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An Ode to Silay

Cathedral bells now toll,
And horses march the streets,
The crowd has filled the hall,
We hear the priest now preach.
A lady makes a curtsy
To the Lord respectfully.

The marble pillars stand,
The bougainvillea blooms,
The sky azure and grand,
The silk dress wafts perfume.
Generals here once dined
And spoke in Spanish refined.

The mansions white and rose
Tell stories without words,
Where artists once composed
And played their joyous chords.
The broken piano of ivory…
Oh songs now sealed in memory!

The carriage horses gallop
To meet the ships at harbor,
Where hopeful youth once gallant,
Embarked to study with ardor,
To loved ones left, dressed well,
Filipiniana, farewell!

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Filipiniana: traditional clothing of the Philippines.

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Yoshikaze Kawakami studied classical Japanese literature in Tokyo. He has published translations of Noh theatre in Poetry and Wordplay in Noh Theatre.

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2 Responses

  1. Roy Eugene Peterson

    I enjoyed your fine fond remembrance of this former Spanish colonial city in the Philippines.

    Reply

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