By Al Robles
Reprinted with permission of the poet
Asian Center
Asian Center For the old—downstairs
in the basement—near the International
Hotel. Mr. Low cares for the old Chinese
Legaspi cares for the old pilipinos
two ancient Chinese
standing in the center like an orange egg yolk
in a lotus bun
“is Legaspi here?’
(a chinaman points his finger)
Legaspi sits quietly
Silver-gray hair
ancient ifugao eyes
a spring sprig
pushed through
kearny street cries
young faces crowd
the pool halls
“we have to clean up
the philippines.
there has to be a revolution”
back alleys
loneliness
in cheap coffins
dead and forgotten
pilipinos
out of a finger
a widow bleeds
shield and sealed
in holy water
drowning primitive minds
wrapped in angelic garments
and metal crosses
break the eternal rituals
of the priest
pressing pilipino minds
into wailing fanatics
