Yellow

 

Even vinegar
Poured
He’ll drink
For friendship

—from The Friends, by Vicente I. de Veyra Sr., 1957 (my free translation)

 

Much yellow from sunny day weather is
Not the right color to paint to
Paint it, take my advice it’s best that

The sun goes without painting. But I
Know that your painting’s very neces-
Sary, for how can you see light if you

Cannot have it, and seeing it is ready
But how you look at it is a very good
Issue. So, if my friend is the night

And yours is the day—I am man and
You are woman, or I want to dance with
You & you want to marry me in daylight.

But it’s not the time for an ultimatum,
We can prepare things for a better state:
If you pour me vinegar now, I’ll only

Drink it for ulcer pains. Y’see, the yellow
Is more telling of you than the Sun—.

 

 

—23 Oct.-15 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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