Have you ever seen a chimp’s hands?
His were exactly like that.
Leathery Weathered Stained
From 50 years of farm work.
Today I see those hands
Moving chess pieces around the board
Masterfully

A moment of dissonance.
Like snow falling on the Visayas,
It was that strange to me.
Simple man, where did you
learn this sophisticated play?
In your tiny village on the remote Philippine island?
Knight to G-5, takes Bishop
He glances up and smiles.

A trojan course
Before me
Light
Hasten
I'm here

Listen
Please
Understand
What I try to say

I'm not wax
I'm flesh,
Rotten
But perfume's my conversation.

Don't tell me you've forgotten
Bad words
Reek from my lips
I'm me

And I'm confused

Once, years ago
I looked at my dad
And he saw in my eyes
That I was so sad

So he grabbed my hand
And we walked down the street
And he said
"There's someone I'd like you to meet"

He covered my eyes
And not a moment too soon
Much to my surprise
I got my first balloon

I was excited
But also confused
I wasn't sure
How this contraption was used

But my tears faded fast
As I grabbed my new friend
And my dad started smiling
Until I cried again

I was unaware
That my new friend could fly
And when I let go
He got lost in the sky

I watched with tears in my eyes
As he drifted out of sight
If I would have known
I would've held on tight

So I then asked my dad
Where the balloons go
Because dad was really smart
So he would have to know

He described to me
A perfect circus in the sky
Where balloons went to live
When they drifted up too high

So then, once more
My dad wiped away my tears
And he wrapped me in his arms
To remind me he was here