by Jonel Abellanosa

I hear the dawn, 
sacred psalm to my ears
ochre as papyri. Gate turning 
like a page. I enter the hours 
like liturgy, bluing sky
with a handful of stars. 

Heartbeat the holiest text, 
silence chambered. I look 
for the morning star, 
first dawn ritual. 

Homeless dog rises.
Jogging for the heart 
must wait, my canine friend 
hungry. The morning
a book of hymns
as I cook for him.

Jonel Abellanosa is a Cebuano, residing in Cebu City, the Philippines. He is a nature lover and an advocate for the environment, ecological balance and animal rights and comforts. He has three companion dogs — Donna, Yves and their lovechild, Daisy. His works have been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, Dwarf Stars and Best of the Net Awards. His poetry and fiction have appeared in hundreds of magazines and anthologies, including Agape Review, Windhover, The Cape Rock, Otoliths, Muddy River Poetry Review, Chiron Review, Invisible City, The Lyric, The McNeese Review, and The Anglican Theological Review. His poetry collections include, Songs from My Mind’s Tree and Multiverse (Clare Songbirds Publishing House, New York), 50 Acrostic Poems (Cyberwit, India), In the Donald’s Time (Poetic Justice Books and Art, Florida), Instrumentals (Lemures Books) and Pan’s Saxophone (Weasel Press, Texas). His debut novel Healers is forthcoming from Penguin Random House.