Not pamilya enough to be

Donkey Kong, kumusta ka?
I miss you whenever I happen to
think of you. How can I not?
Our childhoods were spun together:

ako; looking after you
ikaw; looking after your baby brother,
changing his nappies
in lola’s red brick apartment.
No one else in sight.

Then, I think what if
I only think of you
because you’re the safest to think about?
What if you’re just a distraction
to my kettle hissing; pot of emotions;
a distraction from our pamilya.

Donkey Kong, you’re
one click away.

Between you and I
gusto mo nang meet
sa swing set
katabi yung old bahay mo?
maupo tayo sa black rubber seats
and listen to the sound of metal clinking
as we spin round
only for the other to
release the coil.