Tag: Andrea Lim

A month before I told Mama
I am coming home, she
enrolled herself in driving lessons
bought extra bookshelves
prepared all of her “You got fatter”-themed remarks
confiscated the coffee from the kitchen
On the latter parts of waiting, she
surrendered the keys to Dad
did not ask him for extra money
made the grocery list longer
searched for new cafés serving tea
She posted a status on Facebook
on my return
before the airplane’s wheels
touched the asphalted runway
Receiving the warmth of Mama’s embrace
and feeling her wrinkly palms
as I hand a plastic bag of sans rival
made me smell the Downy used on my bed sheets.
Welcome, she said.

---

Andrea D. Lim is a Mass Communication senior at Silliman University. She is the editor-in-chief of the Weekly Sillimanian. Home, for her, is very abstract. She was born in Pasig City, spent childhood years in Marikina and Bulacan, and studied in General Santos City from fourth grade to fourth year high school.

The full moon was above us.
You pointed out my flat, round nose
and I became love’s worst enemy.

At least we both have huge nostrils;
there is no need to grab a leaf
from the nearest acacia branch
for its scent
to linger
(unless it surrenders to gravity
and freefall like your eyelashes).

Aren’t you nosy
about me?

Often, I give you glances
while you give reasons
for people to recognize a joke
or maybe a piece of fiction
by loving me

I looked down
welcomed by my belly
before the Amphitheatre grass.

Everything inside me has been heavy.

There is fear
in feeling how fine
it is
to leave my lips
and how
it is not
to leave all of me.

Here,
you did the unbuttoning for me
when I needed it.

You asked me why
I lit up
only the spaces between my craters
and told me
the sun is just taking a rest
and not troubled at night.

Answers are distant.

—
Andrea D. Lim is a mass communication senior at Silliman University. She is the current editor-in-chief of the Weekly Sillimanian. She believes that coffee made her fatter.

Come now, sit beside me
bowing like the awkward sun
I want you to know
that what you are capable of bringing
signals the arrival of darkness.

But even if beauty can be found
in connected stars and shy moon
in silent, clear proofs
I still wish you close to me
enough to see a wilting rose
even if it means feeling familiar wounds
and dancing with scars barefoot
with the hopes of you remembering
the little bright things above us
the wind not swaying this old bench
our own favorite spot in Rizal Boulevard
Because I know better now.

—
Andrea Lim was born in Pasig City, spent childhood years in Marikina and Bulacan, and studied Grade Four to Fourth year high school in General Santos City. She is now taking Bachelor of Mass Communication at Silliman University, Dumaguete City. She is also the present associate editor of the Weekly Sillimanian.