Cancer Of The Cervix Poem by RIC BASTASA

her husband left her
when their kids were just
a matter
of three, four, five years

she had to feed
them alone with the use
of her very own flesh

literally. i mean it.

all daughters went
to Japan and danced.

they married and
got rich.

and then she wore
an expensive jewelry

on her hands and
ears

and then he wrote
a letter saying that

he likes to come
back. She
opened her arms
to hug him.

i went to manila
and spent my
life there
in three days.

attending to her
wake
offering prayers
for her
dead and wasted
body.

i am learning
in that place
what is betrayal
what is forgiveness
what is reconciliation

what is death
what is it to be lost in a crowd
what is it to be left alone

what is cancer?
and they always say the truth
there is no cure.

may she rest in peace.
amen.