Old Poems, Old Poems... Ikuze!

Some poems; from the collection 'Stories of Sadness'.


Stories of Sadness

#1. The Trader

The quick thumps made me realize
He is breaking down,
Little by little –
As opposed to those footsteps
Of his supposed audience –
On a rattan chair.

He must have thought
Of fortune as plenty as Dinorado,

However, he is a Chinese;
And Chinese don’t eat rice
That much.

He had no ornate of
Cats, Buddha’s, and dragons
– He is allergic to them,

But he is a Chinese;
And Chinese believe in
Luck, charms, and curses.


#2. Fire Exit

Half between five
and
six,
I was, on that same old stairway,
Adoring your air.

You were standing against some kettle-like people –
You were waiting for the next rocket bus –
You were radio-free and mob-less, as usual –

Half between six
and
seven,
I strummed some of my frustrating romances.
I love your air,
though you’ll be far, always.

#3. Superstitions

Money for me
or
Felines are lucky.

I hate you for
your voodoos,
your love of malt, and
your bowed composure.

Knock on wood
and
Karma.

I hate
your yellowtail,
your Encantadia, and
your fallacies.

But that last night,
I turned her photo upside-down
As a few droplets,
With the music of literal hunger,
Silently raced on my eyes.

Farewell, another lonely soul.

(To Arnold Galicia's mom, and to all mothers. October 1, 2007)