Skip to main content
Poets.org

mobileMenu

  • Poems
  • Poets
  • Poem-a-Day
  • National Poetry Month
  • Materials for Teachers
  • Literary Seminars
  • American Poets Magazine

Main navigation

  • Poets.org
  • Academy of American Poets
  • National Poetry Month
  • American Poets Magazine

User account menu

  • Log in
  • Membership
  • Donate
Donate
Poets.org

Poem-a-Day

The only daily poetry series publishing new work by today’s poets.

Page submenu block

  • find poems
  • find poets
  • poem-a-day
  • literary seminars
  • materials for teachers
  • poetry near you

Poem-a-day

Lingården Äldreboende Lenhovda

translated from the Tagalog by Luisa A. Igloria

(home for the elderly, Lenhovda)

My sister Mimi tells me, 
many of the elderly she cares for 
often get dressed and pack 
as if they are about to go on a journey. 
One of them wears his sandals backwards. 
Another has put on her make-up, but unevenly. 

When asked what they are planning to do, 
they say they are going to Järnvägen Station 
and are in a great hurry 
so they won’t be left behind by the train.

But that train station at Lenhovda 
has been closed for almost half a century. 
Even the train tracks are gone. 
Back then, this was where you could get a ride 
to the cities of Växjö or Kalmar.

The train station they see in their minds 
is now just one wide parking lot 
for the workers in a factory 
where expensive windows are made.

 

 


 

Lingården Äldreboende Lenhovda

 

Kinuwento sa akin ng kapatid kong si Mimi, 
marami sa matatandang inaalagaan nila 
ay maaabutan na lamang nilang 
nakabihis at nakapag-empake na. 
Yung isa nga raw baligtad pa ang sandals. 
Mayroon ding hindi pantay ang meyk-ap.

Kapag tinanong kung ano ang gagawin nila, 
sasagot silang pupunta raw ng Järnvägen Station 
at kailangang magmadali 
dahil baka maiwanan sila ng tren.

Ngunit mahigit kalahating siglo na nagsara 
ang estasyon ng tren sa Lenhovda. 
Kahit nga ang riles wala na rin. 
Dito maaaring sumakay noon 
patungo sa mga lungsod ng Växjö o Kalmar.

Ang nakikita nilang estasyon sa kanilang isipan, 
isa nang malawak na parkingan ngayon 
ng mga nagtatrabaho sa pagawaan 
ng mga mamahaling bintana.

Copyright © 2025 by John Iremil Teodoro. Originally published in Poem-a-Day on September 20, 2025, by the Academy of American Poets.

read the rest

John Iremil Teodoro

John Iremil Teodoro
Photo credit: July Farol
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Tumblr
  • View print mode
  • Copy embed code
Add to anthology

Sign up for Poem-a-Day

* indicates required

About Poem-a-Day

Poem-a-Day is the original and only daily digital poetry series featuring over 250 new, previously unpublished poems by today’s talented poets each year. Randall Mann is the Guest Editor of August. Read or listen to a Q&A with Mann about his curatorial process, and learn more about the 2025 Guest Editors. Support Poem-a-Day.  

If you have any questions about Poem-a-Day, visit our Poem-a-Day FAQ.

Previous Poems

Title Author Date
Other Women’s Children Amaud Jamaul Johnson 02/24/2020
The Want of You Angelina Weld Grimké 02/23/2020
The Flower at My Window Lucian B. Watkins 02/22/2020
Men Keep on Dying Michael McGriff 02/21/2020
Ode to the Boy Who Jumped Me Monica Sok 02/20/2020
The Pedestrian Tommye Blount 02/19/2020
Einstein’s Mother Tracy K. Smith 02/18/2020
New Year in Vishnyowka Valzhyna Mort 02/17/2020
To O. E. A. Claude McKay 02/16/2020
Ask Me Why I Love You Walter Everette Hawkins 02/15/2020

Pagination

  • First page « First
  • Previous page ‹ Previous
  • …
  • Page 203
  • Page 204
  • Page 205
  • Page 206
  • …
  • Next page Next ›
  • Last page Last »

Newsletter Sign Up

Support Us

  • Become a Member
  • Donate Now
  • Get Involved
  • Make a Bequest
  • Advertise with Us

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Tumblr
  • SoundCloud
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Footer

  • poets.org

    • Find Poems
    • Find Poets
    • Poetry Near You
    • Jobs for Poets
    • Literary Seminars
    • Privacy Policy
    • Press Center
    • Advertise
  • academy of american poets

    • About Us
    • Programs
    • Prizes
    • First Book Award
    • James Laughlin Award
    • Ambroggio Prize
    • Chancellors
    • Staff
  • national poetry month

    • Poetry & the Creative Mind
    • Dear Poet Project
    • Poster
    • 30 Ways to Celebrate
    • Sponsorship
  • american poets

    • Books Noted
    • Essays
    • Advertise
© Academy of American Poets, 75 Maiden Lane, Suite 901, New York, NY 10038
poets .org