Night Swimming

By the Beach. Torrijos, Marinduque.

Night Swimming by April Pagaling I practiced hurtlike how pearls are cultivated,methodically, with attention,this art of controlled wounding. I too became skilledin the art of turning trauma lustrous.This is how: first,you learn to treasure what hurts you,learn how beautiful things comefrom bodies in distress. But the ocean knows better.It knows the differencebetween cultivation and calcification,between […]

The Witness

A scarecrow in an empty field.

The Witness by April Pagaling (in reply to “Wala Nang Tao sa Sta. Filomena”) You stand in the stubbled field,a scarecrow stripped of its purpose,shirt faded to the hue of stillborn harvests.January light knifes sideways,spilling shadows longer than your body,  stretching beyond the moment  of its making. I have witnessed this scene before.Escalante’s fencepost scarecrowdraped in a […]

Lesson on Flowers

Lesson on Flowers The flower openswithout violence. This is whatI learned in elementaryhow resistance livesin softness. I stand in the kitchen, watchingpetals drift into my teacup,thinking of mother’s handsfolding white sheets,how they will yellowwith time. Everything palebecomes something else. In dreams, I am notthis daughter who changeswithout permission. I amthe space between what shesaved and […]

Night Inventory

The absence of connection burns differently than the absence of touch. A poem about loneliness and how two bodies can share a bed while their hearts inhabit separate countries.

Morning Augury

Walking around in Sagada and finding this beautiful spider web. A meditation on grief and finding comfort in unexpected places and a reflection on rebuilding and survival.

Hamog ng Enero

Marinduque Sea of Clouds

The chill of January mornings in Marinduque and navigating the cold, thinking of unspoken young love. Discover how the Sea of Clouds intertwines with the warmth of a fleeting smile in this introspective poem.

Panaghoy / Howl ni Allen Ginsberg

Panaghoy ni Allen Ginsberg (salin sa Pilipino ni April Pagaling) Para kay Carl Solomon I. Nasilayan ko ang pinakamatatalas na isip ng aking henerasyon, nilamon ng kabaliwan. . . . . . dinadayukdok, nawawala sa sarili, hubad,hila-hila ang mga anino ng kanilang pagkatao sa mga lansangan ng madaling-araw,. . . . . . nagpupumilit humagilap […]

Shelters Sought: Unspoken Battles At Home

Selected Poems: These poems talk about the secret struggles of women who are seeking safety and shelter from domestic violence. They show the silent battles that happen behind closed doors. 1. She Wanted to Replace Kill with a Metaphor A woman’s internal struggle to express the severity of her circumstance. She Wanted to Replace Kill […]

Poem – A Mother’s Vigil

A deeply personal exploration of mothering a child with bipolar disorder. This poem captures the quiet moments of nighttime vigilance, exploring themes of maternal love, anxiety, and hope. Part of the “Modern Motherhood” poetry series.

Anak (Poetry by April Pagaling)

Anak I #writing Anak IApril Pagaling Sinasamba kita, paulit ulit at walang patidHabang iniaanak ng bawat ina ang mga suwailMga sanggol na pipitas sa kanyang pasensyaIka’y pinatawad ko na. Pinagpipitaganan ko ang bawat sambit, palatakAng matining mong tinig na sisidlanNg kalahating ako at kawalan.Iniibig kita ng walang habag. Ipinagdarasal ko ang mapagpalaya mong yakapAng mga […]