Bili Na Kayo (please buy)

It came to pass
some random thoughts
ethereal yet solid
bunch of crap
that don't make sense
wander in my mind

There was a time
on distant shores
Manila or Makati or Cavite
chunks of rocks
roll by the shore
giant waves rickocheting
in thunderous chorus

Balut!  Baluuut!
cried the brown wrinkled brown skinny man
in a lightish blue short sleeved shirt
and brown pants
basket beside him
hoping for a sale
in the pale moonlight
as he grimaced

Bili na kayo
he urges passers-by
bili na kayo


by--Pauline Garanchon Santos

Diary of the Day

The day is starting good, but it always ends bad.  So I have to be prepared.

Poetry of the Day

Viva Nueva York


I come from haunts of coot and hern
In New York City buenas dias

I bubble in the pebble
Hurricane Sandy
Subway floods
Pump pump pump
Get the agua out
Walls came down
Shut down
Take the autobus

But men may come 
to take the bus
But woah it takes so long
Traffic jam, so many stops
And people are so slow

And men may go
Donde vas amigo?
Down the steps
Up the steps

But I go on forever
Viva Nueva York!



by Pauline Santos

Poetry of the Day

Your Dimples

Upon Westminster Bridge
Is that a name?
I don't recall
Which wayward way
A thousand times
Must I go

Earth has not anything to show more fair?
Is that so?
Bemused may I be
To know your name
In all equations
It's just the same

But how am I
To know your name
If squandered be
In all eternity?

It has been such
A long, long time
Since I have seen
Your name
Etched in the sky
Buried in my heart

I long to see you
I ache for your dimples



--by Pauline Santos

How To Write a Review

The Coming of the Cross and the SwordOctober 2, 2015A Zarzuela held at The Philippine Center in New York City

The Melding of Cultures

Somewhere in Spain today stands a statue of the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan with a caption saying that Magellan died in Spain.  According to the chronicles of Antonio Pigafetta, Magellan was b uried in Cebu, an island in the Philippines.  He died in the hands of Lakan Lapu-Lapu,the Chief of Mactan, who refused to pay the tribute that Magellan demanded in the name of King Carlos I of Spain.

The play "Ang Pagdating ng Krus at Espada" (The Coming of the Cross and Sword) is the story of Magellan as he sailed into the New World, in search of the Moluccas Spice Island.  It was held October 2, 2015 in New York City, where the Filipino-American community gathered for a People's Theater for the annual fundraising presentation of PAGASA Social Fuondation, Inc. (Philippine American Group for Aging Seniors of America).

The zarzuela,where actors act uot the scenes in mime, while a literary narrator narrates the different scenes and the dialogue, was Spain's legacy.  Interspersed throughout the performance were songs and dances that so beautifully captured the mood and sentiment of the period.  The close-up look at the characters gave the audience a personal glimpse at the souls that inhabited these beings, a chance to observe closely their body language and facial expressions peering through the internal musings of the characters, their doubts,optimism, and spirituality.  The zarzuela successfully humanized the characters of Magellan and Enrique,conscious of their mortality and perhaps their roles in history, and or their fate in such a risky undertaking.

Enrique of note was a Filipino who started out as Magellan's slave. He was so knowledgeable that he spoke to Magellan of the Spice Islands,in the place where he was born. He eventually became Magellan's right hand,and the truth be told, was actually the first circumnavigator of the world, having come from the Philippine Islands and then returned back with Magellan in 1521.

In Scene 3, Magellan meets and befriends the native Chief Rajah Humabon. This scene reveals to the audience, through Magellan's eyes, a vibrant and spirited culture composed of small kingdoms, rich in gold and ceremonies which existed among pre-colonial native indigenous peoples of the Philippines.  This is the most colorful and festive scene, the meeting of cultures, where the beautiful, glittery and colorful native costumes of the Philippines were on proud display.

In the final scene, we learn how the Filipinos resisted valiantly Magellan's aggression.  Very remarkable was the exhibition of the Kali Silat, the native fight dance, which represented the resistance of the natives from Magellan's incursion into the island of Mactan, where he finally met his death.  In such an occasion,when most of the people who attended were Filipino-Americans, the true nature of Filipinos shines.

We off our deepest gratitude to the author Cristo Rey Alunan who painstakingly leafed through the pages of the Pigafetta Chronicles in order to bring to life the truth about the Filipino's struggle for freedom and triumphs of self-determination.  The play was produced by Purple Pillars Production, the theatrical arm of The Nursing Office Extended Arts, providing safe haven to creativity.

--by Pauline Santos

MAKING IT

by Pauline Garanchon Santos

Excerpt from my third book
\Pending publication

"...The agency called me to say that my next assignment was American Express.  "Interesting," I thought.  The building was very nice, right by the beautiful Winter Garden and on the 38th floor, overlooking the marina.  And, wow, I was assigned to the Marketing Research Department (MRD), not the high pressure areas of Sales or Banking.  Great.  After a few days, a manager told me that that they were looking for a permanent administrative assistant (AA).  I guessed they liked me and that it was an invitation for me to apply.  However, I felt that I needed to meet my boss first.  He was on vacation they said --  but it really was not a vacation.  His wife just had a baby and he wanted to be with them for a few days.  So one day, he showed up unexpectedly looking irritated for having been summoned by a temp.  He was tall and wearing a flowing long  coat and a hat.  He looked like he would fit better in an advertising agency environment.  He didn't say word and didn't even acknowledge me.  But I was satisfied.  I realized it was big of him to acquiesce to my demand.

I took my time, though, to contemplate the invitation to apply a little longer.  Then one day, I was walking down the aisle on my way to the copy machine, when a sort of perky AA confronted me with a smile as she typed at her computer.  She said, "Hey, why don't you apply for the job?  Go.  Go apply."  I felt quite flattered that she felt me good enough to be part of this prestigious company.  Little did I know what a tight ass she actually was -- the type who would be impressed by someone like me, who didn't seem to jump up and down at the opportunity to work in Corporate America.  She was the only AA who didn't answer the telephone by stating his or her name.  She would proudly answer, "Hello, American Express!"  Not that I wasn't proud myself.  But she was a gazillion times prouder.  But that was just the gentle push I needed to go for it.

In corporations as large as this one, I discovered that there was an interview relay.  I was interviewed by the boss, the manager, and the head AA.  Very thorough, I thought.  Then I was interviewed by a very amiable female manager.  I was curious though why she was compelled to warn me that there was a glass ceiling in the company.  What a funny thing to say, I thought.  Did she smell testosterone on me or something?  But in hindsight, it really wasn't such an odd thing to say.  She must have sensed my ambition.  Who knows?  I should have felt flattered.  But I only gave her my clueless look.  In a few days, they would tell me happily that I got the job. 

As I embarked on my new adventure on Wall Street, I marched on like a soldier on a mission in the Services Establishment team of MRD.  Nobody was aware of this mission, not a soul.  I did not tell anybody, not my best friend, not my sister, not my Mom, not a neighbor, not an acquaintance.  It was my secret.  I guess it's not something you would advertise to other people.  But it was always on my mind, my constant companion.  Every morning to work, I would sit on the No. 1 train, headed for the WTC, and plotting my strategy for success.  I really wanted to know what I was doing wrong.  Why I would shine and then end up trapped even in the midst of success.  This time I promised that I would be conscientious and aware of every decision I amke and every step or turn I take.  I looked at my job as a Buddhist would..."

copyright 2016New York, New YorkUnited States of America

Ms. Santos is a Filipino-American who writes in New York City.  In this second book of hers, she writes about Growing Up in Manila.


Price:  $20

copyright 2009
published by PUBLISHAMERICA, LLLC
Baltimore, Maryland UNITED STATES OF AMERICA


Excerpt:

"Juan, you are excellent in English," I said.  That's why you don't appreciate its importance..."

To purchase a copy, please email orders to mistview.santos@gmail.com.