APO ON THE WALL
— BJ PATINO —
There's this man's photo on the wall
Of my father's office at home, you
Know, where father brings his work,
Where he doesn't look strange
Still wearing his green uniform
And colored breastplates, where,
To prove that he works hard, he
Also brought a photo of his boss
Whom he calls Apo, so Apo could
You know, hang around on the wall
Behind him and look over his shoulders
To make sure he's snappy and all.
Father snapped at me once, caught me
Sneaking around his office at home
Looking at the stuff on his wall-handguns,
Plaques, a sword, medals a rifle-
Told me that was no place for a boy
Only men, when he didn't really
Have to tell me because, you know,
That photo of Apo on the wall was already
Looking at me around,
His eyes following me like he was
That scary Jesus in the hallway, saying
I know what you're doing.
We like the poem “Apo on the Wall” by BJ Patiño because it is simple yet powerful, showing how a child views authority, power, and fear through the photo of Apo. It reflects respect and discipline at home, but also reveals how the father’s devotion to his boss sometimes feels more important than his own child. The poem teaches lessons about authority and responsibility, especially when the child is scolded for handling guns and swords. We also like how the picture of Apo seems alive in the story, symbolizing how power can silently control people—even from just a photograph.