LOWA (First posted on 10 February 2012) When Fr. Raymond Tabon, the very first Guiuananon to have studied for the priesthood in Rome, recently commented from Pennsylvania where he has been a long-time resident, that he likes this piece, I got to thinking that, perhaps, only a few readers, like Fr. Raymond, now appreciate this kind of poetic genre, that is, if they like poetry at all. Hence, if only to re-awaken readers, particularly those of the younger generation, to the fact that, like our other compatriots, we, Waray-Waray, also have our own poetry, something that we, too, can be proud of and develop, before the passage of time, entirely banish this art form from our collective memory. Lowa Takna, O yana tuguti An tawa han kabata-an, Mahi-tampo han huyuhoy Nga an dagway di mapug’ngan. Ira langbo pa nga lawas Anay imo gad pasagdan, Mag-rayhak balud han dagat Ug pag-kunot han labnasan. An mata yana na-tan’aw Takna, im liwat tugutan, Pag-sulod ha kasing-kasing Lipay nga lus-ay hinkit-an. Basi an balud-kalimot Ha baybayon hinin dughan, Di’ mag-balnas, di’ mag-para Han hinimos, hinumduman. Kay ini nga lumalabay Daw dampog ha kahitas-an, Nag-papapas, nag-lalabnas Daw balud, diri makaptan. “Lowa” is my longer Waray-Waray, rhymed version of the blank-verse, and previously-posted “Ode” which Rhea S. Sumoray’s Facebook-posted picture has seeded and inspired. Aside from the sustained a-b-c-b rhyme scheme used, the lines likewise follow a uniform succession of accented and unaccented syllables of eight meters. For additional musicality, alliterative initial and internal letter sounds have likewise been used. Other poetic devices such as simile, metaphor, symbolism, and personification have also been utilized. The poem being a formal address to a personified Time, I have decided to use “Lowa” as title, the fact that in siday or Waray-Waray folk poetry, “lowa” also means a formal address, be it to something inanimate as in this poem, a person being lauded, or a salutation to a patron saint during fiestas when the procession stops at the house of the hermano orhermana and a lowa is delivered followed by the throwing of flower petals confetti to the saluted saint. The decision to use “Lowa” as title could not but pose a bit of a problem regarding its correct spelling. Is it “loa” or “lo-wa,” as I have read in the past? Taking into consideration the Guiuananons’ penchant for breaking and not blending vowel clusters in both oral and written words (i.e. Calico-an not Khelaycone as the Americans would have it during thetiempo Liberation), I decided to spell the word as “lowa” with no hyphen, the fact that “w” is no longer a vowel. However, the problem encountered in writing the poem didn’t stop there. Despite being familiar with lowa, having done a nearly-published paper on siday while still at the University of the Philippines, I found writing a siday difficult, it being my initial foray into this poetic genre. Despite its being just of five stanzas, I found writing in Waray-Waray (despite being one) more mentally taxing and laborious than doing a poem in English. Part of my difficulty stemmed from first conceptualizing lines in English then transmuting them into Waray-Waray which could not be correctly and effectively done, due to the distinct linguistic differences of both. Likewise, being used to every-day, prosaic Waray-Waray, finding the needed poetic, tonal, and rhythmic expressions, as well as the denotative and connotative equivalent of terms needed could not but be rather daunting at times. Still, I persisted. For, through this poem, I wish to particularly point out the discipline a would-be siday writer needs first to develop. Part of this discipline is always bearing in mind that Waray-Waray words have their own distinct accents and are read accordingly (i.e. dagatwhich has its accent on the first syllable unlike balud which is accented on the second). With this in mind, the siday writer can, with the correct choice of words, maintain a consistent and needed meter (beat) per line. Since a siday must always rhyme (nag-sasarusarangay), the writer must have the discipline needed in maintaining a consistent rhyme scheme, be it an alternating use of a-a-a-a, b-b-b-b, a-a-a-a and b-b-b-b all throughout the poem, or a-b-a-b, or a-b-c-b (the one I used in “Lowa”), or just about any rhyming combinations the poet wants to achieve. Still, what is needed is consistency in the use of a combination of rhyme schemes. A siday with an a-a-a-a rhyme scheme from start to finish is definitely monotonous. Likewise, by just using any rhyme scheme that randomly comes is a sign of being undisciplined. Also, the siday writer needs the discipline to maintain a consistent number of meters per line, or a combination of alternating yet consistent number of lines all through the poem. Then there is also the discipline in maintaining a passionate patience in the constant and repeated refining process the poet needs to do if he wants his piece to come out sparkling like a pearl. I have written about this discipline in my lengthy essay: “Sorry, But I Can’t Give You Poetry You Can All Understand.” (If needed, I can have it re-posted.) Likewise, the more that discipline is needed if one wishes one’s poem to be made into a song. It is a fact that music also follows its own set of discipline. A siday with an inconsistent rhyme scheme and meter (beat) per line will indeed be very difficult to use as lyrics. Note the consistent metrical division or meter used in this couplet: “Guiuan nga bungto nga akon nataw’han (‘xx/’xx/’xx/’x) Bungto han Samar ha rawis sidlangan.” (‘xx/’xx/’xx/’x) The first verse is divided into four meters of one accented and two unaccented syllables, but with the last meter having only one accented and one unaccented syllable. The second line also follows the same metrical division. Since the first line starts with an accented syllable followed by two unaccented syllables, if this is set to music, the music will start with an up-beat with the last meter ending in a down-beat. Since there are three beats per meter, the music is of a ¾ (waltz) tempo. Note the difference in these lines: “O Guiuan nga bungto nga akon nataw’han (x/’xx/’xx/’xx/’xx/’x) O bungto han Samar ha rawis sidlangan.” (x/’xx/’xx/’xx/’xx/’x) Since the line starts with an unaccented syllable followed by the succession of one accented and two unaccented syllables until the last meter with only one accented and unaccented syllable, since the same is true with the second line, and since there are three beats per meter, the music is still a ¾ (waltz) tempo but is to start with a down-beat until the last meter which still ends in a down-beat as in the previous couplet. But note the difference in beat and meter in the following couplet from “Lowa” (which I have chosen for sheer poetic content): “Basi an balud-kalimot (‘x/’x/’x/’x) Ha baybayon hinin dughan,” (‘x/’x/’x/’x) The first line is composed of four consistent metrical divisions each with one accented and one unaccented syllable. The same is repeated in the second line. If set to music, the accented start of the line necessitates an up-beat start of the music. Imagine the forward-backward rhythm of a rocking horse. In this line, the accented syllable is the forward motion while the unaccented is the backward one. Note the difference in these lines: “Ig-hatag anay an kalinaw (x’/x’/x’/x’/x) Ha im mga balud, O Dagat,” (x’/x’/x’/x’/x) Both lines start and end with unaccented syllables. If set to music, the song starts with a down-beat. In the backward-forward rhythm of a rocking horse, the backward motion is for the unaccented syllable and the forward motion for the accented one. These are just some of the forms and combinations the would-be siday writer needs to follow. Once he has already mastered these, then he can venture into other forms and combinations uniquely his. Finally, though talent is a must, it is discipline that is needed to harness talent and elevate any endeavor into the realm of art.
Posted on: Sat, 23 Aug 2014 09:59:40 +0000
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