FULL MOON ON TOP OF A CHAMPAGNE PALM'S TIP

FOOTNOTE TO MANAWAN


when the mouth of the river
ebbed, when the sea receded
farther,
a long time ago, when sea urchins,
snails and seaweeds teemed
the place,
papa took us all,
to gather what we love to eat
for supper,
since i was the youngest, and the
most frail, my sister would take me
as a burden,
at that early age, i had mistaken
seaweeds as snakes,
the snails as stones,
and the urchins as
pricks
like grandma's pins
traumatic to
kids who, at the first meeting
she had already shown
a heavy dislike.