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Rio Alma

Mas Matalino ang Tubig

 

 

Mas matalino ang tubig;

Bumababa ito nang tahimik

Mulang bukal sa bundok

Para di magising ang mga hayop.

 

Lumilihis ito sa marahas na bato

Para agnasin nang marahan at sekreto;

Nagtatago ito kapag galit ang araw

Para bumalik na masayang ulan.

 

Marunong din itong matakot sa talon, 

Magtiwala sa lilim ng kahoy,

Magsuspetsa sa talampakang maputik,

At mamahinga kapag nag-iisip.

 

Ang tubig na matalino'y

Dumadaloy nang yuko ang ulo

Ngunit nag-iiwan ng mayamang bakas

Bago sumanib sa dagat.

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Water is Wiser

 

 

Water is wiser;

Silently it descends

From its spring in the mountains

So as not wake the beasts.

 

It avoids harsh rocks, only

To wear them away slowly, in secret;

It hides when the sun is furious

Only to come back as cheerful rain.

 

It knows how to fear heights,

It can trust the shade of trees,

Or distrust mud-caked feet,

And take a few moments to think.

 

Wise, clear-minded water

Flows humbly, with bowed head;

But it leaves richness in its wake

Before it joins the sea.

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RIO ALMA or Virgilio S. Almario (the former is his poetry byline while the latter, his full name, he uses for his literary criticism and other works) is one of the country's most prolific authors, apart from being one of the most penetrating. He has written some 20 books of poetry and eighty of literary criticism and history, solely in the national language, Filipino. He has worn many hats: as cultural entrepreneur he was the founder of Children's Communications Center, publisher of Adarna Books, and founder of the Philippine Board of Books for Young People (PBBY); he was  publisher and editor of Diyario Filipino and Filipino Magazine; as academic he has been Dean of the UP College of Arts and Literature; he has been executive director of the National Commission for Culture and the arts (NCCA). At present he is concurrently chairman of the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) and NCCA. He was named to the Order of National Artist for Literature in 2003.

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