Nick Carbo

By Kurt Pabaira
2

Poet Nick Carbó grew up

in Manila,Philippines,
the adopted son of
wealthy Spanish
parents.

He began writing poetry as a

college student in the United
States.
3

He now lives in South Florida and

writes about the oddness of being
Asian in America.

He eventually graduated from St. Mary’s

University in San Antonio, Texaswhere his poetry
career began with the original “Pecan Grove
Poets.”
“ By writing about these influences,
it's my way of kicking back.
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Nick Carbo’s Works

▸Andalusian dawn

▸El grupo McDonald's

▸Secret Asian man

▸Pinoy poetics
6 I've always wanted to play the part 
of that puckish pubescent Filipino boy

in those John Wayne Pacific-War movies.

Pepe, Jose, or Juanito would be smiling,
Little Brown bare-chested and eager to please
Brother for most of the steamy jungle scenes.
By: Nick Carbo I'd be the one who would cross
the Japanese lines and ask for tanks,

air support, or more men. I'd miraculously

make it back to the town where John Wayne

is holding his position against the enemy

with his Thompson machine-gun. As a reward,

he'd rub that big white hand on my head

and he'd promise to let me clean
7 his Tommy gun by the end of the night. But
then, a Betty Grable look-a-like love

interest would divert him by sobbing 

into his shoulder, saying how awfully scared

she is about what the "Japs" would do

to her if she were captured. In one swift

motion, John Wayne would sweep her off 

her feet to calm her fears inside his private quarters.

Because of my Hollywood ability

to be anywhere, I'd be under the bed

watching the woman roll down her stockings

as my American hero unbuckles his belt.

I'd feel the bottom of the bed bounce off my chest

as small-arms fire explodes outside the walls.