at precisely midnight, not a second too soon nor too late.
And so the first son set out on the quest.
Only to find his bravery wasn’t up to the test.
Next went Don Diego, the smart one.
But the task was harder than the Harvard exam!
And he came home without the Nightingale in hand.
The last hope was Don Adan.
On his search for the cure,
he met a wise old kween in a rainbow kaftan.
“My child, I see you.
The Nightingale Adana is in you!
Set yourself free that’s what you should do!”
AHA!
The key to the mystery was with Adan all along.
The cure to his father’s illness lay in his gown and a song.
He just needs to accept himself and make his father happy —
through a lip-sync extravaganza that would set them both free.
Adan came home as fast as he could
in full colorful Nightingale look.
At the very strike of midnight,
touched up with lipstick that was harlot-red.
He walked up to his father’s bed,
and with a soft, loving voice said,
“Father, this is me, Adan...nnaaah.
The Nightingale Adana!”
Then she proudly performed,
lip-sync galore,
in radiant Pride colors
her spirit soared!
Soon, Troye slowly began to open his eyes.
Tears of joy dripping down his face.
“My son, I’m happy that you are happy.”
Troye smiled and hugged Adana tightly.
In loving embrace the whole family came together
and they all lived happily, fabulously ever after.
SI MALAKAS AT SI MAKISIG TRANSLATIONS
ORIGINAL LANGUAGE
Si Malakas at Si Makisig
Nagsimula ang lahat
nang tuluyang mabiyak
ang mahiwagang kawayan.
Biglang may nag-come out!
Isang lalaking matipuno ang lumabas,
ang pangalan niya ay si Malakas.
Maya-maya’y may narinig,
TOK TOK TOK,
tila may kumakatok
sa kawayan sa isang sulok.
Nagpakitang-gilas si Malakas,
hinati ang kawayan at ipinamalas:
Pumuputok ang biceps sa dalawang bisig
kung saan kumapit ang isa pang ginoo,
si Makisig.
Laking tuwa ni Makisig,
tinulungan siya ni Malakas makalabas.
Ngayo’y tuluyan na siyang malaya.
At sa kalayaaan nagsimula ang mundo
ng sangbekihan ni Malakas at ni Makisig.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
The Strong and the Handsome
It all began with a magical tree.
Split in two, a deity was set free.
Out he came, rushing headlong.
Big and burly, his name was Strong.
Free now from all his bounds,
Strong stretched and looked around.
Suddenly, he heard a strange knock,
“TOK TOK TOK!”
Coming from another tree.
Could it be another to set free?
Strong showed off his might,
Biceps bursting in moonlight.
He broke the bark in two,
and another deity came through!
With dashing looks and lips of plum,
Strong asked him his name, he said “Handsome.”
Handsome was so happy
Strong helped set him free.
And on this freedom
their world had been found.
FLORANTE AT AWRA TRANSLATIONS
ORIGINAL LANGUAGE
Florante at Awra
Babala: This COVID-19 love story is rated PG.
Napilitang umuwi mula LA si Florante,
ang ideal bachelor and only son
ng business tycoon na si Lucio Tang.
Aniya, "Bagsak negosyo,
expert bitcoin investment bagong trend!"
Walang kamalay-malay ang binata
na may iba pang ROI ang kanyang pagbabalik.
Quarantine Day 1:
Rekta quarantine hotel ang binata
at doon n'ya unang nasilayan
ang isang awra mula sa bintana.
Nainlab s'ya at tumitig nang 13 minutes.
Day 2:
Ang mahiyaing binata,
tuloy sa pag-sight sa bintana.
Day 3:
Sumight ulit.
Day 4:
At ulit, this time,
may malisya na.
Day 5:
Napanaginipan na.
Day 6:
Napanaginipan ulit pero dirty na.
Ibang klase! Kahit may social distancing,
tinamaan ng Awra virus si Florante!
Day 7:
Sinubukang magpapansin,
ngunit mahiyain pa rin.
Day 8:
Nanigas... ang tosilog na rasyon
dahil kay Awra pa lang, busog na.
Day 9:
Nasaktan. Nahuling may lalaking
kasama ang Awra. Aray ko beh.
Last day:
Imbis na matuwa, heartbroken ang binata.
May kumatok para sa COVID result
at laking gulat n'ya na yung lalaking
nakita n'yang kasama ng awra sa bintana,
tagabigay pala ng resulta.
Ang resulta:
NEGATIVE sa COVID,
POSITIVE sa landi.
May kasamang note pa! Ang sabi,
"Na-sight rin kita, sana makita mo ako nang buo."
May pirmang Awra sa Bintana,
ang proud trans kween
of Balintawak Philippinesssss!
Napangiti si Florante,
thought bubble n'ya:
"I know. I see you, all of you."
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Florante and the Trans Kween Awra
Warning: This COVID-19 love story is rated PG.
Florante, the ideal bachelor and only son
of the business tycoon Lucio Tang,
was forced to come home from LA.
His father bemoaned, “Christ! Business is down,
expert bitcoin investment is the new trend?!
Only you can help the company!”
The bachelor would have never imagined
that his homecoming had another ROI.
Quarantine Day 1:
Straight to the quarantine hotel.
Florante caught a glimpse
of a beautiful woman in a window.
It was love at first sight.
He stared for 13 minutes.
Day 2:
The shy bachelor continued to peek
at the woman in the window.
Day 3:
He peeked again.
Day 4:
And again.
This time, leering longer,
full of desire.
Day 5:
Florante dreamt of her.
Day 6:
And again.
This time, it was a wet dream.
Even with social distancing,
Florante was hit by the beautiful Awra virus.
Day 7:
He tried to make her notice him,
but no luck.
Day 8:
Florante was so lovesick,
he barely touched his breakfast.
Just a glimpse of the beautiful Awra
was enough to keep him full.
Day 9:
Ouch! He saw Awra
with another man in her room.
Last day:
Instead of being happy about leaving the hotel,
the bachelor was heartbroken.
Then, someone knocked on his door.
To his surprise, it was the man in Awra’s room!
Turns out he was the staff member
who gave out test results.
He handed Florante his.
The result:
NEGATIVE for COVID,
POSITIVE for LOVE.
It came with a secret note.
“I see you. I hope you truly see me too.”
It was signed, Awra in the window,
the proud trans kween of Balintawak Quezon City.
Florante smiled, his thought bubble:
“I know. I see you, all of you."
Ibong Adana
(The Nightingale Named Adana)
Spread your rainbow-colored wings with the Ibong Adana in this tale of coming out, self-love, and acceptance.
Si Malakas at Si Makisig
(The Strong and the Handsome)
The creation story. Our local version of Adam and Eve. The start of it all. The story of how life begins when you set yourself free.
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Told through poetic love notes, this is a story of two young women and their struggle between familial duties, their passionate love, and being true to themselves.
The Gay Gatsby
Have you heard the rumors? Gatsby is back! With a brand new name, full of Pride and no shame!
A story of how a self-made billionaire gained something more valuable than wealth — he gained love and acceptance.
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Who knew 10 days in a quarantine hotel could lead to your #1 love?
This is the lockdown trans love story of Florante and Awra.
Memoirs of a Gay Shah
A trip down memory lane for one trans woman, told entirely in haikus. She recalls her previous life and her new life now as Cindy. The proud homecoming of the first trans Kapitana of Bagong Buhay.