Marc Lery B.
Yanga
NR-32
The Rich Man and the Poor Man
"Food and money I give to you,
Why do you shout so mercily
When I give you your part?"
queried the rich man.
The poor man replied:
"Your question you cannot answer
For from pain and agony you are free,
But I have suffered and borne
The situation that I don't like to be in."
"That I couldn't understand
Because Life for me is easy;
I take this and take that,
And life is just what I want it to be."
consented the rich man.
"Comfort your mind, rich man,
with realities of death.
Your wealth I do not envy
For you cannot buy
eternity with money.
If to live happily
is to live in hypocrisy,
Then I prefer to be silly
so I would be holy.
Life you love so much you will lose
And only then will you understand
What agony is," the poor man shouted.
"Ha! Ha! Ha! You say so
For you desire this place of mine.
Indulgence you have clouded with reason
But I understand because of your situation."
boastfully the rich man said.
Outraged the poor man answered:
"How pitiful the person blinded with
pleasure;
No, you don't care of our journey
That you have created through your
greediness.
Come now, man of weak soul!
Your days are numbered for you to face
The Man of Love.
You may not cry now but later you will
When the chilling reality of the last
judgment
Comes across your way;
Yes, then you will pity, but not for me.
Not for anybody else.
But for yourself only!
Yes, eat, drink, and be merry.
For tomorrow you shall die!
Anne Melody G. Pabalan
NR-32
A glass of cold water

Everybody calls me young, beautiful, wonderful. Am I? Look at my hair, my lips, my red rosy cheeks and a pair of blinkering eyes.

I remember, somebody says that I look like my mother that I look like my mother. But that when she was young.

Now, I am much lovelier than she is. I’m a mortal Venus. Oops! What time is it? I must get ready for the party!

Beep-beep…!A-huh! Here they are! Yes, I’m coming!

"Child, are you still there?"

"Hmp! That’s my mama"

"Child, are you still there? Will you please get me a glass of cold water?"

"Mama, I’m in a hurry!"

"Please child, try to get me a glass of cold water."

"Mama, please, try to get it on your own."

"Please child, try to get me a glass of cold water!"

At the party, I danced and danced the whole night.

You see, I can’t leave the party at once. I have to danced with everybody who proposed to me. At last, the party is over. I’m very tired.

Very, very tired.

So, I went home to tell mama what happened.

"Mama, I’m home! It’s very quiet. "Mama, I’m home!" Nobody answers.

Where is she? I look for her in the sala, but she’s not there. Where is she? A-huh! In the kitchen!

I saw my mama, lying down on the floor, dead. With a glass on her hand. I remember, she tried to get it.
Oh, God, just for the glass of cold water! Mama! Mama! Oh, Mama!