In celebration of the October 4 feast of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of the environment and all of God’s creatures.
Eyes follow the sound
Ears scan the foliage
Breath on hold
Heart gripped still
Mind wiped clear like the sky in the lake
To await
The moment
The presence.
A rustle in the thickness
A break in the dimness
Behold!
The hand moves
The shutter clicks
With frenzied speed
To remember.

Ma. Ceres P. Doyo
Ma. Ceres P. Doyo has been a journalist for more than 40 years. Her written works have won numerous awards, among them, two National Book Awards for Journalism (2015 and 2022). She writes a weekly column, the “Human Face,” for the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

