Ikaw

IKAW

Tula ni Vladimir Mayakovsky, 1922

Malayang salin ni Gregorio V. Bituin Jr.

Dumating ka -

determinado,

sapagkat malaki ako,

sapagkat ako’y umuungol,

ngunit sa malapitang inspeksyon

nakikita mo’y isang batang lalaki.

Kinuha mo

at inagaw ang puso ko

at sinimulan

itong paglaruan -

parang babaeng may bolang tumatalbog.

At bago ang himalang ito

bawat babae

ay maaaring babaeng nagtataka

o kaya’y dalagang nagtatanong:

"Ibigin ang taong ganyan?

Bakit, susuntukin ka niyan!

Dapat niyang mapaamo ang leyon,

isang babae mula sa palahayupan!"

Ngunit nagtagumpay ako.

DI ko iyon naramdaman -

ang pamatok!

Nalilito sa tuwa,

ako'y tumalon 

at napalundag, sa namumulang balat ng masayang katipan,

Nakaramdam ako ng sobrang tuwa

at gaan ng loob.

* Isinalin: Hulyo 14, 2022

* Hinalaw sa Vladimir Mayakovsky Internet Archive

* Litrato mula sa google

YOU

Poem by Vladimir Mayakovsky, 1922

Source: The Bedbug and selected poetry, translated by Max Hayward and George Reavey. Meridian Books, New York, 1960;

Transcribed: by Mitchell Abidor.

You came –

determined,

because I was large,

because I was roaring,

but on close inspection

you saw a mere boy.

You seized

and snatched away my heart

and began

to play with it –

like a girl with a bouncing ball.

And before this miracle

every woman

was either a lady astounded

or a maiden inquiring:

“Love such a fellow?

Why, he'll pounce on you!

She must be a lion tamer,

a girl from the zoo!”

But I was triumphant.

I didn’t feel it –

the yoke!

Oblivious with joy,

I jumped

and leapt about, a bride-happy redskin,

I felt so elated

and light.