Some Things to Love Today

Drone cameras brought back 
images of thousands upon thousands 

holding up signs saying how much
we love this world, ransacked  

but not yet in complete ruin.
In order to keep loving, we'll 

have to keep living for those 
deprived, no longer alive, taken

too soon. Pollen dusts the porch, 
and new maps of the world appear 

before our eyes. Hydrangeas 
from last season stayed tethered 

to their stalks, as if guarding 
the plant until its return to green. 

*

Addendum, 06 April 2025:

I woke up to this post from poet, translator, 
and professor JUNLEY LORENZANA LAZAGA 
(based in Baguio City), who was moved 
to translate this poem into Ilocano 
- I'm deeply grateful. 

Sumagmamano a Banag nga Ayaten Ita nga Aldaw
(Impatarus iti Ilokano ni JL Lazaga)
 

Insubli dagiti drone camera
dagiti imatang dagiti rinibribo

a mangipakpakdaar iti no kasanotayo
nga ay-ayaten daytoy a lubong a naasak 

ngem saan pay met a narsaak. 
Tapno mataginayon ti panagayat, nasken

a itultuloytayo ti agbiag para kadagiti
napaidaman, dagiti saanen a nabiag, nasapa

unay a pimmusay. Natapukan iti pulbos ti sabsabong ti balkon,
ket agparang dagiti baro a mapa ti lubong

kadagiti saripatpattayo. Dagiti milflores
manipud iti naglabas a panagsasabong, agtalinaed 

kadagiti sangada, a kas mangbambantay
kadagiti puonda agingga iti panaglangtodanto manen.