Adios Mayo!

As every Flores prayer book is closed today, just like the usual emotion every 31st of May, I was struck with nostalgia knowing that they would be kept in a dusty old cabinet or inserted in between some of the other prayer and novena books, and will patiently wait to be opened again next year .

This Hiligaynon poem written by P. Amado Panes, a true-blue Passinhon, is an apt utterance of those who have known the joys brought about by the month of May and of those who have countless stories to tell about their Flores experiences.

Nalaya ang kabulakan

Ang kahumut nawala

Adios Rosas nga bulahan

Adios lugpay sang duta

Kon ang tiempo nagahalad

Nga daw kilat kadali

Ang Mayo sa aton nagaladlad

Handumanan nga pinili

Ang kalipayan daw hangin

Ang kasingkasing kag buot

Batuna ining ginaalila---bulak sang Mayo nga bulan

Balus sa imo kag tanda

Adios! Adios! Sampagita

Adios! Ako nagahakos

Dumduma kami, Maria

Sa gihapon, Adios! Adios!

P. Amado Panes

Passi, 1917

I may have had my share of  being part of the Ave Maria or the Siete Virtudes and I  may have outgrown going to our barangay chapel every 3 o'clock in the afternoon to take part in the Flores and wait for a piece of pan de leche or a small pack of ugoy-ugoy but I am certain that the time will come when I'll be too old enough and go back to that afternoon routine again. You see--- "Once a Florista, always a Florista." :)