by Marietta Lea B. Rosana

Who can speak of love?
Only the one who has endured pain,
Who can speak of pain?
Only the one who has loved.

Who can understand the pain of loving?
Only the one who loves God,
Christ embraced the cross 
and love blossomed in pain.

Oh, God’s love so pure, so deep
healing our broken dreams!

Marietta Lea B. Rosana hails from Tabaco City, Philippines. She is an educator, a retired judge, a lawyer and has been engaged in the practice of law since 1987. She gives legal counseling to poor litigants and teaches law in college after her retirement from the judiciary. Writing poetry is her favorite pastime with the themes on love, justice, silence and hope. Being a member of the Companions of Our Lady of the Cenacle, her poetry speaks of God’s love. Some of her poems have been published in the Catholic Poetry Room, Philippine Graphic Magazine, The Philippine Journal of Education and the defunct Bulletin Today. She firmly believes that poetry is the soul of a nation that can strengthen one’s faith.