Not The Books.... Poem by RIC BASTASA

as she enters the bookstore
it was because outside it is raining
and for a time she shies away
spending her precious earnings
for books

much more for poetry books
which she finds too expensive for her

she has a grocery list
for her family needs
a kilo of rice, another kilo
for the dried fish
six eggs, a can of salt
another bottle for the oil
corn coffee and half kilo of sugar
some veggies and
three bananas at P10 a piece.


it is the rain and not the books
she mutters for herself and then when
the rain stops
she leaves the books store heading
for the market stalls.