ASIAN AMERICAN POET: EILEEN TABIOS

Eileen Tabios ( September 10,1960)
* Born in Ilocos Sur,Philippines and moved to the United States when she was 10
* She has her B.A. in political science and M.B.A in economics and international business
* She started writing poetry in 1995
*Eileen has published and released fourteen print, four electronic, one CD poetry collection, an art essay collection, a poetry essay/interview anthology, and a short story book.
*She has also translated her poems in different languages and through different styles of art such as dance, drawings, paintings, ect.
* She helped to form an Asian American Writing Workshop to help build a strong AA writing community.
*Her style of poetry is "prose" aka abstract poetry. This type of poetry helps the reader to come up with their own conclusions and ideas about the poem. A prose poem does not have any sort of format, so its writer has the freedom for lyrical expression.
*Her reason for getting into poetry: "A reporter can't anticipate what will become the news event requiring coverage, nor an analyst what factors will come to influence the rise and fall of the stock market. She notes, "I'm rather restless; I believe Hell is boredom."-(interview with The Asian Pacific American Journal) She wanted something that would challenge her and in the end changed the way she thinks and lives.


I chose poems from her book, "The Light Sang As It Left Your Eyes", a book which was written after her father's passing. She discusses some personal experiences and other thoughts. I first Googled "Filipina American" poets and Eileen Tabios came up. I wanted a Filipina American poet because I wanted to understand their personal transition between moving to the U.S. from the Philippines, the issues they went through growing up to present, and if I can identify with them culturally, politically, economically, socially, etc. Eileen's style of writing was intriguing to me because each page had a different style like one page would look like a formal poem and another would contain pictures. I wanted to explore more about Eileen and what she was about because I could tell that by her writing style, she had a story to tell and I wanted to listen.

BARBIE
...When we arrived in the United States, we became poor. My parents could not afford to give me what I, at age ten desperately wanted: a Barbie doll. From visiting some classmates' homes, I learned that American girls love Barbie. Many owned at least a dozen Barbie dolls, complete with homes, cars, friends, surfboards...and, good Lord, so many shoes!

I only wanted one. I asked for it many times. My parents never said "No." They would only smile and promise, "Soon."

...Two years later my parents gave me my first Barbie doll, At 12 years old, I was hovering on the edge of still wanting to play with dolls and wanting something else---something larger but which I could not define.

At age 12, I ignored that Barbie doll.

At age 35, I discovered that writing poems was inseparable with facing up to those shadowed parts of the past. That's when I bought this Barbie doll who now keeps me company with her own computer,books,pens,and shoes. Six months after acquiring her, I bought her a blonde-haired friend dressed in an equestrian outfit. That friend would come to teach her something I've always wanted to do but never had the time or money to develop: expertly ride horses.

I will never feel the wind blow through my hair as it has for my Barbie doll twin riding her horse. But I do have a fireplace in my writing studio. On it, ten Filipina Barbies pose in various Filipino costumes, including "Philippine Centennial Barbie." Their packaging proclaims:

The Philippine Centennial marks the 100th year of the Philippines as a nation. It is a celebration of the emancipation of the Filipino from the tyranny of colonialism and his transformation into a citizen of an independent and proud nation.

The Philippine Independence was declared on June 12,1898 with the ratification of a Philippine Constitution in January of the following year. These events give the Philippines the distinction of having the first constitutional democracy in Asia.

The Centennial of Philippine Independence represents the history, struggle and solidarity of the Filipino people. It tells the story of the birth and growth of the Filipino race and serves as a reminder of the Filipino's moral duty to spread the inherent nobility, courage, and wealth of his heritage.

BARBIE II (from her favorite poet: Nick Carbo)
ANG TUNAY NA LALAKIMEETS BARBIE AT THE SHARK BAR
on Mulberry and Spring on a rainy night.
Her head sticks out of some woman’s tote bag
placed on top of the bar, she winks
at Ang Tunay na Lalaki. He looks at his gin and tonic,
looks back at the doll and hears her tiny voice
even though her lips aren’t moving. "Hi there,
big guy. I was made in the Philippines. You look
like you were made there too." He responds
just to humor himself, "Where, at the Subic Bay
manufacturing plants? Did you enjoy
being made by exploited laborers?" Barbie crawls
onto the sticky bar and sits herself on the edge
crossing her legs. "I remember those delicate fingers
expertly sewing the hairs to my head. Those women
were so nice to me." She bends at her waist
to let her hair down and dramatically lifts her head up
so her blond locks turn into a glamorous puff,
"See, they did a good job. You must admit."
"You’re incorrigible," he exhales a cloud of smoke
after lighting up a cigarette, "And you’re
all plastic, petroleum based plastic."
Barbie places her palms against her face
and begins to sob. Ang Tunay na Lalaki sticks out
his middle finger, strokes the back of her head,
"Now, now, doll. First time anyone ever told
you the truth?" Barbie lifts her left arm
to swipe away his finger, "My name’s Barbie!
Not Doll, Sweetie, Honey, or Dolly. It’s Barbie!"
Ang Tunay na Lalaki sips his gin,
"Look, Barbie. You have the perfect life,
you’re the world’s best-selling doll
and millions of little girls are buying you dresses.
Even the top fashion designers design
for you." Barbie straightens her back
as if she had a spine, places
her hands on her lap, "But you don’t know
how hard it is to be beautiful all the time. See,
you made my mascara run." He takes a napkin,
dips it into his drink, proceeds to wipe off
the small black streaks on her cheeks, "It’s acrylic,
a water based paint." He reaches into his pocket
for a ball-point pen, draws rich eye lashes
around her eyes. Barbie slides over to a shot glass,
stares at her reflection, "Hey, you’re good
at this. Have you ever considered a career
in make-up? I could recommend you
to our designers, you know."
Suddenly a woman’s human hand plucks
Barbie off the bar, stuffing her
back into a tote bag. His eyes follow
the tote bag out the door. All he can see
is a puff of blond hair and a stiff arm
swaying back and forth like a metronome.