Illustration by Katya Roxas
I will always be faithful to my banana cue suki
Whose name I do not know
Whose face I cannot place
Her features dart hither and thither
Slipping away from memory, escaping like a fish
Like a blank slate
Dark and broad and vacant
Because my gaze is on her wares, has always been on her wares
Those sweet, ripe bananas glazed with the sweetness of sugar
Wrapped like lumpia, spiked with jackfruit
Settling on my tongue, tasting like youth
Tasting like home
Tasting like an afternoon spent in the heat of the sun
Like a slow, meandering drive by the seashore
Nikka Cornelio-Baker is a first-generation Filipino-Canadian. Her work has appeared in AAWW’s The Margins, Room, and elsewhere; she can sometimes be found online at www.savingforbotox.com. Born and raised in the Philippines, she now calls Toronto home.
Katya Roxas is a Communications Officer at UBC Library who has experience with branding, content creation and social media. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Multimedia Arts, specializing in graphic design and illustration, and a Diploma in Digital Marketing and Communications. Born and raised in the Philippines, Katya is well-versed with the sacrifices and opportunities that come with being an immigrant.