A Neighbor Named Tony Somewhere In The Philippines Poem by RIC BASTASA

a neighbor named tony
is a Filipino and he just arrived yesterday
from the U S of A

we're happy to have him back
so the neighborhood can have his music and art back
(for he is a musician and a
visual artist
sculpture and painting
his skill
beside his expertise
in flowers and
gardening)

he says he is coming for good
in the US of A
he lost his work
and his Jewish master
has finally let him go
due to recession

he brings no money
and he meets no honey

his wife left him and took
all his children

at night he drinks himself
almost to death
he takes rock
and rocks himself all night

we have no way stopping him
we understand
what sorrow is
what life is
we wait how tony shall explain
his own death

we wish somehow
that he recovers
and then we may never
have any peace
in the Philippines.