When my prayer reaches heaven
I hope it makes its way to you
You’d find it folded like a letter
Sealed and stamped from DJ 2.
How are you feeling, Papa?
It must be warm and sunny up there
No more medicines, no more tears
No more pain for you to bear.
I hope you’d get to play tennis, Papa
With your old friends once again
Read all the books you can find there
And eat as much as you can.
A lot of people visited you today
There’s a flower garden in your wake
It’s as if you never left, Papa
Like you were just running late.
Now don’t worry about us, Papa
We’ll be doing just fine
Just get ready with all your stories
When we meet again some other time.
We’re happy for you, Papa
You’re in a better place now
So when my prayer reaches heaven
I hope it doesn’t make you frown.
Raphael Salise is a Creative Writing graduate from the University of the Philippines Mindanao. He likes to read poems, short stories, and essays by Filipino writers as he someday aspires to become successful like them. Raph is currently taking up Law at Ateneo de Davao University.
Illustration by Noy Narciso