Ua baluan mu qng minuna, pilcaran mu neng patanid,
Ing mebigu mung Poetang migale qng "Ecu Malit."
Dapot nung deang bulaclac ilang cacu misisitsit
Qng aldo mung quebaitan, macananung ecu dalit?
Sisitsit da man canacu, picamuan, sana emula,
Uling era naman balu, sinabi ramu karela,
Deang maralas daralo, munta queni, munta queta
A balisang limpad, limpad, masalitang mariposa.
Tabalu ding mariposa ba't carelang camalayan?
Ing malijim nang panaslag ning aldo mung quebaitan?
Dapot, canitang sabi ra, carela mu namang dimdam,
Caring malagu nang Hadas ning lebasan dang caqueuan.
At ding Hadas quitnan cula, tajimic la't e bubulad,
Nune, ing cacu ra tiru, ing bunduc ning "Nabanlag."
Memintu cu't pintalan que, at layun cu pang minuquiat,
Uling ing canacung nasa magcang carin cu amalas.
Nanuman, ala cung disan pangaras cu cababauan,
Balacu, miras na cacu, wakas ning sablang lelangan,
Dapot cabud meliquid cu qng planas banda cung wanan,
iquit que ing larawan mu, lalauan nacu't titimanan!
Guinalang que't delanginan, dapot biglang merine cu,
Uling ala cu mang bitbit para qng beitan mung aldo.
Dapot ngening balu muna qng yamu ing caguiuan cu,
Damutan me't daraun que ing "pusu" ning calulu.
___________
The English Translation
USTANG
Translated by Luz D. Navarro
Yes, I remember that you gave a reply
To your forsaken Poet who sang "I Knew Not."
But if those flowers themselves whisper to me
The day of your birth, how could I not sing it?
Though they whisper to me, reprove them not,
They are innocent, it was whispered to them
By their frequent visitors who flit here and there,
Those busy fluttering, gossiping butterflies.
I know not how those butterflies ever knew
The mysterious dawn of your birth!
But they also told me that they only heard it
From the beautiful Naiads they passed in the wilderness.
When I asked the Naiads, they were silent
And pointed to me the mountain of Nabanlag.
So, off I went and climbed the mount
That I might see what I have hoped for.
But when I reached the top, there was nothing.
I thought it was the end of everything---
But when I turned to look at my right side---
There, smiling at me, was the image of you!
I gave obeisance, but suddenly, I was embarrassed,
For I brought no offering on this day of your birth,
But now that you know how deeply I feel,
Please accept my sole offering--- my poor heart.
About the poem: The original Pampango poem was written by the poet, Gory Dary in December 1925 and published in the Lirang Capampangan, a magazine circulated in provinces of Pampanga and Tarlac. At that time, the writer was courting the young lady, Ustang (Fausta M. Sibal) whom he later married in 1927. When the family of Ustang read the poem "Ecu Malit," the lawyer brother of Ustang made a poem supposedly written by her entitled "Malit Mu na" and also published it in the Lirang Capampangan. In "Ecu Malit," the poet was asking what the smiles and meaningful glances of Ustang meant. In "Malit Mu Na," Ustang hinted that her glances were meant to measure or size up her suitor if the suitor will pass her strict scrutiny. This surviving Pampango poem was found among the personal papers and documents of the late Fausta S. Dayrit upon her demise in 1988. It is now in the keeping of Ustang's son, Eduardo, who supplied us a copy.
