Monday, April 17, 2017

PENANCE AND THE SEARCH FOR 525 MAGDALENA STREET

sinful beer, tokwa't baboy and sisig on Palm Sunday
30 kilometers of toil anointing the trail
murky soul cursed and cleansed by a Holy Monday



death unpredicted on Holy Tuesday
a foretold betrayal by Holy Wednesday
rotting corpse on an empty ricefield
decadent beer, cold leftover fish, and a bloody stew



knights ride headless horses on Maundy Thursday
priests with funny hats gather and pray
more beer, St. Peter's fish, heretic pork for a Jewish feast



week-old frozen chicken crucified on Good Friday
broken ribs soaked in boiling lentils
ducks slaughtered for the funeral banquet



to Extramuros on Black Saturday
to Parian where Comida China spawned the panciteria
in Binondo, through Sta. Cruz, into Tondo



Divisoria resurrected on Easter Sunday
who is Magdalena and where is 525 in Masangkay?
siomai and hakao and the ghosts of Escolta
112 scorching kilometers of penance 
Carriedo smells like Plaza Lacson  


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