Aunt Julia

Dear Aunt Julia,

It’s already a decade since you left,
the house smells archaic
Lola Norma’s wound is getting worst,
she’s been bed ridden for almost a year now,
she told me to mail you and tell you that
she misses you badly,
when at times she’s alone in her room
she reads the book that you gave her before you left
I caught her weeping once
and asked her the cause of her despair
she didn’t answer
but instead she got hold of the book and hugged it into her bossom

I always tell her that you’ll be coming back,
with plenty of pasalubong and assorted batiks of her choice,
the photo album where you used to put plenty of our pictures
is kept by Lola Norma,
she couldn’t sleep without it beside her,
she complains every time the photo album is lost or misplaced
(for sometimes I borrow it without asking permission)

Aunt Julia,
when will you come back?
I miss you so much

Yesterday, I went to see a movie
and I could not help but feel sad because
I remembered the day when you treated me in the same movie house
because I topped the first long exam,
I didn’t order pop corn
because it will just remind me of you,
when will you treat me again Aunt Julia?
when will those pop corns pop again?

I would be the happiest girl if you come back, one day
when will those memories be colorful again?
I can’t dance life’s music without you,
Lola Norma will surely rest sadly because of you,
she wants you back Aunt Julia
and
she wants Me
to dig
your grave