Chance Poem by RIC BASTASA

I do not remember who you are
everything escapes from my hand
through the spaces between my fingers
into this nameless land
My life is woven out of water
noting stays and everything goes
my memory is a river
forever running its way out of history
I am nothing desired
I am nothing stopped
I come and go any time and any way
alone and ten times alone
I do not have a single breath to mourn for
And always I give out myself for souvenirs
each time passing for something else
for you and those like you
and what I am will be
what I will be for each one of you
the city of flowers, eyes of the loam
describe shelter: piece of crap
weak roof, could be blown off anytime
cardboard walls, easy to put apart when gov’t wants them out
malnourished child reading book
lamp source of light
skips parts with words s/he doesnt understand
books saved by father from fire, father loved books
father died trying to save more things, leaving behind: 2 children + wife
mother died giving birth to a still born
whistles from outside
sister is back, she shouts at the perverts
child comes out with a stick
drunkards earn enough to get drunk
they push him/her, throws a pail of water
dirty water dripping from body of the child
”useless aral, you should work, inutil! ”
sister helps him/her, shouts at men
no one bothers to help a “dirty” woman
sister prepares food she bought
she coughs, months na ang ubo
angry, “dont turn on lamp unless kailangan, mahal gas”
sister leaves
not touching the child for fear of infection
”matulog ka na, tagal pa ako balik”
puts off the lamp
malnourished child turns on the lamp
reads book again


* reprinted from a friend's collection