Aimless and astray—“I won’t go far”
But most times, I am lost in the intricate streets and manmade blocks
Not knowing the way back to your bosom
I am the leaves, bloodless even with the stomping feet of men
and most often I am the leaf that some naughty girl tore apart
for no purpose
What again is the purpose of the leaves?
Ah, this is the fate of us and
We shall not complain to the god of all beings
But if soon, I evolve to something else
Say, with hard fingers and strong fists,
A determined heart weaved in a web of veins,
Two seeing eyes and a pair of sturdy legs and unyielding heels
I shall seek you—my origin
Where I spent my days devouring chlorophyll
And I won’t exist
Without your water, without your light
Without you withstanding the violence of many storms
I shall seek your roots digging in the deepest earth
Like a child crawling back to your womb,
Joining you and becoming part of the paleness of your sad branches,
Your intervallic breaths, your old wrinkles, the scars of your trunks
And tears of newly slashed wounds
For it is all, too—mine
Wayne Angelo Castillo
Wayne Angelo Castillo grew up in Villadolid, Negros Occidental and studied at the Philippine Women’s University. His poem “I Marvel” was his first published work featured in Philippines Graphic in Februay 2014, and his first published short story, “Certainly a Train Love Story,” won 3rd prize at the 2017 Nick Joaquin Literary awards for fiction. His poems and stories have appeared in the Manila Times’ Sunday Times Magazine, Business Mirror, and Liwayway. In 2023, 8Letters Publishing released his debut poetry collection, Heart in Cold Fire, Breaking My Spine. He is also a member of Buglas Writers Guild.
