It’s Snowing in Manila
“The snow is always falling in ‘Fargo,’ cloaking the world in metaphysical confusion.” – Jessica Zafra
The militant chided the child for singing “White Christmas” when the longest Christmas season
isn’t white, in the absence of snow in these parts. (The movement would not give its imprimatur.)
But it gets almost-white cold up in Baguio City. But snowflakes allegedly fell in some parts
of Metro Manila, said the news. And there’s Snow World in Star City amusement park.
Suddenly, snow falls and cloaks Manila in meteorological confusion; the street children begin
inhaling more feverishly, their accelerated breathing sets the neighborhoods aflame.
Soon, snowmen start throwing balls of ice, soot, and ash at each other, across litter-strewn streets
hitherto unfamiliar with swathes of ice that now cover the entire city.
The whole world winters; its entirety imagines, suffers, and melts with the snow…
just as it realizes, and burns with, the fires of hell in the here and now.
Author Bio:
Karlo Sevilla’s poems have appeared or are forthcoming in Philippines Graphic, Indiana Voice Journal, I am not a silent poet, Eternal Remedy, Peeking Cat Poetry, Riverfeet Press Anthology, and elsewhere. He is also a wrestling coach, Brazilian Luta Livre practitioner, and volunteer for the labor group Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (Solidarity of Filipino Workers).