With A Dollar (A Message To Convey) Poem by Cynthia Aluning
With A Dollar (A Message To Convey)
How do I spend thee?
How do americans spend this bill?
Even too cheap for a delivery tip
But can be a poem contest fee
54 pesos to a dollar sometimes 53
it fluctuates, its oil dependent
as per economy's situation
and peace and order too
With a dollar...
2 packs of cigarettes in 20's
a pirated CD or VCD
a cheap shirt for home use
unbranded bra or lipstick
your Chocolate Hershey bar
can buy us 2 kilos of rice
good enough for the day
plus a dollar or two for the viand
Your $600-$800 apartment rent
already a budget I keep for 30days
inclussive of bills, education fees
foods and kids' allowances
But come to think of it
In every hard-earned dollar bill
A poor family's day's meal
Not only in the Philippines
Elsewhere in poor countries
With a dollar I keep in my pocket
There's a message I can't forget
I think of my brother in LA
My relatives in Texas, USA
And the impoverished in whole Africa
~~~~~~~~~~~~
*just the bare truth...
cynthia, long time no post. then here you are with this from-the-gut poem. i've been hearing about the situation in the philippines-the planned coup and the mounting disorder, and the government's lack of reforms to alleviate the plight of the poor. i like the nationalistic tinge of this poem. sincerely, merc
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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5/3/2024 11:32:08 PM # 1.0.0.1119
I like the way that you have begun this work: Almost love; but not quite, . There is a dissappoijntment in the rlationship but a recognition that it would never exist and things would not be the same. That you chose to paraphrase one of America's most famous is brilliant.