This item is a seminal work of "prison literature" written by Dr. Charles Thomas Brown, an American military surgeon who served with the 14th Regiment of Engineers (Philippine Scouts). Following the fall of Bataan in 1942, Brown was captured and held as a Prisoner of War (POW) for three years, primarily within the walls of the "Old Bilibid" Prison in Manila. The collection consists of 90 poems that Brown composed in secret, often burying them in mason jars within the prison yard to evade Japanese inspectors. His verses provide a raw, first-hand account of the psychological and physical toll of captivity, touching on themes of starvation, disease (such as malaria and beriberi), and the enduring hope for liberation. The specific copy pictured contains the "Ex Libris" of R.S. Silliman (Robert Stanton Silliman), a prominent figure in the history of Silliman University. This provenance highlights the book's value as a pedagogical tool and a memorial artifact within the university's library, linking the global narrative of World War II to the local intellectual and cultural preservation efforts in Dumaguete City.
Bars From Bilibid Prison