Two more Philippine poems
Media
Part of The American Chamber of Commerce Journal
- Title
- Two more Philippine poems
- Language
- English
- Source
- The American Chamber of Commerce Journal Volume 9 (No. 5) May 1929
- Year
- 1929
- Rights
-
- Fulltext
- May, 1929 THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE JOURNAL 17 Two More Philippine Poems by Gilbert S. Perez Cabaret She arrived late And the child At home Coughing and struggling For life-giving breath Needed a mother’s Care. She arrived late With overly carmined lips And the stiff Mechanical smile That conceals An aching heart. The orchestra strummed A jazz-bedraggled Waltz While the rays From the red and blue Lights Timidly pierced The heavy tropical Darkness. Rhythm and softened Notes Glided on and over The glistening ballroom Floor And mingled with the grim Laughter That hides a breaking Heart. Smile, lips, smile— Smile away the fountain of tears; Slide along, aching feet, Slide; Shuffle away, Cobra skinned dancing Slippers, Tired slippers, Slippers that pay for hammer Strokes, Nails And tinsel-spattered Cradles of death. The Pilgrim For thirty years And four He had followed The dusty road That leads To the old stone church At Antipolo. For thirty years And four He had knelt And prayed At the Holy Virgin’s Shrine. He saw The dark gray Packard, But did not see The pilgrim freighted Laboring Train At the crossing, Till he heard The sickening Crunching press of steel On shattered bone. So he lay on his cot At San Juan De Dios With his face Turned to the wall, And both legs Chopped off near the hips. The Doctor said, That his heart was weak. Weak nothing! He died of a broken heart! For what is the use Of a Virgin shrine To a man who may not Kneel? Schwulst Foregoes Salary An error appeared in a Journal editorial in the March issue, relative to Earl B. Schwulst’s compensation as bank commissioner. The com missioner’s salary is f*7,200, which was stated as going to Mr. Schwulst together with additional compensation making up a sufficient salary. He informs us he thinks his pay under the Belo act enough, and is not drawing the commis sioner’s salary; he believes the bureau does not make sufficient demands upon his time to war rant payment to him of the salary. THE WHITE EMPRESS OF THE PACIFIC EMPRESS OF ASIA EMPRESS OF FRANCE EMPRESS OF RUSSIA 16900 tons 18400 tons 16800 tons To CANADA, UNITED STATES and EUROPE QUICKEST TIME ACROSS THE PACIFIC CANADIAN PACIFIC STEAMSHIPS 14-16 CALLE DAVID MANILA, P. I. IN RESPONDING TO ADVERTISEMENTS PLEASE MENTION THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE JOURNAL