LIKE A JOKE THAT SEEMS TRUE

Iluminado Lucente

Pets and lightning may strike them in Manila

But pray not here in the restaurant of Go Bani
The filthy “pansit” still delights the tongues,
Palates and throats of us here in Tacloban

Cruel! How oppressive these Manilans are

Who want their bread ad rice clean;
How unfortunate for Kim On, T’in Siugaw
They’ll never get rich in the business.

We do not have their likes in Tacloban;

I’ve grown bleary-eyed, Stopped, white-haired since,
And we Taclobanons, whether of the towns or of the barrios,
Allow the Chinese to become millionaires.

Who cares if the bone on the soup are already a year old
In that can to which they keep adding water?
We amight slurping hot pig slop,
Fine enough if it is thick and well-flavored

We do not have to follow the ways of Manila.

For tasty is the chopsuey with rising water;
It is not in keeping for our government to just follow
Or to go this way or that or be indecisive.