Bonsai
By Edith Tiempo
All that I love
I fold over once
And once again
And keep in a box
Or a slit in a hollow post
Or in my shoe
All that I love?
Why, yes but for the moment-
And for all time, both.
Something that folds and keeps easy,
Son’s note, or Dad’s one gaudy tie,
A roto picture of a young queen
A blue Indian shawl, even
A money bill.
It’s utter sublimation,
A feat, this heart’s control
Moment to moment
To scale all love down
To a cupped hand’s size.
Till seashells are broken pieces
From God’s own bright teeth,
All life and love are real
Things you can run and
Breathless hand over
To the merest child
Ming Tree
For all that I adore
i once wrap closely
And I repeat
And put in a rectangular container
Or a long, narrow opening in a concave
post
Or in closed foot wear
For all that I adore?
Alright, it can be temporary
and can be eternal at the same time.
A thing that can wrap and hold it easily.
A letter of a son or
A flashy tie of Dad.
A queen's faded photograph
A sky-colored Indian fabric garment,
even
A piece of a paper bill
It's a complete astonishment
A deed to control this heart
Time to time  Sa kamay na hinugis sa tasa
To shrunk down all the love
To a size of a hand formed in cup
To a shattered pieces of seashells
From our Lord's shining teeth,
And life and love that are genuine
Things you love dearly
Give it without hesitation
To the young innocent child.
Bonsay
Lahat bg aking iniibig
Ay aking minsanang itiniklop
At isa pang muli
At itonago sa kahon
O sa isang siwang poste
O sa aking sapatos
Lahat ng aking iniibig?
Itoý panandalian
At ito rin ay walang hanggan Isang bagay
na natitiklop at madaling itago
Sulat ng anak o isang makintab na kurbata
ng tatay
Isang kupas na larawan ng reyna
Asul na pang-Indianong balabal, kahit pa
Papel na babayarin.
Ito ay ganap na pangingimbaw
Isang tagumpay, itong kakayahan-loob
Sa bawat sandali
Para pamuntihin ang pag-ibig
Hanggang sa kabibeng nadurog
Mula sa nagnining na ngipin ng Maykapal
At ang buhay at pag-ibig ay totoo
Mga bagay na madaling iabot
At ibigay ng walang alinlangan
Sa musmos na may kabusilakan.