(for my beloved Jason)
In these cornered apartment walls
I drew a
masterpiece
a portrait of
you
painted with the brush of my fingertips
using the colors of whispered love
Your face
a canvass
my fingers brush
the corners of your eyes
pupils like rare blue pearls from Samal
nose as high as Mount Apo
your cheeks and chin
covered by freshly cut bermuda grass
lips as pink as sweet pomelos
my fingers brush
down to your neck that Talomo River envies
to the gentle hill of your Adam’s apple
down to the crevices of your clavicles
shaped like two nipa baskets
that would catch wandering kisses
In these cornered apartment walls
my masterpiece
was lost
what only remains
the imprints of suitcases on the rumpled bedsheets
the twisted bath towels in the shower rack
the unwashed plates and utensils hungrily
gulping the staccato drips from the faucet
my masterpiece
was lost
only love
remains
cracking dry in the palette
—
Glyd Jun Arañes works as a professional linguist at Appen. He was a fellow at the 2010 ADDU Writers Workshop and the 2011 Davao Writers Workshop.