Filipino Poet, Writer and Educator
By Luis G. Dato When I wander the streets of Manila, it seems Intramuros awakens my mem’ry again; When at twilight the sun leaves me lone with my dreams Of the heroes of old and the power of Spain. I…
by Luis G. Dato Tarlac looks young this April With a load of ungathered skies; Its pawing feet are trembling Between sugar and rice. In Angles, behind twin towers, The hills rise fold on fold, A barren ridge, a sunken…
by Luis G. Dato The cruel muse with tumult fills the cities, They rear with gasping breath, And thunder beats upon their pavements, Thunder that came from death. The stranger’s heart at eventide is lonely, And weary must be roam,…
by Luis G. Dato The town is quiet, the houses still, And the dark house of God, The heroes slumber up the hill, And in my heart, their blood. Again I see a gay procession, And men in bright attire,…
by Luis G. Dato Above Bataan warplanes soar, Relentlessly the cannons roar From smoking cliffs to ships off-shore, A roof of bombs, a ring of flame; Corregidor’s a blur behind, An army there will cover find, Bataan stands, and then…
By Luis G. Dato Across the moonless meadows I make a sudden flight, Up hills and down the valleys of immemorial death, My throbbing heart remeasures my stallion’s labored breath, I stand upon Zapote this hour of near midnight. I…
By Luis G. Dato By frowning hills and mountains Nippon has Builded her eyries dyed with innocent blood, She soared above the raging ocean’s flood, To light on corpses bared by rain and grass Those cliffs to us are holy,…
By Luis G. Dato On Vietnam’s marshes, set against dark hills, War inexorable goes on apace The torch to keep that lights the human race, Against the foe whose march insidious kills. Here is grim destiny, fierce minds, strong wills,…
By Luis G. Dato O city, million-souled, thousand-streeted, I feel your breath upon me, The sound of your many voices, Tread of anonymous feet. Goodbye, Manila, emporium of bills and kisses, And ladies with the hurrying hips And ever-freshly painted…
By Luis G. Dato And this will pass to nothingness: These lights That change to day the avenue’s dark nights, And beauty, too, because it will grow old The extinct crater of the heart turned cold. Tomorrow dies and quondam…
