blackmail press 21
Tony Robles
U.S.A / Philippines /Ireland

index
index
crossed cultures - special issue
My father's hands

my father had
never been to
the Philippines

yet he ate
with his
hands

those hands smelled
like vinegar, soy
sauce, patis, cigarettes

piss

(from his janitorial job)

eating with his
hands was
natural to him

he'd sometimes
toss the knife and
fork aside in
frustration

they weren't
quite right

and sometimes
he'd wear
a sour face

eating dirt
dished out from
those American
streets

his hands
stained with brown
dirt and black dirt

he still eats
with them

still
washes
them

but the black
and brown
dirt

remain






An Alibata Lesson

Alibata tattoos
On arms legs
Armpits
Eyelids

Wiggly symbols
And lines that
Resemble waves

What wave
Are you?

Grandpa used to say
That the way to
Tell if spaghetti is
Properly cooked

Is to take
A single noodle and
Toss it on the
Ceiling

If it sticks,
It’s done

Grandpa is
Long gone

I looked up
At the ceiling
One day

A noodle
Was stuck
Up there

Probably there
For 50
Years

It looked like
An Alibata
Tattoo

A wiggly
Line which
Means

“I’m still
here with
you”

no
translation
needed



Featured Artist Fiona Holding
Tony Robles was born in San Francisco, CA.  His cultural mix is Filipino/African-American and Irish.  Family get togethers resemble a United Nations gathering.  Writing influenced by his father and uncles--all street guys from the city with the street talk and the street walk.  His writing school was "The Filipino Building Maintenance Company"--a small janitorial company run by his father.  Author of 2 kids books about his son-- "Lakas and the Manilatown Fish" and "Lakas and the Makibaka Hotel". His short story, "Son of a Janitor" will appear in "Growing up Filipino 2", pubished by PALH Books.  Writing influences: Al Robles and Oscar Penaranda.  More info: www.tony-robles.com.