Consciously, I longed for it,
Now that I'm given the chance,
I'll take it.
In a one-way alley,
I wandered.
Hues of black and white
Mixed in the air.
Chunks of clouds
Blocked my vision,
Of the things around the passageway.
Doubtful, I started to run,
Towards the end that I can't see yet.
To add to the gloom,
The sky got darker,
But I kept going,
I ran as fast as I could,
But the whispers of the thunder stunned me.
"That's not good enough."
I trembled.
"You can't go anywhere with that."
I was numbed.
I looked back,
It was endless.
I glanced ahead,
It was endless, too.
The thunder continuously spoke,
"That's not professional work."
I tried not to falter.
"Silly you. That's just a hobby."
I tried to take a step.
As the lightning striked,
I saw a glimpse of color—
Different from the colors I used to see.
The thunder turned to echoes.
I pushed the clouds aside.
Fascinated by the colors—
ranging from cyan to magenta to yellow,
I continuously walked onward—
Carefully remembering the details,
Making something out of it.
Then, I did not hear the thunder anymore.
As I walk along,
Trailing the path,
Filled with solace,
I did not notice that I'm almost there.
Far ahead,
A glimmer caught my eye—
Sparkling, dashing in elegance.
Words were engraved upfront.
As the gates opened,
It never locked.
A warm smile greeted me,
With a bunch of papers and pens in his hand,
Reaching out to me.
For the first time since I chose this path,
I felt that I belonged.
Article: Jamaica Elcano
Illustration: Timothy Andrei Milambiling
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