Jim Pascual Agustin's Blog, page 19

March 31, 2017

Date of Birth – originally posted on “days of stone”

Date of Birth


On the scorching final day of March

1969, multiple copies of a government document

were made to mark the birth of a child

just in time for afternoon siesta.


Though it bore his name,

chosen for him without asking

his consent, and the time

and date of his arrival, his weight,


the document said little else. Leaving him

to one day wonder whose hands

had pulled him out of his mother’s

flesh. Was that person careful


not to hurt him as she forced

open the child’s fists while counting

his fingers and toes? Did she listen

with her good ear as he took


his first breaths, listened as air

explored his lungs for the first time?

Was it a slow and intimate moment

or was the operating room


quickly wiped up and prepared

for the arrival of another child

before he could even test the limits

of his throat? Did she return


to see if he’d survived

his first hours? Or did she rush

home to her own?

Years later he would carry


a certified copy of that piece

of paper to prove his existence

to officials. But he himself

has no memory of being fished


out of a sea of watery darkness

to be held up in the humming

fluorescent light

and weighed.


-o-


This poem was written on 22 September 2016 (1324-1402) for the days of stone website of my good friend, Ryan Stone, who lives in Australia. One day I hope to finally meet my friend in person and thank him for reading my work and encouraging others to do the same.


If you are interested in my writing, my new book, Wings of Smoke, has just been released and available through various online retailers like Book Depository, Amazon and my publisher, The Onslaught Press. Readers in the Philippines may contact via Facebook my Manila-based publisher, UST Publishing House.


Writing starts largely as a solitary act. Any writing may as well be a leaf pressed by the elements between sand turned to stone if it is never read. Today I thank all those who have spent time with my words.


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Filed under: Filipino poetry, Filipino-South African, Jim Pascual Agustin, poetry, Uncategorized Tagged: Date of Birth, days of stone, Jim Pascual Agustin, Ryan Stone
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Published on March 31, 2017 00:02

March 30, 2017

Not my place to judge “Duterte’s dead”

One can only hope. That’s a line often uttered. Even I like it. That’s also what one says to oneself when submitting a piece of work for someone else to assess, to judge. That’s what I did when I posted “Duterte’s dead” here and when I entered it at the Goodreads.com poetry competition. It got honorable mention at least. But I was hoping it would at least be a finalist, just so more readers could read it. Well the decision’s out, now Goodreads members get to vote. And “Duterte’s dead” may live another day somewhere else, for some other reader to find.


At least it has been read here by over 500 visitors since it got posted. Thank you, dear readers.


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Published on March 30, 2017 02:58

March 29, 2017

Pretending to be an orc

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Yesterday I attended my first conference here in Cape Town. Organized by the University of the Western Cape, the event – WRITING FOR LIBERTY – had guest panelists from SA and many parts of the world. I wish I had the chance to listen to all the presentations and meet the excellent delegates.


For my part, I read six poems. In the final poem I decided to have some fun and read “To be an Orc” with a gruff voice. Made them all laugh. I wonder what they all thought of it.


I can’t promise to read that same poem that way again, but if you or anyone you know will be in or around Cape Town in the following days, I’ll try my best to make it worth your while listening to my work as I promote my new book, WINGS OF SMOKE.


30 March. 19h for 19h30 – Off the Wall Poetry at A Touch of Madness Restauant in Observatory


4 April. 18h for 18h30 – Kalk Bay Books


19 May. 14h30 – 15h30 – Franschhoek Literary Festival


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Published on March 29, 2017 00:13

March 26, 2017

Duterte’s dead

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photo by Erik de Castro found on Yahoo News


Duterte’s dead


are squirming with worms

that take the place

of forensic investigators.


They seek the shortest

and most efficient way

of exposing bone.


To those unacquainted

with the language

of final repose,


the worms render

each body

nearly identical.


Duterte’s dead

have lost the need

for food and water,


for the rare solace

of undisturbed moments

at the toilet.


Hope leaves no trace

in their hollowed skulls.

Only the living carry


that weight as they navigate

the mute streets, the dark

alleys, the witnesses


to the carnage.

Is there really

no memory in heaven?


-o-



The world seems to be on a tailspin – so-called leaders are intent on taking entire countries into variations of hell on earth. In my country of birth, it has been reported that over 8,000 people have been killed under the reign of President Rodrigo Duterte. Among the victims are children, innocent bystanders, and relatives who could not point to the whereabouts of a supposed target.


I entered this poem in the current Goodreads.com poetry competition. I don’t know if the good judges will choose it as a finalist, but I just wanted to put it out for as many readers as possible.


In the Philippines, there is a practice of not wiping the tears that fall on the coffin. It is also believed that if one places a young chick on the glass of the coffin with some seeds to peck at, those responsible for the death will never find peace.


The photo is credited to Erik de Castro, image found on Yahoo News.


Filed under: Creatures, Filipino poetry, Filipino-South African, Jim Pascual Agustin, Mga Tula / Poetry, poetry, politics, Uncategorized Tagged: #DuterteTutaeNgMgaMarcos, chick on top of coffin, Duterte, EJK, Erik de Castro, human rights violations, Jim Pascual Agustin
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Published on March 26, 2017 23:42

March 9, 2017

March 8, 2017

March 7, 2017

Using what’s free to fight what’s wrong

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I posted on Soundcloud.com audio recordings of both the original Filipino and English translation of my poem “Danica Mae” which won the Gabo Prize from Lunch Ticket. The texts were published here on Matangmanok as well as on Lunch Ticket.


I’m using Soundcloud as I have over 160 minutes of free time to fill. I thought I might as well use it as another platform to spread not just my poetry but to also express my disgust at the continuing murderous war on drugs policy of the Duterte regime in my country of birth.


I can’t say “Enjoy it!” as that is not the intention. Be bothered would be more apt.


Filed under: Asia, Filipino poetry, Filipino-South African, Fragments and Moments, Jim Pascual Agustin, KaLaman at DayuHan, Mga Tula / Poetry, poetry, politics, Uncategorized Tagged: #DuterteTutaeNgMgaMarcos, Antioch University, Danica Mae Garcia, Duterte, EJK, Jim Pascual Agustin, Lunch Ticket, war on drugs
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Published on March 07, 2017 23:22

March 1, 2017

Sixfold Winter 2016 publishes my poems

I was surprised when readers voted my work much higher than ever at Sixfold. I had told myself early on that I’m not joining again after entering this time. Sometimes the road forks when you wish there was only one path to follow. Click the image to get to the free PDF version of the latest Sixfold issue. Click THIS if you just want to read my poems.


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Filed under: Jim Pascual Agustin, Uncategorized Tagged: Jim Pascual Agustin, Sixfold
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Published on March 01, 2017 03:56

February 22, 2017

Aerodrome reviews WINGS OF SMOKE

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Some people have little care for words. Some learn a few that stick to them like bubblegum to orange hair, they end up using the same words over and over on television or Twitter. Surprisingly, one such person apparently managed to convince millions, mesmerised by his words, to vote him into power.


I don’t pretend to know more words than the average writer, but I try to care for the words that I let go, the words I allow to land on a page. In a world that seems to be increasingly overtaken by the loud and forceful, rather than those who seek truth and a common humanity, one has to be thankful for being read at all.


I previously posted links to the first review of WINGS OF SMOKE. I am delighted and deeply humbled by another review that has just been published at Aerodrome. Endless thanks to South African poet Christine Coates for her very kind words toward my latest paper child.


-o-


ABOUT THE BOOK


Wings of Smoke (The Onslaught Press, UK, 2017) is Agustin’s latest poetry collection, launched in the UK and worldwide in February 2017. The book may be ordered via the publisher’s website – www.onslaughtpress.com – and Amazon. It will be made available in South Africa from March 2017 mainly through the author who will be reading and launching the book at various venues: at the Writing for Liberty Conference at the Centre for the Book on 28 March, at Off the Wall (A Touch of Madness Restaurant) in Observatory on 30 March and at Kalk Bay Books on 4 April. More readings are to follow during the year.


Filed under: Jim Pascual Agustin, Literary News & Articles, Mga Tula / Poetry, Uncategorized, Wings of Smoke Tagged: Aerodrome, book review, Christine Coates, Filipino-South African, Jim Pascual Agustin, Philippines, poetry, politics, South Africa, Wings of Smoke
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Published on February 22, 2017 03:10

February 21, 2017

The first review of WINGS OF SMOKE

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Huge things are happening in my country of birth. A retired policeman has corroborated the testimony of one of the hired killers of the dreaded Davao Death Squad, saying the former mayor, now elected Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, created and conducted the vigilante-style group. During Duterte’s term as mayor of Davao City thousands were claimed to have been murdered or made to disappear by the DDS. Will this revelation change the course of my country of birth? One hopes for the better, as worse scenarios have been floated by various critics such as self-initiated revolution in order to force a change to federalism or even dictatorship (as Duterte’s hero, former dictator Ferdinand Marcos did in the 70s).


But the title of this post said something else! Yes, it did. My apologies. Here goes.


It is one thing an author wishes for his/her paper child – to be read. So I always thank readers who can find time to delve deeper into my work and come up with their own ideas about it.


Thank you to Marius Carlos, Jr for this review with two versions. One appears on his Medium.com page. The other version appears on The FilAm.


-o-


Wings of Smoke may be ordered via my publisher’s website – www.onslaughtpress.com – and Amazon. It will be made available in South Africa in March 2017 mainly through the author who will be reading and launching the book at various venues: at the Writing for Liberty Conference at the Centre for the Book on 28 March, at Off the Wall (A Touch of Madness Restaurant) in Observatory on 30 March and at Kalk Bay Books on 4 April. More to follow during the year.


Filed under: Asia, Filipino poetry, Filipino-South African, Fragments and Moments, Influences, Jim Pascual Agustin, Literary News & Articles, Mga Tula / Poetry, Sanaysay / Essays, Uncategorized, Wings of Smoke Tagged: Davao Death Squad, DDS, Duterte, EJK, Jim Pascual Agustin, The Onslaught Press, Wings of Smoke
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Published on February 21, 2017 00:33