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by Mae Esguerra

The queen warned the kitchen crew

"If the food tastes bad, heads will roll."

So the chefs thought of something to do.

"Team work is all we need!"

they chorused proud and tall

One put the salt, the other the sugar,

another one pepper or two

"It's superb!" said the queen.

"Too many cooks don't spoil the broth after all.

Apple Angst
by Mjolnir Xoce V. Ong

An apple a day

keeps the doctor away

and since I fear injections

I doubled my rations

of apple pie, apple candy and apple cake

only to end up in the neighborhood clinic

with a terrible, terrible stomachache

Magic Sticks
by Frances A. Ong

My A-mah lights three magic sticks every time we visit A-kong at the temple.

One for remembering, one for good wishing the last one for love.

We stand in front of his picture and strike a match to light the first, the second, the third. I watch the flame catch at the tip of a stick before it is swallowed into scented, smoky ember.

Abi is a member of Ang Ilustrador ng Kabataan.