Places are nothing but places

translated from Juan Miguel Severo’s ‘Ang mga lugar ay pawang mga lugar lamang’

The parks are nothing but parks

The roads hold nothing but cars
The trees are just trees
And every lamppost is just a flicker of light in the dark
Places are nothing but places
Remember that when you look beside you
And realize you’ve both let go
That her footsteps are nothing but a memory
And friend, don’t ever mistake the sunset for her warmth
Don’t ever mistake the bird’s singing with her voice
She is gone
She is gone
You will learn
That you can memorize every twist and turn of the city
Without ever calling it home
For places are nothing but places
Until both of you have claimed the roads and alleys
As home to the seedlings of love you both planted
And the scent of her hair is one with the breeze
And the warmth of her smile painted in the sky
The barren walls are just barren walls
Had you not written love letters on the cracks and crevices
Remember to look for the crossroads you both ignored
For the places neither of you had set foot on
Remember that this city is just a city
Retrace your footsteps
And you will remember your memories less accurately
Get lost in the sunsets, roads and parks
Her face, her smile, her hands
This is not a home for forlorn memories
Places are nothing but places.