I Come Here With a Farewell's Hand

Adonis Alegre

There is an end to the things that’s like seems forever,

like the sunken-ship of the self

in the sea of life;

and at the end of the shore,

the dreamers and the feelers

came kneeling as they raised their minds

holding it long enough to be

flower-heads.

O seed of thought! Hallelujah!

There is still goodness in people:

some are late bloomers, and some are early—

then they become wonderers I know.

To good life with you! O gardens of gardens!

There is a good beginning to the things

that seems like nothing

and unknown,

but to the dreams of a dreamer,

to the love of a lover, you have come so far

and you have come so bravely.

Today is the funeral of this old pen.

O brave of the braves!

To exile with you! Ocean of inks!

I come here with a farewell’s hand,

with paper boats, and fractured ones,

and I, the mad writer,

will tap! tap! tap! tap! all these typewriters!

To exile with you! Ocean of inks!

This ever-changing is the surest thing of all.

And with this, I say to you—

that the same old place can be a good place again.

A good ending

is a destination that you can stay

happily

as long as you want to.

O good place! Same place! I am! I am!

(my home came back from retirement too).

This could be my last sail at this moment,

or forever,

for I am taking a flight and rest.

O wings of good books to read! Take me where?

Take me there. Away from here.

I will be outside of my land and be healthy,

I promise,

but I will leave my pen for now

and soon, if I ever gone or given to sail again,

I will write to the night sky

and smell the heavy rains until the morning sun comes.

Published in Issue No. 5, Aeternum Scriptor, February 1st, 2025.

Adonis Alegre, 24, was born and raised in the Philippines. He graduated from Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University where he finished his English Studies. His poems have appeared or forthcoming in Levitate Magazine, HaluHalo Journal, Redamancy Magazine, Querencia Press, Livina Press, Bakunawa Press, among others.