Malate 1960

 

We hunch, my sister and I,
in the paunch of our acacia tree
(we are playing hide and seek)
but army ants are crawling over her and me.
She tugs at her red cotton dress.
She pulls at her panties,
"I want to swing on the tarzan vine."
"No you can't, they will see," 
but she grabs it, swings,
scampers back up the tree.
Laling runs out, scolding,
"Johanna come down!"
"ayaw ko!"
"halaka, your nanay said no! "
"Johanna go down before Laling gets mad."
"you come too."
"sige na, I'll go with you."

© Copyright 2012 Kathryn Aileen Poethig