Gratitude in Poetry

THANK YOU. SALAMAT. is a perfect ode to the birth of a love, and the grieving process that comes after that love ends. 

It chronicles the pheromone-sweetened highs of love…

thank you. salamat
naranasan kong maging knight in shining
shimmering splendid armor noong gabing
naging damsel in distress ka
dahil sa sobrang kalasingan.

…that can even endure vomit-laced juices in a shared bath between the lovers — 

thank you. salamat
at na-appreciate mo noong pinaliguan kita-
pagkatapos mo akong paliguan… ng iyong
suka.

And in the dying throes of this love, the denial that it is at an end is so evident —

thank you… salamat
kahit papaano katabi pa rin kita—
kunwari.

And there is anger, too, but cloaked in the burgis sensibility of denying this dark emotion, so the word ‘galit’ or any dark synonym of it does not appear — 

thank you. salamat.
sa nalasahan kong mas mapait ka pa 
sa kape

And finally, there is acceptance that indeed, the bittersweet taste of shared morning or evening kape is at an end —

salamat. thank you.

But did this love journey bring wisdom?

thank you. sa lamat …

Seems to say it did. 

In the end, THANK YOU. SALAMAT. reminds us love is not static… it is ever fluid, ever changing.

And this love journey becomes even more colorful with the romantic colors of Eileen Villegas’ artistic rendering of Filipiniana flora.

THANK YOU. SALAMAT for sharing this intimate journey with us, Dax!