The dogs are lying flat
on the gritty and abrasive
surface of the road,
detached from the mortal and
fleeting manias of men,
while the flies liberally perform
barrel rolls and aileron rolls
on the dogs’ grubby coats,
while I cling to the corroded
metal bar of the tricycle,
on the verge of—crying,
thinking about how I will make
the money dwell in the refuge
of my two sweat-soaked hands,
when all I can do is daydream
like the dogs beneath the car
engines, snoozing, as I recognize
how my stomach is
the same as my bank account—
empty. There are
no bones to fetch, only fingers
to work to the bone.
Prince Marlo D. Montadas is a poet, author, and licensed professional teacher based in Butuan City. His works have appeared in San Anselmo Publications, Voice & Verse Poetry Magazine, and Cha: An Asian Literary Journal.