As I arise from a slumber
With the lumber of ten trees
Weighing down my limbs
I rub my eyes
Freeing them of salt deposits
From the night before
No winds are outside my window
No adults are talking downstairs
This day, tainted with silence
It leaves a tempting feeling of wanting
Much, much more noise
The alarm clock rings twice
I’ve gotten my wish
I’ve been asleep
But I open my eyes to welcome
The start of a new,
Horrifying, yet welcome
New day.
Poem by Aldrin Badiola
Image by Adam Strong
Aldrin Badiola (he/him) is a writer in the United States who loves to write about his attachment to the Philippines, identity, and the social issues that come from both topics. When he’s not writing, he’s listening to 80’s Filipino disco or playing the piano.
Backwards Trajectory 