The writers/contributors of UBOD 2020 Online, a project of the National Committee on Literary Arts of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.
Nagbarog ko karon niining buslotong sakayan nga naglawig sa dagat-dugo. Nagdilaab tibuok kong lawas, mihapuhap sa akong panit ang kainit. Karon nagpadung ko sa nasod diin ang mga pinutol nga pusod dili madugta, diin ang mga batan-on gilutas sa gugma ug gimatuto sa kalimot. Didto, magpaabot kanako ang kaugmaon sa silaw sa adlaw ug matod sa akong katiguwangan dili ko uhawon sa dugos sa kangitngit...
IThe Dream Nights ago, I dreamt I was back in my senior year of high school, that academic year made most memorable by the fact that it was the only one we spent at our new campus, then just three buildings for three departments—preschool, elementary, and high school—with the elementary and high school buildings designed in a similar manner: five floors stacked on top of one another with two...
Un récit? Non, pas de récit, plus jamais.—Maurice Blanchot, La folie du jour Gikan sa bentana, sa kapunawpunawan, akong nabatyagan ang usa ka langgam nga tulin nga naglupad paingon kanako. Usa ka tuldok nga nahimong gamay nga krus nga nahimong langgam samtang nagkaduol. Wala ko masayod kon unsa lastic matang sa langgam. Punay ba kini? Guryon? Bangkiyod ba kaha? Dili kini importante. Ang...
The earliest writer I have ever known was my Uncle Andy. My mother, Nanay, was also a writer but I have no memory of seeing her writing even now in my later years. It was always my uncle. The earliest stories I wrote include Uncle Andy who had the habit of writing daily, surrendering himself to the business of an old, smallish typewriter throughout odd hours of the day. If he didn’t work with the...
Gin-ukay, ginkaraykay kag ginbaluskay,Kang luyaw nga manok ni tatay,Ang kahapon nga bungsod kang mga dahonNga ginsilhig, gintipon ni nanay sa kilid-balay.Abi mo ginwas-agan kang bomba, nga nagrinapta karon. Munga nga may pito ka pisu – itum, puti kag abo-abuhon,Ang sara, gasiburo, gapangluya, gaturo ang sip-on.“Kruting! Kruting!” Kurutay ko sa munga, halin sa akun bintana.Sanglit wara may nakita...
“Hanguin niyo na ang inyong mga sampay,” sabi ni Tandang Supeng sa may-ari ng bakuran na pinasukan niya. “Nariyan na ang ulan sa silangan.” “Kami na po,” sabi ng may-ari ng bahay. Bakas ang irita sa kunot nitong mukha. “May nagsabi kasing ako ang hahango ng inyong mga sinampay.” “Wala.” Ang tinig, malakas, pirmi at matigas. “Hanguin niyo na. Lalo na yung mga damit ng sanggol.” Nakatalikod na ito...
Agwat.Pilatan.Sukad ning pamikawani.Dingkal ning dayu.Sikdan ning kelambatanO ning keynipan. Laut.Deywan.Lapad ning pamikaliwa.Dekalan ding takbang.Sampulung ding talampakan.O sakmal ning pamaniglo. Kapagnasan manO sirya.O mekad mo, ali man.Nanu mo ta’ng pamyaliwa?Talab na magdili-dili.Basal king kalubkuban.Ala na ka king panimanman.Ala na ka king panandam.Panamdam a metampud na.Mepata nang...
Payapang-payapa ang mukha ni Inay. Bahagyang natatakpan ng make-up ang mga gatla sa kaniyang noo at nabanat ang medyo nakaluyloy na mga pisngi. Nakulayan ang mamad na mga labi. Nasasalitan ng hindi na mabilang na puti ang makapal at hindi kailanman nadaanan ng tina na buhok. At gaya ng nais niya, suot niya ang puting saya na malimit niyang gamitin sa pagdalo sa mga pagtitipong kongregasyunal...
She was supposed to be part of that life, that past life, that other life that she thought she had buried. But there she stood, across the table, mere inches from her, and Jeanne instinctively shrank. It was funny, but not the fun, humorous kind of funny. How much the mind forgets, but the body—with its brain and its heart—remembers, always remembers. Jeanne shrank back and paled. Her hands...
The mall salesman had led me to an aisle of standing mirrors. He pointed at the lofty mirror, asking if it was what I needed. Then, he pointed at another one before leaving and giving me enough time to contemplate the extent of my vanity. I turned away from the standing mirror and explored the next aisle where I browsed the different shapes and sizes displayed on each shelf. I sauntered through...