THE PASSING OF STRANGERS:RENE EZPELETA BARTOLO Next Poem:....................................................................................................................................... Back to Poetry Index

The passing of strangers

Leaves often a trail

Of gentle words unsaid;

Of kindness unwrought

In silver pieces

Unfingered, unseen;

Of leaden faces laden

With silent needs,

Framed back against

The dust-choked glass

Panes in a bus station;

Heaving

In plodding cadence,

Of hearts

That may have felt

Some lukewarm fears.

The passing of strangers

Tears quietly

A little bit off me

Each time.

A moment too soon,

That passing moment

Stays a tender thought

In mid-air;

Slaughters a smile

Before it reaches

The final creases

Of meaning;

And flips aside

A neutral pain.

In between intimacies I pass,

A stranger to myself.

Rene Ezpeleta Bartolo is a journalist based in Davao City, Philippines, writing a daily column (Ricochet) for the Mindanao TIMES, a community paper circulated in the island of Mindanao, southern Philippines.She also contributes to foreign publications and online newspapers. Rene was a media awardee of Panos/GKP-London and the United Nation's WSSCCI in 2004; and the winner for three consecutive years (1999, 2000, and 2001) as Best Columnist of the Davao Catholic Mass Media Awards."Passing of Strangers" is the title poem of an unpublished book of poetry.

Next Poem: ......................................................................................................................................Back to Poetry Index