Forever (A Poem)

April is National Literature Month in the Philippines. For this, I am featuring the poem written by my senior citizen-student, Nanay Flordeliza Edroso, entitled “Forever.”

This poetry compares the present generation’s notion of love as to that of her time. Nanay Flor was born in the generation when men still court the women of their dreams through “harana” – this is suitors’ traditional way of pursuing women by singing love songs for them. 

According to nanay, young lovers these days have negative perception about romantic relationships. They say there is no such thing as “forever” in love. Maybe this is because of the pain they had to deal with their exes, that’s why teenagers already have a preconceived, pessimistic view on love. Nanay repels this notion because contrary to her experience, she was able to find and keep her “forever.”

Nanay Flor is my student in Philippine Literature. She is the famous 70-year old grandmother who finished her secondary level in 2014 at the Valenzuela National High School in Marulas, Valenzuela City. Her inspiring story of “graduating in high school despite old age” captured the interest of the media because it gave a strong message of hope to individuals who consider going back to school, but are afraid of being ridiculed by their younger classmates.

Nanay Flor, a city government scholar, is currently taking Food Service Management at Valenzuela City Polytechnic College.

Find out more about her at: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/tag/flordeliza-edroso