Sungyoun Jee
A Night in Manila
As the curtains droop over the red sky,
the empty blankness of the eerie night
is filled by the sound of cars rampaging.
Fuming out angry gas dyeing the clouds
pitch black, honking horns loud and clear, waking
a baby up somewhere. Screeching out that
it’s late, driving to their resting place.
Drivers yawning, complaining to their bosses
they are too sleepy to come out early.
But the bosses do not tolerate that,
and tell them to arrive, sharply at six.
Another busy day and night has passed
at the restless city of Manila
While the driver sleeps in until ten.
Sungyoun (Michael) Jee is a freshman at International School Manila. He has won awards in the Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Writing Contest for his poetry as well as in the Scholastics Art & Writing Awards for his short story and poetry. He enjoys taking naps and eating pasta.
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