From The Prison Cell 1 Poem by Richmon Rey Jundis

"Humans naturally have desires and the capacity to direct it and humans have the ability to moderate the desires will lead to goodness."


The world slowly turns around,
Everything seems to be moving slowly,
I can smell my own warm breath
As I stand in a crowded place.

Is this a church empty of true believers?
A plaza filled with vendors?
A park for children fighting and arguing?
I do not know!
It seems everything is in their place,
But not in harmony.

My sweats are gushing from my scalp
Down to my neck.
The temperature is too high, forty degrees Celsius,
I hear the vendor shouting:
'Ice buko, malamig! Bente lang! '
But, i have no money
Should i steal like that little boy
Who pick pocketed the old woman in front of the cathedral?

I must control my urges,
I cannot be the man that i hated before,
I must change!

It has been twenty years ago
Since i have breathe in this humid hot air
In front of the cathedral of manila,
For i have been jailed because of my uncontrolled desire.

Fifty years old, i am now,
I know my desires have subsided,
I must be someone who knows
How to control my urges now,
Because only through moderation
That i will be able to direct myself to goodness.

I have my desires, but I am more than my desires,
I have the capacity to direct it.