Directions to My Imaginary Childhood

If you stand on the corner

of Mabini Street and Legazpi Avenue,

wait for an orchid colored mini-bus

with seven oblong doors,

open the fourth door—

an oscillating electric fan

will be driving, tell her to proceed

to the Escolta diamond district—

you will pass Maneng Viray's Bar,

La Isla de los Ladrones book shop,

the Frederick Funston fish sauce factory,

and as you turn left into Calle de Recuerdos,

you will see Breton, Bataille, and Camus

seated around a card table playing

abecedarian dominoes—

roll down your window and ask

them if Mr. Florante and Miss Laura

are home, if the answer is, yes,

then proceed to Noli Me Tangere park

and wait for a nun named Maria Clara—

if the answer is, Je ne se pas!, then turn

right onto the parking lot of Sikatuna's

supermarket to buy a basketful

of lansones fruit, then get back

to Calle de Recuerdos until you reach

the part that's lined with tungsten-red

Juan Tamad trees, on the right will be

a house with an acknowledgments page

and an index, open the door and enter

this page and look me in the eye.

Copyright Credit: Nick Carbo, "Directions to My Imaginary Childhood" from Andalusian Dawn. Copyright © 2004 by Nick Carbo. Reprinted by permission of Nick Carbo.

Source: Andalusian Dawn (Cherry Grove Collections, 2004)