Barok, My Son

Barok, My Son


Barok, I am leaving for Hawaii now
In a year or two we will be together again
It will not be long and we will sing our song.

Barok, I have to go now. The minutes
Between us are gone, and the road beckons
I will send some money for your needs
Some dollars for your upkeep
So that in the currency of our dreams
You will remember that I had to leave.

Barok, I have your visa in my hand
The gods have been kind, the angels too
They listen to our dreams, you know:
You and your sister will come to Hawaii
And in the morning we will count
The days, all days that have gone by.

Barok, wake up now! Shake off
The sleep on your skin and body
Take a shower and eat your meal
I made fried rice with eggs in a hurry
So you can catch up with time.

Your uncle will drop you off to school
And there learn the English of your vision
Spell what spell is as enchantment
So that here, in this land, we learn to live.

Barok, I will see you after work
When the body has grown so tired
I will pick you up after school
When all roads lead to home
Wait for your sister by her class
Don’t forget her one more time
Or she finds her way to another town
Where aliens are not welcome

Barok, I’m sorry, I had 10 checkouts today
I didn’t even at lunch, only the pandesal
I put in my pocket. Did your Grandma pick
You up from school and then tell you her tales
Of the old homeland we leave behind, never to return?

Barok, I missed your football game.
So sorry I had to stay, work more, harder.
Did you win? Did your dream of winning
Got to you and so you could run the fastest
Go to where the medals are and sing?

Barok, how come you major in philosophy?
What kind of job will you get?
Why not business? Or become a doctor?
Anyway, when are you graduating?

Barok, I’m so proud of you!
You are the first one to graduate.
You don’t have student loans. Lucky, you, e!

But, barok, why are you crying?
Has hunger gotten into you or the prospect
Of the days when you will see
That I will no longer clean people’s beds
Throw away their garbage
And remove the crease on their curtains?

Mother, you look so old now
Mother, I have begun to miss you
A long time ago, a long time since.