I opened my eyes and saw
An unfamiliar place. The noon
Sun was bright but less hot,
Peeping through the gaps
Between leaves of trees
Bearing fruits abundantly. The waves
And sands laughed at my nakedness
As they soaked my body
With cool relief from the pain
Of forgetting the past. I filled
My lungs with the freshest air
And did my first act of moving and walking.
Hermit crabs hid inside their
Borrowed mollusk shells. Didn't they
Want to see me? Or were they ashamed?
Or was that how they showed respect?
I heard the cheerful birds
Singing on the trees. I did
Not know if they were rejoicing for my coming
Or just for themselves.
Continuing my pace towards uncertainty,
A river crossed my path. There I
Quenched my thirst with clear
And sweet water.
I found myself sitting on a mossy
Boulder beside the river. I was
Surprised by the reflection on the water --
A woman sitting beside me.
I learned the words with her.
I learned to count the suns and moons
That passed by and the children
That I made with her.
We found the things which were
Safe and good for us
And for our children
And for our children's children...
Not knowing that
It was another beginning
And the best time and place
For which I must be thankful.
BINABASA MO ANG
Kurit and Other Poems
PuisiA poem is partly like a recipe. A poet has to have a cupful of experiences, a spoonful of creativity, a tinge of inspiration, and a bit of solitude. These pieces are combined and mixed without any external stirring but by a mere desire for self-expr...
