You deserve your beautiful life.

Its expectant icicles, the dread forest
that is not our forest.
And yet, we meet there.
The streams streaming through us.
The leaves leaving through us.

Once I was black-haired
and I sat in my country’s lap.

I was so sure she was asking me
what I wanted.

Invite at least 15 people. It’s okay if your apartment is small. Put 7 lb of cut up chicken in the biggest pot you own with 2 parts soy sauce 2 parts vinegar and 1 part water. Make sure to completely cover the chicken. Throw in a handful of black peppercorns, lots of bay leaves, and two fistfuls of garlic cloves. Bring to a rolling boil and simmer until chicken is almost falling off the bone (around 45 minutes to 1 hour.) Place chicken on a baking sheet and broil for 10 minutes until the skin is crispy and slightly charred. Boil remaining liquid for 15–20 minutes to reduce and add 1 can coconut milk to make a sauce. Plate chicken and pour sauce over. Serve with so much white rice.

We were refugees against the usual things. I scattered baby teeth around the perimeter. Things like bruschetta confused me. I picked up rastering body parts and I blew them out like bubbles, like store signs. I existed in the ear canals of the stacked cities. Many bells sounding at the same time opened up to Americans standing on scales. Holding their skin in calipers. I loved Jesus so much. I rubbed and rubbed until my bracelets fell off of me.

The elders gathered from the cornices of the island’s arms and we had nothing to say. Even hedge funds with the power to hoover it up and offer it back like tightly packed cigarettes were silent. 

When you were a child, your eyelashes were so long.
We used to call you pilik mata.

I almost posted this on “social media”

You eat like you are being chased.

You who are living. What is your responsibility?

Illuminated light and

holding the hymnal with your boyfriend, 

I wanted the poems to breathe prettily, 

to be ecstatic and extroverted citizens. 

The recipe invites itself to eat and laughs at its own jokes.
Puns of tripled and quadruped meanings. 
Was I ratting on you?
I invite everyone. Everyone is my friend. 
Would you like some of my sandwich?
I really mean you can come forward
with your mouth open.
Once, I wrote a play. There was only one scene. 
A girl lists the food she wants to eat.
Jasmine rice sautéed in garlic and sesame oil. A fish you caught yourself.
I put gold flecks in the sauce so everyone will know how happy we are.
I call the play Loves You Long Time.
The manuscripts are drying and dying out in mouldering museums.

Pick one:

1.  Filipinos don’t care about their history
2.  Filipinos can’t afford to preserve the manuscripts in this kind of tropical heat.
3.  Los manuscripts no existe. I only told you about them because I love you and you love me.

1 bitter melon, seeds and insides removed and cut into thin slices.
4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 medium tomatoes diced
2 eggs beaten slightly
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 medium-sized onion sliced
Salt and pepper
Chopped Parsley
3 tablespoons olive oil

Place the bitter melon in a large bowl and sprinkle liberally with salt. Add white wine vinegar and let stand for six minutes. In a large pan, sauté the garlic and onions in oil until the garlic is golden brown and the onions are translucent. Add the tomatoes and cook until soft. Add the bitter melon and cook for 4 minutes. Pour the eggs over the mixture and stir until eggs are done and bitter melon is tender. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley and serve with white rice.