I Once Wrote A Letter To My Girlfriend Poem by RIC BASTASA

many years ago i once wrote a love letter to my girlfriend
in Silliman University
in the City of Dumaguete, Philippines
and perhaps she really liked the way how the letter was written
(it was more of poetry than prose)
as i poured all my love and affection
like sweet real orange juice to a shiny glass
much to the liking of her innocent taste
her virginal frame of mind
for we were young then and she was so beautiful with her white
skin and tight body as i was also so handsome then
with my spanish mestizo looks and gentle disposition

(let me breathe for a while)

she decided to have the love letter read by all her dorm mates
it was passed from one hand to another and she was so proud of it
and she even framed it like it were the picture of a saint

(i learned it later)

i was pondering about my feelings, my secrets passed from one person
to another, my deepest emotions known by another
at first i felt that my privacy was violated, but on the other hand
i assured myself about the truth of said feelings, the authenticity of myself
relating to my dearest love, my one and only love, and then i felt free

it is the truth and i must not be ashamed of it
it is a beautiful feeling that the world must know and feel too

and as i recall it again now, i remember another woman, a poetess
and truly, i like her too, for spreading the truth about my real self and there is
no other, i take pride of myself and i take responsibility for what i am
and for all the poems that i have written.