February 14, 2021

Ang Valentine ko,

I'm writing

to say, "Happy Valentine's Day"

I bought

a plane ticket--I'm coming

home to you--to the beautiful islands

of banana trees + ocean breezes,

of jeepneys + buko,

of tropical storms + sunsets,

of you

weeks

ago

I mailed

you a framed

photo of us--I check

each day to make

sure it's getting

closer

to

you

I

have

one here

just like it, + I always see

it on my nightstand before I sleep--someday

I will always see

you

before

I sleep

I cling

to the memory of a year ago--watching

you browse

for books

at the biggest book sale

I've ever seen, holding

your hand while strolling

the boardwalk, drinking

cold brew coffee, + watching

the sun sink slowly

into the bay, eating

chocolate dessert on

a rooftop restaurant

blanketed

under

the night wind, putting

on the matching

beaded bracelet you gave

me, that I've been wearing

for 365 days now

365 days--it'll be

that long soon, since I've seen

you last, since I've seen

you right in front of me, taken

in your presence + all of its magic

I miss

the way

you used to show

me your world through the joy

in your accent + your red SUV + the drives

we would take

through your city, holding

hands while you steered

us with one arm on

the wheel + music up

loud enough for you to want

to sing along

you would always try

to get me to sing, + sometimes

I would

mahal na mahal

kita--miss na kita

sobrang

wait

for

me

there

just a bit longer--I'm still

your Valentine, mahal ko, I'm just running

a bit late

I'll be

there soon, running

into your arms, never planning

on letting you go

again

---

Tagalog Words:

* Ang Valentine ko = My Valentine

*Buko = coconut

*Mahal na mahal kita = I love you so much

*Miss na kita sobrang = I miss you so much

*Mahal ko = My love