The poem entitled Querida written by Angela Manalang-Gloria is a one stanza poem consists of

four line verses. The term querida is commonly known as a married man’s mistress in the
Philippines. They are labeled as a home wrecker, gold digger woman, and a breaker of a family
and relationship. Most of the time, woman used it as their source of income, because probably
the man in the poem is a wealthy man, he can afford the limousine as what third line says
“Outside her gate an empty limousine” . And maybe, this man can give everything to her, and the
mistress can fill and satisfy the needs of the man.
Moreover, when a women fall into this kind of temptation, people in the society will easily mock
her as a dirty and ambitious girl. Yes, I could say that she is ambitious. Although her situation is
kind a closed door, dark, and helpless, the woman is trying to look for hope. And when the
opportunity knocks, is she willing to open it? When the light comes, there’s a lot of questions
popping into her mind, whether it is still worthy to be labeled as nothing, but she can have
everything, including the man who is not her own property. The woman portrayed in the poem
is the woman in the society nowadays, searching for great opportunities despite of the unequal
treatment, selling their body for a night in return for huge money, especially in this time of
pandemic. Despite of doing immoral thing, despite of being silent, I can consider that she is
strong, screaming for attention, equality and legal affection.