Miguel Carlos Lazarte is a Filipino writer studying development communication. He finds the right words over short walks.

Miguel Carlos Lazarte

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I Hate the Deeps

I never understood how the radio goes in static
like a muffled voice would when the tunnels
go deeper. I would ask my dad how deep
the diggings were, if they knew land was so hard,
as pointed stones would only let me scavenge
the garden loam to find rocks, and rocks, and roots, and earthworms,
how deep did it take? How hard were the rocks,
and were the earthworms hurt like when they danced on salt?
Shiny floors go unattended, drippings of gas would blow off
any minute as if the dim darkness of the mine shafts
would break an elevator down.
It won't explode, dad exclaimed.
Carry, carry, arms reaching out when I didn't want to think of
slipping in the gas and
my dad lighting a cigarette and news will be fast
of how a boy destroyed a building. Carry, carry.