Nothing expresses more succinctly  the spirit of Christmas  than a song or a poem  that comes like a song.  We very well know how the Christmas message is embodied in the legend of  Christ’s nativity in Bethlehem. It  was told,  angels sang on high the joyful tidings, proclaiming  the Glory of God — Gloria in Excelsis Deo — and trumpeting the message of peace and goodwill to earth’s humankind.

This is the Christmas story, affecting our souls with a kind of restlessness  manifested in merriment and merriment and merriment.  This is a kind of feeling infused  into the Filipino by  the historical fact and reality of colonialism.  It has been ingrained  in our soul so very deeply. Its remote beginnings cannot be anymore  traced  and  remembered.  It has been embedded in our  psyche  like a genetic element.  Or a DNA in our biology.

And in the art of  song writing and creating, I have had my share of melodic transports of Christmas messages  as mandated by my spiritual- political formation  through the years.  They have come as translation-adaptations—or transcreations—of traditional Christmas carols.  Here are some of the most familiar ones :

Silver Bells

Silver bells  Silver bells

Pasko  na  gyud  sa  kalibotan

Mga  parol  gisug-an  na

Mga  krismas  tree  gi-displey  na

Mga   bata   malipayon

Sayong   nagpanaygon

Pirmeng   handom  ang  Noche  Buena

Whispering Hope

Malumong   tingog   sa  anghel

Hapuhap   sa   kasingkasing

Awit  nga  labing  mabugnaw

Mohupay  sa  tanang  kamingaw

Ang  kahayag  nga  gihandom

Moiway  sa  mga  dag-om

Hawid   sa   lig-ong   paglaom

Dan-ag   sa   bag-ong   buntag

 

KORO:

Ipasibaw    (ipasibaw)

    Ang   damgo   (ang damgo)

    Sa  kalinaw     (kalinaw)

    Panalangin    (panalangin)

    Sa  taga-Mindanaw

Silent Night

O   gabiing    malinawon

Natingban   sa   kahilom

Ang   Birheng   inahan  sa  Bata

Giawitan  sa  mga   manulonda

Himaya   sa   kahitas-an

Kalinaw  sa  katawhan

O Holy Night

O  gabiing  labing  mahimayaon

Dinan-agan   sa  bitoong  masilakon

Natawo  na  ang   Batang  Balaanon

Manunubos  sa  tanang   katawhan

Awiton  ta  ang  awit  sa  himaya

Magsadya  ning   bulawanong  takna

Mangluhod  ta!  Dunggon  Awit  sa  Gugma

O night divine, O night when Christ  was born

O night divine, O gabiing bulawanon.

Adeste Fideles

Dali  na  Kristiyanos

Maglipay  ug  magsadya

Mangadto,  mangadto  ta

Sa  Bethlehem

Atong  simbahon

Ang   Batang  harianon

Dali  na  atong simbahon

Dali  na  atong simbahon

Dali  na  atong simbahon

Ang   Batang  Hesus

KORO:

Natum  vedite

Regim  angelorum

  Venite  adoremus

Venite  adoremus

      Dali  na  atong  simbahon

Ang  Batang  Hesus

O Little Town of Bethlehem

Ning   purok  sa  Bago Aplaya

Gagmayng  mangingisda

Panagat  ang  pangabuhian

Adlaw-adlawng   tanan

Ug  sa  gabiing  bulanon

Dagat  mokidlap-kidlap

Dan-ag  sa  maanyag  nga  buwan

Murag   mga  bulawan

Dinhi  dunay  mga  istorya

Sa  kabayanihan

Mga  mangingisdang  mibarog

Alang   sa  katarungan

Mga  ngalang  hinumdoman

Sa  iyang   kasaysayan

Pablo,  Pasik,  Toto,  Tibod,

Uban  pang  gagmayng  bayani

Ang  ilang  kinabuhi  tugob  sa  kakugi

Mga  balas  sa  layahan  maoy  bugtong  saksi.

 

The following is an original composition by a group of culturally-spirited Political Prisoners way back in 1976 in Fort Bonifacio in NCR:  This was sung by us in chorus  before  the Cardinal Sin when he visited  us in prison on one of those dark days  of  Christmas time during Martial law:

Lahi-lahing Dagway sa Pasko

Mayroong  isang  bata  akong  kilala’t  kalaro

Kapag  Pasko’y  dumarating  marami  siyang  baro

Bahay  nila’y  maraming  ilaw  na  maganda

At  habang  kami’y  naglalaro  ito  ang  wika  nya:

REF: Ang  Pasko  ay  masaya,  dapat  ipagdiwang

At  dapat na ipagbunyi  ng  bawat  nilalang

Pasko’y  para  sa  lahat,  walang ipinagliban

Maging  ikaw  ay  matanda,  maging  ika’y  bata.

Minsang  kami’y  nagkita, ako’y  niyayang  magkape

Ang  dating  kalaro  ko’y   galing  na  sa  “Tate”

Damit  niya  ay  groovy,  magara  ang  kotse,

At  habang  siya’y   nagyopyose,  ang  wika  niya’y  “Pare!

(REFRAIN)

 

Ngunit. . .

Bakit  may  luha  akong  natuklasan

Luhang  ibat-iba  nitong   ugat  at  dahilan

May  luha  ng  ulila,  luha  ng  mahirap

Luha  ng  kapus-palad,  luha  ng  dalita

Bakit  Pasko’y  may  luha,  bakit  umiiyak

Di  ba  pantay  ang  pagtingin  ng  Pasko  sa  lahat. . .?

 

FINALE:

Sa  puso  ng  bawat  isa  mayroong  kasagutan

Di  natin  maitatatwa  ang  katotohanann

Pasko’y   may  iba’t- ibang   uri’t  katuturan

Mayroong  Paskong  pangmahirap,

Mayroong   pangmayaman.

Mayroong  Paskong  tumatangis,

Mayroong  nagbubungisngis.

Maryoong  Paskong  wa  gyud  jamo

Maryroong  damo  gid  pro!

 

And here is a poem I composed very early this morning as I  hearkened to the sound of  Churchbells,  calling for Simbang Gabi,  in the air  –

The Spirit of Christmas

I awake to the sound of a dream,

churns the realm of my wakefulness,

inviting my soul like a long-ago song,

like a taste  of  fire on my tongue

that soon permeates my whole  being—

Pulsing in my veins in waves of tones,

at first,  gentle as a child’s footsteps

that soon grow into crescendo accent,

startling Church bells at dawn shadows

down the lane of Time’s timelessness.

It’s the spirit of Christmas—weaving

a tale retold and retold through the years

of my life—early memories of innocence

of man’s journeys and feats across history,

of  births and deaths of  world’s changes.

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