VENGEANCE

FIFTY

She is acting like I was invisible to her. Tsk.

"Uh.. Ms. I am just–"

Hindi na niya pinatapos pa ang sinaabi ko at muli ng nagsalita.

"But since you are already standing up. Why not explain to us what is the poem is all about."

I stand straight after hearing what she said.

I heard it loud and clear. I just have to explain what the poem is all about.

Tumikhim muna ako para kuhain ang atensyon ng lahat.

I can see Aihna smirking beside me.

Hindi ko kakalimutang gantihan siya mamaya.

"Uhm.. the poem is–"

"Before you explain it to us. Please read the poem Mr. Louisiana."

Kaagad kong tinanguan ang guro.

Pero dahil sa itinapon nga ni Aihna ang libro ko ay inagaw ko ang sa kaniya.

Masama pa niya akong tiningnan pero hindi ko na siya pinansin.

Tumikhim ako at sinimulang basahin ang tula.

Annabel Lee
BY EDGAR ALLAN POE

It was many and many a year ago,

   In a kingdom by the sea,

That a maiden there lived whom you may know

   By the name of Annabel Lee;

And this maiden she lived with no other thought

   Than to love and be loved by me.

I was a child and she was a child,

   In this kingdom by the sea,

But we loved with a love that was more than love—

   I and my Annabel Lee—

With a love that the wingèd seraphs of Heaven

   Coveted her and me.

And this was the reason that, long ago,

   In this kingdom by the sea,

A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling

   My beautiful Annabel Lee;

So that her highborn kinsmen came

   And bore her away from me,

To shut her up in a sepulchre

   In this kingdom by the sea.

The angels, not half so happy in Heaven,

   Went envying her and me—

Yes!—that was the reason (as all men know,

   In this kingdom by the sea)

That the wind came out of the cloud by night,

   Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee.

But our love it was stronger by far than the love

   Of those who were older than we—

   Of many far wiser than we—

And neither the angels in Heaven above

   Nor the demons down under the sea