To A Budding Writer Somewhere In Cebu Poem by RIC BASTASA

it was not him who placed the
beautiful flower on your head
and so when it wilts it is never
his concern, or hers,

she lives alone in her own
circle, she tries to get some
flowers, but they are all
already reserved for you,

and so when they make you
stand before them and they
begin to ask what makes you
think that you are a goddess
for your little poetries,

their eyes are flaming with
madness. Do not mind them
when they tell you that your
flowers are nothing but
the rotten petals of the
lesser breed or variety.

It is your heart that must be followed.
It is the mandate of the
higher goddess that must
be obeyed through and through.
So take good care of the flowers that are
still growing in your head,
the vines from your fingers
the buds that are still tight-lipped
wanting to bloom for you.

do not let the flames of envy
stop the flow of springs from
your very eyes.They see
very well the beauty that
has arrived, and the courier
says, it is now all for you.

Not for him or her. Not
even for me. I am just
anyhow carefully watching.