Circa 1965 Poem by RIC BASTASA

in that village
they think we were rich
because i was then
wearing my new spartan
slippers

mother was a teacher
and father had a bike.
sister had a doll with
a big head while grandpa
had a white horse.

bread is sliced and shared.
fried chicken is chopped
and divided.

father had a small farm
of vegetables and a smaller
poultry house for five chickens
as the two pigs were set
on the loose to feed for
themselves.

our house is thatched
made of bamboo and nipa
and a room which serves
as dining and sala.

in that village they
thought that we were rich
when we just tried to
work on our own
and showed what little
happiness did we have
before the tribal war
finally broke out.