Excerpt

“Golgol; or The Cleanse”

We learned to keep the spirits away
standing by the river, stripped
down to our undergarments.
A flock of family members
huddled together in the predawn
hours as the mamangs
prepared a somber blend
in their half-shell bowls.

Blood of a fowl let
by a silver-edged blade,
burnt remains of rice
stalk and bamboo,
the drops of San Miguel
blessed saint,
deliverer of departed souls
and juniper spirits.

We bent our heads
and the mamangs poured.
The mixture dripped over us
like wax melting off a candle,
the seal of a baptism, a protection
spell for those of us left on this side
of the river.

About the Poet

Verna Zafra-Kasala (she/her) was born in the Philippines but was raised and still lives in the Pacific island of Guåhan (Guam). She earned a Creative Writing certificate from Fairfield University and an M.A. in English from the University of Guam. Her poetry has been published or is forthcoming in Split Lip Magazine, The Tiger Moth Review, and decomp journal, among others. She is a water sign, a cat whisperer, and a semi-professional napper.

Bibliography

Work in this chapbook previously appeared in Marías at Sampaguitas, Oyster River Pages, and Crooked Arrow Press.