By BEN QUILLOY
I
You were in a mission
To save lives
With that malaria scare
And to be sure that others are cured and healthy.
We were like long lost friends
Finding common friends
Updating on stories
And suddenly we clicked.
Communicating through letters
With words of wisdom and nationalist fervor
Always filled with excitement
Even if it takes forever to read.
I introduced you to my family
And me to yours
And when the final question was asked
The angels sang hallelujah!
United as one
Amidst the intense struggle
But having great faith in love
We can hurdle such.
II
A certain degree of physical separation
Cannot diminish our paradise
Because heaven lies hidden
Within each of us.
You are my oasis
In the vast dry lands
Giving me life saving water
To nourish my soul.
You are my serotonin
Whenever I’m constricted
Running out of bright ideas
In my daily challenges.
You are my endorphin
Creating wonderful lullabies
That lull me to sleep
And waking up refreshed.
You are my dopamine
Allows me to take risks and push limits
Seek and learn new things
To overcome anxiety and fear.
You are my antidote
When afflicted with poisonous thoughts
Release my negativity
And bring back optimistic aura.
You are my sun of freedom
Always warming our hearts
Rising from the horizon
And our love,
Always April*
Ours is not perfect
More separated than together
But unity of will and purpose
Proves stronger than together.
Our love endures
Ensures endless happiness
And faith within each other
You and me,
We are complete!
*Laging Abril, a poem by Amado V. Hernandez for his wife Atang de la Rama.
The poem is from the book Pandayan ng Paninindigan by political prisoner Benito Quilloy.
