before you left i dragged you the mall, we actually took your car
and I told you about the skin under my thigh that felt like a mountain
pasture and then we went into Teavana where the cashier manipulated me
into buying forty dollars worth of tea leaves and I felt like **** afterwards
because i hadn't really wanted to buy forty dollars of tea leaves. You didn't
roll up your sleeves, but you stopped me in the middle of the walk way by
Starbucks and the American Girl store and took the bag. You took my wallet,
my receipt, my heart, and told me stay there. When you came back, you said
you had returned it.  I stood in awe of you, ready to cry. You had skin, lungs,
eyes and a mouth, living, breathing, ready to lie at my expense.  That was the first
time I held your arm in months. Looking back, maybe it was only child parts of me
clinging to the one person that continued to stand up for me, i don't know. i really don't
know.

I still have that receipt.

Tayo na lagi na lang
Napag-iiwanan,
Nasa hulihan
Sa karahasan, katamaran
Nasa'n ang katapusan

Natutulog?
Hindi
Tayo ay gising na gising
Mulat ang mga mata sa katotohanan
Pero
Hanggang sa kasalukuyan
Nakahiga
Nakabaluktot
Nakahandusay
Sa kamang minantsahan
Ng mga patak ng dugo at luha at
Dinungisan
Ng mga apak ng mga dayuhan
Pati na rin ng mga tao sa sarili nating bayan

Kasi naman
Sino bang makakatulog dito
Sa lakas ng sigaw
Para sa tulong at hustisiya
Sa ingay ng iyak ni bunso
Para sa tatay na nawalay
Sa lagkit ng dumi
Na bumabalot sa pulitika
Sa baho ng amoy
Ng nabubulok na sistema

Ilang daang taon, nakahiga pa rin
Namanhid na ba tayo sa tagal ng panahon?
Nabulag sa yaman?
Nalasing sa kapangyarihan?
Nahilo sa ikot ng mundo?
O nawalan ng pag-asa na lang ba tayo?

Gising pero hindi pa rin nakabangon
Sa bayang hindi naman mangmang,
Wala lamang pakialam