Ibilad ang lahat/Lay everything out in the sun
Bagong umaga, ang araw ay sumisilip,
Nagbibigay ng liwanag sa mundong tiyak.
Likas na ganda ng simoy ay humihiphip,
Bagong pag-asa, araw ay nagbabalik.
In the dawn of a new morning, the sun looks in
Giving birth to light across the universe
Breathe in the true nature of all things
A new hope arises as the sun is here
Sa dapithapon, araw ay lumuluhod,
Lulan ng kulay, sa langit ay sumayaw.
Gabi’y lumalapit, kadiliman ay sumugod,
Sa dilim, pangarap ay muling nag-aalab.
As the day closes, the sun kneels
Dancing across the skies, a striking kaleidoscope
The night nears, the light buries itself
In the dark, you don’t need to fear – set your dreams alight*
*This poem is written as a Tanaga, an Indigenous way of writing poetry, usually done in Tagalog, one of the many languages that exists in the Philippine archipelago.
Poetry Reading 'Ibilad ang lahat/Lay everything out in the sun' by Alyssa Powell-Ascura
Alyssa Powell-Ascura is the inaugural WTS x FELTspace Artist Exchange Program Residency recipient. In October 2024, she spent a few weeks in Mpartnwe/Alice Springs in residency as a TAiR at Watch This Space, culminating in a solo exhibition at FELTspace titled ‘Meet Me in Alice/Mparntwe’. The solo exhibition featured new and previous works together, bridging stories across time and history, touching upon pre-colonial histories, migration and themes of home and belonging.
During her WTS residency, Alyssa spent time with various local communities engaging in activities and gatherings that informed some of the works in display. This poem is going to be a part of a publication she hopes to publish by the next time she visits Alice Springs.
About Alyssa Powell-Ascura ––
Alyssa Powell-Ascura is an award winning emerging multi-hyphenated creative, or a “slashie”, as she calls herself. She is primarily known as a visual artist and a writer, working in the intersections of food, culture and identity. Projects that she is drawn to usually have an element of community. As the first Delima Residency recipient (2023), she worked and lived in Malaysia for 3 months. Her first solo exhibition, ‘Halo-halo’(2024) won The City of Adelaide Award. If she’s not talking to the local Aunties and writing about food and culture, she can be found by the beach.
Instagram–– @apowellascura
Youtube–– https://www.youtube.com/@alyssapowellascura
Website–– www.roseandcitrus.com/aly/
Substack–– https://apowellascura.substack.com/