An Old Bicycle

Sandrah Maas Saudagal

Labing a Bayk

Nakapila lagon den su bayk i ama
Penggamitin meka pamasa sa mawatan
Pagaran meka pelu sa palaw
Pagaran meka pedtalaw
lu sa bala a walay

Tuba i penggamitin ko meka mapita
nu kasembelan su karakel a pagitong
nu mawa su malibuting a pamusungan
nu mawa su kalidu a ginawa
Adidibu mawa

Aren gay a kaudtang su bayk—
‘di pakabalans
‘di pakatindeg
Kawan na sambel
‘di pakaginawa

Aren gay a nawa su kadina na bayk
‘di ko katawan i panun i kapambalingan ko
‘di ko katawan i panun i kapapadtidto
‘di ko ren katawan i panggulan ko
Nawan ako ren sa inam

Mapita endo magabi
‘di ren kawan a madakel a pagitong
‘di ren kawan a kasakit a pamusungan
‘di ren kawa su mawasa a mata
na nalimuran sa ig a lu a mana ulan

Ugeyda su bayk anto,
pakatindeg pon bisen
pakagaga pon pelakaw
Nawyag pon
Nawyag ako pon

 

An Old Bicycle

Years have passed,
Ama’s pedal bike is still striving;
making use of it to buy something.
ridden when heading to mountains; and
ridden for neighborhood visits.

I use it every morning—
to release the thoughts left unspoken
to take away darkness from within
to let go of all resentment and bad feelings.
May it all fade.

Sometimes, the bike falls;
losing its balance,
unable to stand,
slowly suffocating,
unable to breathe.
Sometimes, the chain slips away;
unable to find my way back,
unable to fix what’s broken
Lost without direction,
I’m left hopeless

From dawn to dusk—
never been free from countless thoughts,
bitterness always lingers,
eyes left undried;
tears pouring like rain

Yet, the bike
still stands, walks, survives
It refuses to die
I’m still alive