The Long Paddie at Aklan

The Long Paddie at Aklan


Jobert crouches, coiled on the bund of soiled levie
Catching the flooded rice field’s baby brown, crawling crabs
With his Filipino quicksilver show, of darting brown hands


Below the creeping shadow of the paddies stooped scarecrow
Embracing the boy with outstretched straw arms
Covered with an old black cloak with cracked, carved pumpkin face


Just the two, alone, a vision of superstition, one with a dark mission
Warned by swooping fruit bats, sensing danger, in the evil shadow
Of the concealed blade and Jobert’s escaping brown crabs





Harry Mills
Bolabog Apartelle, Boracay, Philippine : !5th July 2012
From: The Shadow of a Dead Child