It was once 
a coconut 
shell mounted
on a bamboo 
twig attached 
by a narrow 
twine it’s not 
Taboo it 
sounds like 
havoc without 
the C in the 
end as in havo
Tabo can also 
be a measuring 
tool at exactly 
a liter. Alone, 
 an inanimate thing hewn 
   out of plastic in every chroma. 
    Tis rare to chance upon these gizmos 
     in front of a house nowadays. It is now 
     relegated in the bathroom as a dipper. 
      When taking baths, dip the tabo into the 
       bucket full of water, then pour it over your 
        head. You do not need the shower. There’s 
         water shortage about. Gaia will love you. 
          The water gods will praise you. Ah there’s 
            Delfin; bald, legless, dark-skinned, 
             stick thin to the bones. There are 
              holes all over his clothing and his 
               hair greased in patches. At sixty
               seven, no family, he goes to his 
                office on Saturdays and Sundays. 
                He walks around in crutches and 
                sits to his perch, a meter away 
                from the west door facing the 
                food stalls. There maybe four 
                masses afoot those days he’d 
               place a tabo in front of him as he 
              sits down forlorn, raise his hand up, 
             open his palms and stares for all 
            your love. All the coins he collects 
           is good for a week’s worth of packets
          of soup and coffee, green vegetables, 
         cans of tuna, and rice. The men’s room 
        is only few feet away that when it is 
     time to relieve himself, he takes 
    the tabo since there are no toilet 
  paper. Do not worry. He washes 
it with water and soap before 
he comes back to his perch 
for the rest of the day. 

All Rights Reserved © joegasparauthor 2026