(our magazine cover right after he died)
It's summer and it's raining.
Well yes, the heavens have to cry
because you have gone away
"to the land where I can no longer hold your hand".
You breathed your last in one of those intricate
buildings of Italy, your favorite,
next to Philippines.
I have a photo of you here,
smiling cheerfully
behind the Leaning Tower of Pisa,
during a respite from the chemotherapy.
Italy, ah most beautiful, you have told me...
how often you talked about that place
with such passion and life,
like the life you saw in Leonardo's Last Supper,
like the passion you felt
from the strains of polka and mazurka.
You once gave me a postcard from Trevi Fountain
saying "Keep this, one day you'll go there."
I keep it until now, and though I may never
have the chance to go there one day,
in my mind I have thrown a coin
and wished to walk once again
along the secret cloisters of your heart.
But well, you see, in the sweet sadness
of this summer rain, I understand
that there is no more strolling
along the ancient ruins of your pure heart
and your most beautiful mind.
There is only remembering
of the undiscovered treasures
of the life you lived in an ugly world
which you endeavored to make so beautiful.
If only you could have lived long enough
to witness my own story
unfold into a new beginning,
something which you have promised me
over and over to come along.
I basked in the wonder of your zest,
in your wisdom you so happily shared,
in the hope that overflowed in you.
But then again your road had to end,
your own searching had to be concluded.
Farewell now, my dear friend and mentor,
thank you for showing me life
the way you have always seen it.
Thank you for helping me understand
the reason behind rain in summer.
PS: right after i posted this poem, it rained.
6 comments:
i want to understand the reason behind rain in summer too :)
la lang ko ihambal a. ga hibi ko di. tuod gid ya. subuan ko. gaga ya ho. Though i never had that personal relationship with Father, somehow, nakilala ko sya sa mga storya mo. kag daw ga wish man ko tani na close kami (hehe) kanami gid na sa iya. Angel.
ahay, like what ive said the last time we chatted, its just a year and one day after then my own daddie passed. I know and I believe that all of them are our angels looking down on us. Love ya belle!
Just discovered your blog today.
Thank you for your beautiful poem about our dear friend, Father Niall.
Father Sean
thank you, father sean, for gracing my site :) i am so honored. i should have shared this to you right from my first entry. you could have started editing :-)
guys, father sean is our editor. he took over father niall in 2002.
thank you all for reading. this poem is important to me.
Ahay anne, just like gen, super hibi ko sa poem mo. It is obvious how Father Niall touched your life.you're so lucky to have spent sometime with him. Na remember ko pa ang story mo sa akon the first time you met Father. How kind he must be. But you know, i got a chance to talk to him in the phone, twice. That's when i called in your office looking for you.
Sorry ha subong ko lang ni nakita ang post mo.
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