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Keana Aguila Labra
Ma, Wag Mo Akong Iwan
Keana Aguila Labra
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after Romalyn Ante
Okay lang, Nay, kasi alum ko na saan mag-sira sa inyo, pero I will not italicize their strokes:
kasi ganda ganda si Nanay ko, she a walking Bath & Body sample store at 11pm at the end of her swing shift, who combed my hair until I fell asleep again, while I just a few hours before on the phone with her crying and crying, please Mommy when are you coming home,
who tells me I am blooming and beautiful, even at my least,
who hummed and rubbed my back while I cried as she cried because salamat sa Diyos, she passed her Boards.
Na intindi ko pero hindi ko alum sasalita so ito lang:
Mahal kita, Nay miss na miss kita when you are gone,
Nay, Nay wag mo akong iwan.
November 19, 2020 at 3:50pm
Keana Aguila Labra
In which I write, I’m losing patience for Lolo. I can’t stand his selfishness and lack of appreciation.
Beneath that, Pain pills, two every 4-6 hours
my scribbles of two tongues, clumsily labelled yellow for Tagalog, orange for Bisaya,
Na antok ko. I wish I could take a nap. Maybe when Lola leaves, I’ll take a nap on the couch. It’s hard to read with the TV on.
Dahil - because
pressure is a placement of time, pressure is proof of feeling:
Kabuan - entirety Pagalok - offer
There is only anger while I wish from the after:
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Jamie Jamie M E Jaden Jaden
Slept: 12-1:44am, 2-5am, 5-9am
minsan - sometimes palagi - always
Mabuti palagi siya mag-buhay sa diary ko.
Keana Aguila Labra is a Best-of-Net nominated Cebuana Tagalog Filipinx poet, writer, and editor in diaspora residing on stolen Ohlone Tamyen land. She hopes to foster a creative safe space for under-resourced and underrepresented communities with her online magazine, Marías at Sampaguitas. She’s the author of Natalie (Nightingale & Sparrow, 2020) and No Saints (Lazy Adventurer Press, 2020). Her third chapbook, Kanunay, is forthcoming late 2021.
