Billboard

 

Do to all what’s good for all.
Long to satisfy all.
Also be the last of all.
Respect and give to all.

—from Advice to My Childhood Friends,
    Martin P. de Veyra, Boston, Mass.
    August 14, 1904 (my free translation
    from the Samar-Leyte)

 

I know a coin is a form of material,
        along with ink,
                along with vision
        particularly the poet’s ink vision
forming profits when the poem sells

according to the dictates of the market
        if there is such a
                market around
        and if there is none then there
is nothing but vision nobody wants to know.

But he can force it through advertising
        as long as he
                doesn’t advertise
        for the sake of profit but more
for the sake of the poem for the billboard,

according to the dictates of the weather
        when there appears a
                cooperative weather;
        yet if none, then there is
nothing but the air of fame and humanism.

 

 

—23 Oct.-20 Nov./85

 

 

 

 

Copyright © 1999, 2004 Vicente-Ignacio Soria de Veyra. All rights reserved. Readers are welcome to view, save, file and print out single copies of this webpage for their personal use. No reproduction, display, performance, multiple copy, transmission, or distribution of the work herein, or any excerpt, adaptation, abridgment or translation of same, may be made without written permission from the author. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this work will be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

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