The Rainy Season

When it rains in Baliwag

it comes down in sudden

sheets, clearing the air of

dust and sending people

laughing to the awnings

and doorways with

newspapers over their heads.

Although in the rainy season

these downpours happen everyday,

it never fails to catch the people

by total and hilarious surprise.

They gather in groups and share

a newly formed comradery

as the sheets of rain pour down.

And just as soon as it starts, it ends,

leaving the streets muddy

and the gutters flowing swiftly.

There’s a new smell in the air,

a smell of freshness and a smell

of smiles and laughter.

This is when the children of

Baliwag jump into wonderful

mud puddles and race discarded

cigarette butts down the swift

flowing gutters.

But these rivers are as short-lived

as they are magical,

and soon the wetness soaks

its way into the rich Pinoy soil,

and the air heats up and the awnings

are opened and the streets belong

to the adults once again.