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Nobena
By: Verna Zafra-Kasala
On the ninth day,
the light beating
of black wings
at the doorstep.
Butterfly,
who are you
who shows up as
we eat sticky rice
after the prayers
and doze off
where we sit?
There is always
someone paying
a visit, always an
errant soul drawn
to a familiar song.
About the Author
Verna Zafra-Kasala (she/her) was born in the Philippines but was raised and still lives in the Pacific island of Guåhan (Guam). She is the author of Rites of Passing (Porkbelly Press, 2023), a micro chapbook of poetry that explores death and the rituals people practice when a loved one passes.
Up Next: Passing
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