Poetry by Rowan Evans

Author’s Note

This poem includes lines in Tagalog, a language I am currently learning. I am not from the Philippines, but I have a deep admiration for Filipino culture and the warmth of its people. I sometimes weave Tagalog into my poetry as a way to practice and retain what I’m learning, exploring how the language can carry emotion and rhythm. Translations are provided beneath the Tagalog lines for readers who do not speak the language.

The poem is an ode to connection, love, and the binding power of words across languages.

The Glue That Binds
Poetry by Rowan Evans

Words of love on my tongue, they dance, they fall,
A symphony of whispers that rise, then call.
But my mind, it runs, relentless, untrue,
And it always runs back to you.

Sa labirinto ng aking mga pira-pirasong iniisip,
(In the labyrinth of my scattered thoughts,)
Ikaw ang sinulid na nag-uugnay, ang nagbubuklod.
(You are the thread that ties, the one that knots.)
A binding force, a gentle embrace,
You hold the pieces of my scattered grace.

Ikaw ang pandikit na nagbubuklod sa aking wasak na isipan.
(You’re the glue that binds my fractured mind.)
The perfect muse, one of a kind.
In every thought, you softly reside,
Whispering secrets I can no longer hide.

Your presence paints, in vivid hues,
A canvas of words where beauty brews.
I find new verses, like rivers they flow,
Crafting hymns where love and longing grow.

Mas maganda pa kaysa sinumang banal na kasulatan,
(More beautiful than any holy scripture,)
Mas dalisay kaysa anghel na umaawit, mas sagana.
(More pure than angels singing, richer.)
Sa aking puso, muling isinulat mo ang mga awit.
(In my heart, you write the songs anew.)
And I realize: every word, every line, leads me back to you.

If you are moved by this poem, you may also explore these works, where yearning, exile, and the beauty of culture intertwine:

Escape & Longing | Tropical Dreams & Distant Shores
Step into the world of yearning and distant horizons. Rowan Evans explores the pull of faraway shores, the desire to breathe free, and the quiet hope of finding a home beyond the known.

Slim & Shady VIII | Exile & Echoes
In Exile & Echoes, the eighth installment of the Slim & Shady series, Rowan Evans explores the haunted silence of exile and the reverberations of memory. A confessional piece that balances shadow, identity, and ruin within the framework of Neo-Gothic Confessional Romanticism.

In Tongues & Travels | A Celebration of Language & Culture
A reflection on the beauty of language and culture, and the devotion of witnessing the world with reverence and curiosity. (A reflective piece exploring the beauty of language and cultural connection—perfectly aligned with the Tagalog lines woven into The Glue That Binds.)

Drifting Without Roots | A Poem on Cultural Identity & Longing
A confessional poem exploring envy of cultural heritage, the ache of disconnection, and the search for belonging in a fractured identity.