Two poems poured out of me right when I was about to sleep. So here they are for anyone who needs it.
take care
mag-ingat ka
two words that usually means
drive carefully —— don’t speed
watch where you walk —— look both ways before you cross
two words uttered by mothers
whose children hurry to leave
wave away the worry once again
two words to chase away the spirits
a chant
a talisman
a prayer
that follows us home
They’re both pretty raw, but so am I.
Tell me——
How do we protect each other?
Cradle each other’s life
Like our own heartbeats
Hold each other tight to the chest like armor
How do we make space for each other?
Give without reward or recognition
Unwind the strings meant to strangle us
Tell me——
How do we protect our immigrant mothers and grandmothers?
Their backs sacrificed for cash and 2nd generation dreams
Will they ever tell us
They had a bad day at work?
Tell me——
Will you/we listen?
three generations 