Philippine literature, The Rape of Mary Magdaline by Eduardo P. Ortega

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The Rape of Mary Magdaline

by Eduardo P. Ortega

Eduardo P. Ortega, Illigan City, Region 12 A biology professor of the College of Science and Mathematics of the MSU - Illigan institute of Technology, Eduardo P. Ortega still finds time to write essays, poems and short stories. His works have been published in national publications and in the Asian Pacific Quarterly(ASPAC). He is married to Christine, a poet.

Hemmed in by the chanting Multitude
You lurched onward Through one-way streets.
Till, spun around, pushed back Against the ancient walls
You held the surging throng At bay

With one last flicker
Of an electric bulb
These are the same faces,
The same voices chanting
But today they bring No stones.

Instead, they pin you against The stone wall
Pushing and clawing Each other
Their gibberish shaking the air,
To grab a handful of their own Forgiveness

Along the dim-lighted alleys You see them
Clutch tighter Their hard-earned bounty;

A broken leaf, crushed Flowers; a torn fragment Of your dress
Next year, they will be back again, On Good Friday.

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