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This is the blog of Ian Rosales Casocot. Filipino writer. Sometime academic. Former backpacker. Twink bait. Hamster lover.

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Saturday, January 10, 2004

Gabriela Lee's newest poem...



Naming



Maybe Adam had it wrong all along.

How did he know that that one was a "tree"

or this one "sheep"? How could he invent

a name like "squirrel" and "quarrel"?

And how did he know that the "rainbow"

always came after "rain"? Imagine the drops

of liquid, crystal curves imitating tears

rushing to the ground, heavy with sadness.

And I'm interested to know how he discovered

"walking," or "warmth." Was he like other men,

following that familiar path from home

to the newspaper stand; did he imagine

portly fathers, perhaps balding,

expecting that cup of coffee

to be waiting when the arrive?

And why is "love" shorter than

"sorrow," or "grief," or "He's leaving me

and never coming back." I'd bet not even

God thought about that one.

I'd bet it was Eve, one midsummer evening,

while she was watching the stars

and Adam was beside her, exhausted with naming.

Maybe she even traced the outline

of his face, skin skimming on skin.

And she knew, as all women knew,

that she will lose him in the end,

and that was how love was introduced

to death.


[0] This is Where You Bite the Sandwich




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