RIC S. BASTASA

a little boy
finds the house too crowded

his father beats his
mother in the kitchen
where fish is
grilled

his sisters pull each
other's hair
in the living room
where he wants
to read

his brother breaks the
chair and throws plates
over the window
when no money is
given

it is like the house
is always on fire
and there is not even
a pail of water

and so the little boy
wants to run away

but there is no other
place
as the town is also
too crowded for itself

people are shouting
and beating each other

the park is neither
a peaceful place to
stay as bullies too
overcrowd there

and so the little boy
climbs a tree and
finally
finds a very cool place
to pray.