after Everything, Everywhere, All At Once
after Alyza Taguilas

To escape this bubble in the cosmic foam
   of existence, I verse jump. To get to the part
where I’m directing a Hiligaynon short film,
   I lick my armpit. To aim for inheritance
from a billionaire mayor, I split on the floor.
   To rise out of ashes as a phoenix, I pierce
my belly button with a toothpick. To roam
   in a country where men can freely kiss men,
I chew newspaper. To float through space,
   still as a rock, unperturbed by consequences,
I force myself to perform a handstand. To wake up
   one hot July morning before you gave up,
I sing the alphabet entirely in reverse.

By Hezron Pios

Hezron Pios earned his degree in AB Communication from the University of St. La Salle, where he served as editor-in-chief of The Spectrum and literary editor of The Lead. He attended the 56th Silliman University National Writers Workshop and 18th IYAS National Writers Workshop. His poems have appeared in Buglas, ffraid, Glucose, Scribe, Yuwana, and elsewhere. His other interests include film, music, and travel. He lives in Bacolod City.

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