A young boy of frail frame, perhaps 10 years-old
crawled like a spider on the jeepney's floor,
and with rag in hand started wiping the dust
off our shoes but the pasaheros ignored
his outstretched hand and open palms,
his lips mumbling softly a prayer
Ale, penge pong pambili ng tinapay.
No one cared to hear the plea, all eyes
were towards the window of the jeepney.
A few more meters and his hand fell
like a heavy log falling by his side.
The driver didn't bother to look back,
except for the image of Christ on the ceiling.
A pasahero signaled for a stop,
Tabi lang.
Was it said to the driver or to the boy
who like a devout Catholic has his knees
still bent on the floor, repeating his novena
before the Christ as each pasaheroleft?
When the jeepney stalled at one point,
the boy got off unceremoniously
and mingled with boys and girls
getting out of a school gate.
He rode the next jeepney.
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