LaTasha N. Nevada Diggs

 

cinta iamsu mungkin

kantan pescado

 

 

cinta iamsu mungkini

or
it might be love

a love son

 

 

taisetsu na tu mio guagua nyamuk
how precious you my baby mosquito

engkau imponente gila murasaki buaya
you awesome insane purple crocodile

karakau mi cinta sampai saya chi es habuk
tease me love until my blood is dust

taisetsu na tu mio guagua nyamuk
how precious you my baby mosquito

un aislado kelasi mungkin ninaru nyanyuk
a lonely sailor might grow senile

dakedo, espero para kisu muda bulamata
I only wait for a kiss, a young eyelash

taisetsu na tu mio guagua nyamuk
how precious you my baby mosquito

engkau imponente gila murasaki buaya
you awesome insane purple crocodile

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kantan pescadoii

 

A~i aEd

ti gumadi yu' put ti'ao

baba I mata-mu halu’u
penta kulot pi’ot labios-mu
hayi malago-mu kilu’os tasi-mu
oru? kakaguates? faya?

I'm not fishing for small fish

open your eyes baby shark
color your lips sour plum
who do u want my starfish?
gold? peanuts? anchovies?

tl aEd

na gumadi yu' put hagu

tife’ me. for fresas are jealous
I fa’gasi my heart of complaints
bilembines, one bite I acquaint
taste abas, what kandi! kuanto?

I'm casting my net for you

pick strawberries
wash
star apple
guava candy! how much?!

 

when I whistle three times

what would you like to drink?
pacific almond
what do you want?
stand over here

fgb aEd

an' chumefla yu' tres biahi

say this love “hafa gimen-mu?”
I will say milk of talisai
then ask “hafa malago’-mu?”
I say tohe guini, surprise me

Aq/b aEd

yute' gadi ya'un falagu.throw your net and run.

chunge’-ku, hokka my seedlings sweet fair stern pick
from the earth, my eyes too
pa, tupu malago’-hu pa, sugarcane is what I want
adahi hao, my nest is weak be careful

A~i aEd

what pain my mother must have had

five mosquitoes bit
her cheeks purple
octopus afraid
octopus taste good

 

gaigi i pinitin nana,

when lalima namu akka’
turning fasu’na lila
ink like gamson ma’a’nao
forgive me, mannge’ i gamson

tl aEd

anai para hu ma faniago;

chaddeki i apacha
kadada’ i gua’ot kama
manso i ma’ho ababang
machalek estague’ mendioka hula

when I was to be born;

the grasshopper was fast
the bunk bed ladder was short
the thirsty butterfly was tame
this tapioca tongue was wild

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Notes:

[i] – This triolet is written in Japanese, Malay and Spanish. [Back to text]

[ii] – The kantan chamorrita is an ancient style of improvised debate or “freestyle” indigenous to the Chamorro natives of Mariana Islands and Guam. In this near extinct language, the term ayotte, meaning to throw verses, is significant to this form for it was used in satirical and/or loving exchange between clans and during public feasts. Each section above is proceeded by original lines translated during the 1900’s by missionaries. Each verse proceeds with the title a Dr. Seuss book, “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish” in Tsalagi (Cherokee). [Back to text]