How do you say goodbye
Without saying goodbye?
The Ilonggos have a word for it.
“Amat-amat kami siguro.”
(I think we have to go.)
“Te, amat-amat ta?”
(Shall we go?)
Amat-amat
The word means “gradually”
“little by little”
“step by step”
The “goodbye” is silent.
“Amat-amat ko” almost says,
“I have to leave, but don’t worry,
I’ll fade out slowly enough
That you don’t even notice my absence.”
It’s the kind remedy
To moving from the heavy inertia
And comfort of staying.
Amat-amat, slowly, painlessly.
At some point,
We do have to part ways.
In the bittersweet of separation,
Amat-amat lang, amat-amat ta.