Version 2
Last update: 2006-03-19
This is the first piece of poetry written in Ilomi.
iniminimanimo
o elapela axupiswe uyula axamikuta
iyu emolumwa eye o esakya enyutu
iniminimanimo
—Seo Sanghyeon
Iniminimanimo
Iniminimanimo
Catch a monster by the toe
If it doesn't like it, then let it go
Iniminimanimo
* * *
Iloku is a native Ilomi form of poetry, conceived by Gary Shannon. It is based on syllable counts, like Haiku. Because Ilomi words tend to be longer, the lines of Iloku are longer than Haiku lines. There are two forms of Iloku: Ilokuswe (Greater Iloku) has 5 lines with 9, 9, 11, 11, and 9 syllables; and Ilokutwi (Lesser Iloku) has 3 lines with 9, 11, and 9 syllables.
ami eyo anke e atelu
ami eyo anlu e asoli
aki esi anyekoto u ami
alami ekanto anyofi ami
uwe ate epo ekila?
—Gary Shannon
Greater Iloku: Beginning
I am sky and earth
I am moon and sun
Day sees my work
Night sings my happiness
Can you understand?
* * *
anyepulu enyufe alu
e atelu enyonyakamwa oyopi
a asoli ekoto oyofi
—Gary Shannon
Lesser Iloku: Sun
Rain leaves this place
And the earth dries,
The sun works happily
* * *
alupi u eliti oyose
alomenyasoli emulu oyofi
e eloso amiko ofu
—Larry Sulky
Lesser Iloku: New Friends
A door has opened
Sunlight enters joyfully
And brings new friends
* * *
alaxukya u axuma o enpokanyoke
ami e anxa unpa ami
e enyoke anfo u anyefa u ami
e entulo efulute
—Translation by Seo Sanghyeong
Mistress of magic
Mistress of magic, bless
Me and every one near me
And make all of my making better
And continue to protect
* * *
ata anke elele uyuta akuta
umi alami e umwa akusa
i alo eyo api e ape u axa
i ape eyo otemo umi akinxa
ape o anke enyofele ate
api o ate esi irlkeni uwe
a emi alapu e anteke olanke
iye alokwi eyofyo akusanyaka
—Translation by Seo Sanghyeon
* * *
itomo ekofa itante atanyomusi.
i uyu "ami u exo eloso axata ame utu alunyepexa" uyumwa a, itomo epa. uyu "uwe eye ami esa elisu axupinyeloso u ate?" uyumwa.
itante atanyomusi epa uyu "ami inyeku oyose anma uta anpi" uyumwa.
itomo uyu "ate inyotomwa! i ami epo etonse axupinyeloso uxaka atesa u ate" uyumwa.
itante uyu "uwe ate ipeli anke a, ami ekwe axupinyeloso?" uyumwa.
—Translation by Gary Shannon
Dante and the donkey
Tom visits Dante the Fool.
"I have many vegetables to carry to market," says Tom. "So may I use your donkey?"
Dante the Fool says, "I have already given him to another."
Tom says, "You lie! I hear the donkey behind your house."
Dante replies, "Who do you believe, me or the donkey?"
* * *
itante atanyomusi isopa oyose apuka u axa.
i unyonsu aki ame a axupinyeloso enyulu unyemi apuka umi anteta
uyu "ekotonyaxelo aya!" uyumwa a, itante atanyomusi epa.
i axupinyeloso epa uyu "iye a, axama u ate u exisu umi".
—Translation by Gary Shannon
Dante and the book
Dante the Fool lost his book.
Several days later, the donkey arrived with the book on its head.
"It's a miracle!" Dante the Fool cried.
The donkey said, "No, your name is written inside."
* * *
itante atanyomusi onyatenko unpa akanyelele.
i itomo uma afenlu anpi ipanyoxu uyu "ami inyutu ulansu ameto anke?" uyumwa.
i itante atanyomusi epaswe uyu "ate eyo ulansu aya!"
—Translation by Gary Shannon
Dante by the river
Dante the Fool was sitting by the river.
Tom, on the other shore, shouted, "How can I get across?"
Dante the Fool shouted back, "You are across!"
* * *