poetry

A CHRISTMAS VISIT 

 

The Christmas lanterns are now glowing like

liquid crystals moving about

Hanging by the windows of houses that lined

That familiar street which I never trod

For many, many years...

 

Then I saw my old house

Very dim outline of fortune trees that grew up

Trying to reach the thatched roofs.

My nipa hut was surrounded by some small piles of palay sacks piled neatly waiting to be picked up by some merchants the next morning.

It is almost midnight, December 25th, about to become the 26th.

"I am sure everyone is already asleep."I thought

The day was kind to everyone, to most people In the barrio where Christmas seemed to bring out

The best feelings from all the men of goodwill...

I stepped up on the bamboo stairs quietly, so as not to wake up everybody.

But even the dog did not wake up. He opened one eye as I passed by

Then he went back to his own kind of slumberland..

 

I entered the bedroom, my wife was sleeping so soundly

Her bosom moved in regularity with her quiet breathing

"Shall I wake her up? Shall I?"

A very small voice within said, "no, no, let her sleep.

She had a hard day.."

 

Then I crossed the bamboo floors to the living room

Where three kids were also sprawled in quiet deep slumber

I bent down, stared at their faces first, then kissed them softly

On the cheek, one after the other..

I felt like crying but the tears did not come out

No emotions only one of peace, calm and

undescribable feeling of being back

in the old familiar place...

 

I looked around..maybe to look for something

I might have left undone that day

But there was none, nothing I could think of.

So I turned back again and crossed the floor

back to the stairway..

 

Under the mango tree with a widespread quilt of branches and leaves

Stood my two companions..dressed in white.

I walked, They floated gently,

Their feet not touching the ground

As we went back to the place where we came from

So I could make this Christmas visit....

---vic