Young Artists at work, UST

                        Young Artists at Work*

                                                          Dr Abe V Rotor 

*Intercollegiate painting competition, University of Santo Tomas, Manila 2013

Hours and hours they labored in their art,

     pouring out their best,

the years behind expressing memories

     putting skill to the test,

they haste for the hour of final judgment,

     without talk, without rest,  

colors in their command, at their fingertips,

     in creating their greatest,

the eyes of critics are theirs themselves,

     artists' eyes are deepest,

they seek the depth of passion, imagination 

     their limit the farthest

bringing down to earth, bringing back to life

     the lost to be caressed,

like a good shepherd heeding a distant cry 

     and braving darkness.

how far apart artists are from humanity 

     as they seek in redress

through competition and evolution of art

     to wake the world to the test.  ~