Ermita (a historic district of Manila)
Posted on Thursday, 20 November 2014
Ermita
(Historic District of Manila)
By Apolinario Villalobos
Once the elite’s enclave
of Manila’s Hispanics,
crumbled to the ground
during the World War II,
it metamorphosed into
a lively district that
would come to life
at the strike of two.
At three, made up women
would lend color
to its drab surroundings,
at four, customers of
different shades
would peek through doors
if what’s inside was
for their taking,
and at five, with blaring
jukeboxes and enticing neon lights
Ermita would become fully awake
to begin another nocturnal life.
In this side of Manila by the bay,
while the sun slips sleepily
down the horizon yonder for the day,
Ermita would come to life –
a made-up face of the city.
The last days of ’94 however saw
Ermita’s lights fade;
No longer were there
made up women and sailors
who would tease each other
along corridors.
No longer were there
blaring music and
dancing neon lights
that made gay life beat
through seemingly endless nights.
Drab buildings became more stoic
to their surroundings,
robbed of life and earthly pleasure
that for years made Ermita
a temporal delight…
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