Rabbit and Rose
strong as the generations who passed it down
through two centuries reluctant to
surrender its many secrets
we placed chunks of fat garnered from a pig
well-fed from our excesses
rice, pandanus leaf, wilted carrot and banana peel
slippery with heat succulent and irresistible
to porcine tastes
a fire burned slowly
humming softly auntie fanned away flies
chased away memories of screams from
the surprised and indignant swine
slaughtered by a neighbor and caught
the blood in an enameled pan for
sausages later on that day
but the fat we rendered and watched
as it slowly pooled into lard
satiny and delicious strained
three times through finest cheesecloth and
within a crockery pot upon a shelf
placed regally in the pantry
lard to lace through stringy roasts
lard to shave into slivers for bocadillos
lard to cream into golden tortas.
as our treasure depleted we knew
our time had come to depart but the perfume
smoky and deep transports me back to Manila
a slower time, zephyrs forming overhead
tradition placed within my soul