POETRY

To know us


To know us,
Do not stop at the soot

Lining our nostrils and lungs.
You have enough

Covering your own.
Dig, rather,

Deep into our soil.
There you will find

The gleam
Of the streets of heaven.

Dig deeper,
Into another part.

Dark you will discover,
It is true,

But of the kind
That now fuels

Your world:
Our ancient secrets,

Our own mastodons.
Farther still,

In our unplumbed shores
Are riches that can rouse

More worlds
Larger than your own.

Do not stop
At the languor of our souls.

There is a Spirit
Quickening us

Beyond the surface
Of our soil.


June 25, 2002
2:20-3:20 am

 

Mila Aguilar is a poet, essayist, filmmaker and web designer. She is a professor at the University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City. Her website at http://www.info.com/~pinoytok features her collection of 48 video documentaries.