Gift Poem by Justine Camacho Tajonera

This gift costs nothing.
It is a rainy afternoon,
racing down a
giant slide,
laughing hysterically,
like there's
no
tomorrow.
It is miraculously
not fitting into
a bathing suit
but letting it
fit
me.
It is playing hide
and seek
and new games
like catch Mommy's
keys,
racing around
like a loon
with no
regard whatsoever
to anyone,
or anything they have
to say.
It's dancing
while doing
the groceries
and holding
hands during
stoplights
and eating
pan de sal
out of the blue.
This gift cost me
nothing
and everything.

(Sept.7,2009)

Pan de Sal - Pandesal (Spanish: pan de sal, literally 'salt bread') is a rounded bread or dinner roll usually eaten by Filipinos.