Fuente, Cebu City From Jones Street Poem by RIC BASTASA

Fuente, Cebu City from Jones Street

I am back here. This used to be my place.
Busy street. Smoking jeepneys. Unknown
Girls. Yesterday’s news littering on the
Streets. McDonald’s opening 24 hours.
Hot thin crust pizza at Pizza Hut.
Park view hotel always filled with
Japanese and Koreans, No room
For Us, but anyway I have taken
A room for 500 a night at YMCA.
Nothing’s new really, except for this
Brown girl following me. Cheap sir.
Just cheap buy this DVD, triple x.
Diagnostic centers. Old Julie’s
Same bread. Cebu Doctors. How
Much money shall I spend for
My new blood test? Doctors always
Require these tests, and I am fed up
With nothing normal. Everything seems
To be wrong.

I am back here. I will do nothing.
What is the use? No one knows no one.
Anyway, I’ll pass at Red Ribbons
And try what I cannot eat.
Black forest cake and ice cold coke
For a drink to death. Bordeline.
Diabetic. Sweetest dreams tonight.
Like mother: who cares? Enter death.
Go away rules. Get lost prohibitions.