(fourth soul; a nonet)
I bow to the blooming squash flower,
to whorls of seaweed on the shore.
The moon’s fingernail wakes me—
I am its wayward child,
a tiny insect
blinded by light,
climbing rungs
streaked with
ash.
* Ilocanos have a four-soul system: kararua (like the soul that only leaves the body after death); karkarma (the soul that can temporarily leave the physical body if it is stolen or if the person is frightened — this soul can be called back to the body); aniwaas (the soul that can leave the body when one is asleep, and visit places familiar to it); and araria (the soul that is liberated after death, though its presence can continue to manifest—to haunt living relatives and loved ones).