demanding pursuit of its/ inventions, the nautilus/ And compass of its tropes/ You take it to your lips; / You marry it, embrace it, / Admitting the simple longing / That ripens / Into this loss / Aaahhh.... / The landscape repeats / The lesson, disarming / With moonlight, fields / Drenched with irresistible / Perfume of orchards / And this is what we are asked / To bear, being unable to withstand / The wind's vehement sweetness / Somewhere a star exhales / As though it could choose / Between diligence / And its own deliberate / Unmooring / Above the chained / Harbor of roofs, see / How the glare of neon / Faithfully echoes / Its song- ruby, Strung / Crimson, dark flush / The labia leaning close, / Consolingly to whisper / Into the womb's empty walls, / Once again streaked with nothing / But rose, with sheets of tissue, / Uncompromising / Gravity / Aaahhh.....

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AMBAHAN NI LUCIA

Traditional Hanunuo Mangyan chanted poetry or Ambahan from the Hanunuo Mangyan of Mindoro, Philippines/ Informant and Tagalog translator: Lucia Gawid from Dangkalan, Bulalakaw, Oriental Mindoro/ Additional Music, Main and Back-up Vocals by Grace Nono/ Arrangement by Bob Aves

Kang pandong anahawan / Natayak sa sakbawan / Binay andap binay-an / Na kadnog dagmok oran / Si nagoma dima-an. / Ang dahon ng anahaw / Naiwan sa sakbawan / Pinagkatuwaan / Nakarinig ng haganas ng ulan / Muling binalikan.

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Anahaw palm leaf / Left on the sakbawan / Subject of amusement and fun / But at the sound of the rushing rain / Returning to it again.

LINES TO MY LOVE

Poetry by Trinidad Tarrosa Subido/ First published in Women's Weekly, January 1936/ Used with permission from the poet's family/ Bamboo Flutes by Joon Claudio/ Recitation by Grace Nono

The sea bares its breast.../ Heaven is unmoved. / I bare my bosom for your lips / You stoop. / I have more power than the sea; / You less than the sky. / I crush a lily in my hand / And feel triumphant. / I fancy the lily is my form, / The hand you, / And still feel triumphant.

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FIFTEEN

Poetry by Maria Luisa Aguilar Carino/ First published in 1997 in the book "Blood Sacrifice" by University of the Philippines Press and the UP Creative Writing Centre/ Music by Grace Nono and Bob Aves/ Arrangement and Accoustic Guitars by Bob Aves/ Main and Back-up Vocals by Grace Nono/ Percussions by Bo Razon

This could be the good year / The year that opens into fields / Where tables are laid with damask / Fine crystal, silver where / In the background just / The edge of our vision, / The porch anchors the horizon / In its place. A curtain / Blurs into the wind and the dark / Wooden baluster invites / Steps leading up and beyond / Like promise of grandchildren / Pap pap pa rap pap . . . / In the first year I continued / To braid my hair, pacing the cool / Confines of the kitchen. / I washed the rice. / I laid the china. / Knife, fork, spoon, water / Glass balancing on its unbroken / Lip. Faith like a mouthful / Of bread or fruit. / Between the second / And the fourth, two / Lives swam free. / Pap pap pa rap pap . . . / Each time, my waters / Broke unstoppably. / What were their origins? / On hands and knees I mopped / The floor with a bit of rag. / At dawn straddling pain / So new I felt I could touch / The insides of myself; / I learnt where I began and / How the end might possibly come, / If it came as mercy, Where the edge / Of a new body split from my skin, / The rush of blood and fluid, soft / New bones intact, delivered. / This could be the good year / Luminous with the fat / Of expectation, the milk of property. / Someone must have dreamt / Seven cows walking up the river- / Bank; behind them, / Seven like strung / Shadows. The fifteenth, / Following after, Ambiguous / Shade, shapeshifter. / It was not from lack of attention, / How the bowl of dough we set / By the window failed to rise / To its required height. / Pap pap pa rap pap . . . / Debts accumulated dwindle / But refuse to disappear. / The outer wall we'd finished water / Proofing produces an indoor pool. / An earthquake in July / Reduces us to our true / Capital: pails of porous / Mortar, loose stones, aprons / Of ash and powder / An aggregate of sundered / Beams, Their iron nails / Still wed to yellowed wood. / Pap pap pa rap pap... / Children will pull away / Like kite strings loosed / Into the broad horizon, / The coming days. / Here are the thickets / Where we walked hand in hand, / Trailing breadcrumbs; / Where we lose sight of each other, / Even though the moon / Has cleared the branches.

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AMBAHAN NI WILLIE

Traditional Hanunuo Mangyan chanted poetry or Ambahan from the Hanunuo Mangyan of Mindoro, Philippines/ Informant and Tagalog translator: Willie Manggaya, a Hanunuo Mangyan woman leader, judge on Mangyan law, adviser to the Samahang Pantribo ng mga Mangyan sa Mindoro/ Additional Music by Bob Aves and Grace Nono/ Arrangement, Kudlong Lute and Dumbek Drums by Bob Aves/ Main and Back-up Vocals by Grace Nono

Kang talok karubadha / No iba ti magmata / Tunda sabong ngi katna / No ako ti magmata / Sabong di darudangha / Baliw sanga nalaya / Baliw sanga malangba / Sa panhariyan di tugka. / Alaga kong tanim / Kung iba ang tumingin / Wala nang kasing giliw / Sa aking pagtingin / Walang kagandahan / Sanga n'ya'y lanta na / Malago man ang isa / Pahingahan lamang / Alaga kong tanim.

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My tree / Seen in the eyes of others / Nothing can be so beautiful / But my eyes / Do not see beauty / Only withering branches / One may be full and green / But used only for resting / My tree.

AYOKO NA

Poetry by Dulce Marciana (Dulce Marciana is the pen name of a well-known poet and writer based in Davao City/ This is her first attempt at writing in Filipino)/ Music and vocals by Grace Nono/ Arrangement, Accoustic Guitars and Dumbek Drum by Bob Aves

Ayoko nang maupo / sa iyong kandungan / Ayoko nang tumingin / sa mapungay mong mata / Sa likod nito pala'y / Isang apoy nagmumula / Nakasusunog, sumisiklab / Lumalabas sa iyong salita / Sa mabigat mo na mga kamay / Na noon ay umaakit / Parang malamig na simoy ng hangin / Nagbibigay ginhawa / Ayoko na na maging / Parang isang ulila / Na sasayaw sa himig / Kundiman ng iyong galit / Hindi / Pagkat alam ko na hindi ito / Ang tunay kong tadhana / Nagkamaling umapak ang anghel / Sa maputik na lupa / Nang bumagsak sa paglipad / Na para bang alitaptap / Isang hagis at ilaw n'ya ay nawala / Isang hagis at napinsala / Ayaw ko na, pagkat / Minahal kita.

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TAGHOY

Poetry by Marra PL. Lanot Music, Main and Back-up Vocals by Grace Nono/ Arrangement, Acoustic and Electric Guitars by Bob Aves

Sawa na ako sa bugbog/ Sa lasa ng kamao at luha/ Sa kulog ng tampal sa tenga ko/ Sawa na ako sa dilim/ Sa paglaglag ng bituin/ Sa kislap ng patalim/ Sa lunggang walang hangin/ Bubuksan ko ang bintana/ Bubuksan ko ang pinto/ Kailangan kong huminga/ Nang dumaloy ang dugo/ Iiwanan ko ang poon/ Tatakasan ko ang piit/ Hahabulin ko ang ibon/ Aabutin ko ang langit.

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Had enough of the blows/ of the taste of fists/ and tears of the thunderous/ clap against my ears/ Had enough of the dark/ of the stars falling/ of the glint of the blade/ of this airless burrow/ I'm opening wide the door/ I need to breathe/ so that blood may flow/ I'm leaving the master/ I'm fleeing the prison/ I'm catching up with the birds/ I'm reaching for the sky.

BUHOK

Poetry by Elynia S. Mabanglo Music and Vocals by Grace Nono

Mahaba't nakalugay / iyang lagi ang gusto mo / lalo't nagniniig
tayo / sa pusikit na dilim / Sa pusikit na dilim / sing-itim / sing-itim / ng mga hiblang nilalabnot / sa simbuyo ng damdamin / Sa simbuyo ng damdaming / di tulak ng paggiliw / ano't lugay na buhok /
sinasabunot / Sinasabunot / sa silakbo ng lupit at poot / para-parang nalimot / iyo'y nilalamuyot / sa timyas ng
pag-irog / Timyas ng pag-irog / kay kirot / kay kirot / nakatanim palibhasa / sa buhok.

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BUMANGON KA'T LUMAYA

Lyrics by Marie Clemente/ Music and Vocals by Grace Nono/ Arrangement by Bob Aves/ This is part of the public service announcements played in Arugaan ng Kalakasan's radio program.

Babae ka / ang magkamali ay iyo ring karapatan / 'di ka dapat sinasaktan / lalo na sa iyong tahanan / Babae ka / at husto na / bumangon ka't lumaya / sa marahas mong kalagayan.

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