My Father and His Beloved

If you’re looking for a true-blue Marawian,

You’re looking for my father— Dan.

I grew up in his Marawi.

The sounds, the colors, the unique and 

Unforgettable flavors, the food and the fishes

Found only in the majestic Ranaw,

His majestic Ranaw.

He told stories of running before

The truck announcing the showing of a movie,

Doubled with another, 

And shouting with glee the movie titles and actors

Before the actual announcement blew off the loud speaker. 

Louder hurrahs and shouting as if they’d outsmarted the man in the truck,

With brothers and friends, he swam in the 

Majestic Ranaw, massive to his youthful eyes, 

Pretending to catch fish,

But, really to catch glimpse of a fancied girl

Washing clothes and dishes, smiling shyly.

He told stories of early evening songs and walks

Under the calm night sky and fresh air,

Climbing the wall or crawling underneath,

When late at night, he sneaked away to play games and make merry.

Keeping away from his mother’s stern and watchful eyes.

Through all that, I was there, looking through his eyes.

Magical Padian, full of colors and capes, flavors and shapes,

Was the center of his Marawi and his stories.

Marawi, a paradise on earth, only a fellow like him understood.

He left Marawi on a plane, some time in his Year 68, 

He bade goodbye to his beloved, not knowing if he’d see her again. 

But, he smiled and said,

“I know you’ll be here. You’ll wait for me.”

And, wait she did, holding on until she could.

Until they came, the black and the green, bang and boom!

Her skies turned a fiery red, her air gray and ashen.

She fell to her knees and cried out like a lover scorned,

She trembled in fear as those who loved her ran in fear

For their lives, of their lives, for their love, and of their love.

Left in the dark, she was stripped of everything.

No more singing, no more games, no more magic, no more Padian! 

No more hope of him coming home to his beloved,

His Marawi, lost and gone forever.

The memories, the colors, the shapes, no more. 

And, I sing this silently to the bright moon and cold air,

In the hopes of reaching both my father and his Marawi in heaven.