Song 1

(# Poem)

gaze not

at the dancing christmas lanterns

and the winking red, yellow

blue and green lights on the window

relish not

the ham and cheese and wine

laid on your sparkling table

you, you with a christian heart

should look far beyond…

at the graveyard of living skeletons

take a look, take a look

at the hollow face

of a kid drooling at an apple

or a bunch of grapes…

take a look at a plate of rice

and a few granules of salt

being stared at by lonely eyes.

in the chilling early dawn

take a look at the scrawny fingers

and the tattered shawl

of an old woman

crestfallen at the church’s door

in the blistering light

of the high noon sun

take a glimpse at the worn out heels

and the torn soles

of a sweltering worker’s shoes

and stare afterwards

at the wading water lily

on the putrid city’s estero

and the murky pasig river

yes, try to stare at the sun’s light

penetrating the shabby roof of a shanty

and squeeze in your soul

the bitterness and suffering of the poor

so your christian heart

will deeply feel the hollowness of christmas!

————————————————————-

#(modified English version by Mark Angeles of my original AWIT 1 in Filipino published Dec. 18, 1968, PILIPINO FREE PRESS, sister magazine then of the PHILIPPINES FREE PRESS)