Poem by Karlo Sevilla

Kung Mabutas ang Kisame at Mahulog ang Dagang Kumakaluskos

Ang bagsak sa tuktok ng aking ulo,

Kung ako'y nakatingin nang diretso.

O sa batok, kung nakayuko.

Pwede rin sa mukha,

Kung nakatingala.

If the Ceiling Gets Holed and the Rustling Rat Falls

It will land on the top of my head,

If I’m looking straight ahead.

Or on my nape, if my head is bowed.

Or upon my face,

if looking upward.

Karlo Sevilla writes from Quezon City, Philippines and authored “Metro Manila Mammal” (Soma Publishing, 2018), a full-length poetry collection, and “You” (Origami Poems Project, 2017), a microchap. Also in 2018, his poem won third place in Tanggol Wika's DALITEXT 2018 poetry contest, and his partial translation into Tagalog of Dylan Thomas’ poem, “And Death Shall Have No Dominion,” won a reader's choice award from Human Rights Online Philippines’ 8th HR Pinduteros Choice Awards. His poems appear in Philippines Graphic, Philippines Free Press, ALPAS Journal, Rambutan Literary, Eastlit, Kitaab, Anak Sastra, and elsewhere. He tweets at @KarloSevilla.