Sorry Girl Poem by RIC BASTASA

but it is not my habit to
find out how you are doing when you are no longer there to greet me
when i arrive from a very long trip with someone else that you do not know
that you are not interested with
since it simply inflicts that pain
that you are getting used to

hello is strange word now.
it is not my friend, neither is the word goodbye

do not tell me that once i have said the word
i get tired of its face
the 'why' embedded in it
is perplexing
if at all i give it a thought
or a piece of my
mind

i like birds with strong wings
those that travel far away and do not come back

it they come back
they only bring memories
and sad stories

do i have to make a pool of tears again
where some 'unfit' organisms for a time swim and then die?

i like birds with claws those that know what wars to fight out there
sharp claws
that promise them to live some more years

do not underestimate my capacity for sorrow
my love for death

besides the birds i also have worms,
lots of worms as friends
they are too sympathetic to our causes
accommodating to our weariness

they know when to eat and rest
and sing the funeral hymns.