Jim Pascual Agustin's Blog, page 33

New Coin Poetry on Facebook posts a poem of mine

New Coin Poetry, published twice a year is one publication worth supporting. Get your local library to subscribe to this South African institution. Better than the trashy magazines. And I’m not just saying this because they’ve accepted my poetry.

“People Who Live with Lions” is one of the poems also included in a forthcoming anthology of contemporary South African poetry edited by Denis Hirson, following a similar anthology he put together in French. It is now in a manuscript called SKY FOR SILENT WINGS which I hope to submit to a publisher soon. The lion sketch is by one of my daughters. :)  I can’t draw.

Filed under: Sky for Silent Wings, Uncategorized Tagged: Filipino poetry, Jim Pascual Agustin, New Coin Poetry, Philippines, poetry, South Africa

Pause

Pause

I have seen days when the wind weighs

so heavy on trees, they bend close

to breaking. A limb with the greenest leaves

or weakened by age would have to give in.

The trunk may have to learn a new angle

sunward. What is less apparent is the path

the wind must make. It has to unravel,

splitting itself into countless strands

to navigate between each leaf, each branch.

We take turns being one or the other.

-o-

this poem is for Margie

Filed under: poetry

Protected: Poems I might read at OFF THE WALL POETRY, 10 February 2014 (please send me a note to get the password)

This post is password protected. You must visit the website and enter the password to continue reading.

Filed under: Uncategorized

Protected: Poems I might read at OFF THE WALL POETRY, 10 February 2014

This post is password protected. You must visit the website and enter the password to continue reading.

Filed under: Uncategorized

The announcement I nearly missed

It turns out that yesterday’s Cape Times where Karin Schimke reviewed my book, Sound Before Water, had a small announcement in their “Diary” section. I nearly missed it, then nearly choked when I was shown it:

I haven’t come up with a list yet of poems to read. I plan to mix old and new, perhaps even some translations. Or I could play with a theme, music or music-related. I might post some of the poems here if I have the time. Otherwise, please hope I don’t bore the audience into trying to drown themselves in the nearest wineglass.

If the audience survives, or even likes my work, they might have a chance to buy the handful of copies of SOUND BEFORE WATER that I plan to bring with me.

Filed under: Fragments and Moments, Literary News & Articles, poetry, Silly Babble, Uncategorized Tagged: Alien to Any Skin, Baha-bahagdang Karupukan, Cape Times, Jim Pascual Agustin, Karin Schimke, Observatory, Off the Wall Poetry, Philippines, poetry, solo poetry reading, South Africa, Touch of Madness, UST Publishing House

Finally, SOUND BEFORE WATER gets reviews

I am sure my dear publisher will be glad to know that there are keen readers out there for my work, both in my country of birth and perhaps in other parts of the world. I hope they hasten to put out digital versions of my books. You, my dear readers, can perhaps help by sending a friendly message to UST Publishing House via their Facebook page.

Two reviews of Sound Before Water came out. The first one, written by Rina Angela Corpus, is available online at GMA News. Today, in the Cape Times, literary editor Karin Schimke wrote this:

-o-

Filed under: Fragments and Moments, Literary News & Articles, poetry, Sound Before Water, Uncategorized Tagged: Alien to Any Skin, Baha-bahagdang Karupukan, Cape Times, Jim Pascual Agustin, Karin Schimke, Philippines, poetry, Sound Before Water, South Africa, US imperialism, UST Publishing House, war on terror

My poem, “Wood and String,” is a finalist at Goodreads.com!!!

I’m happy to share this bit of news – my poem just got selected by the kind judges for the Goodreads.com monthly contest.

I will update this post as I get a chance. I originally wrote this poem after seeing a short video for a Poetry International competition (the poem was a finalist, too). The video can be viewed by choosing the photo of a puppet HERE.

other plans for this poem later.

Meanwhile, please do READ THE POEM, consider joining Goodreads.com and the Poetry! group so you can vote for it… or another poem you may perceive to be more worthy. Just being read alone would be nice.

Thanks!

Filed under: Fragments and Moments, Influences, Literary News & Articles, Mga Tula / Poetry, poetry, Uncategorized Tagged: A Thousand Eyes, Filipino, Filipino poetry in English, Goodreads.com, Jim Pascual Agustin, poetry, poetry contest

The Breath of Sparrows… for Madiba

The Breath of Sparrows

for Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela

So it has arrived, the news

of your departure. Last night

I dreamt I was in the house

of my mentor, as a frequent guest

who took a desk by the window.

A towering tree with red

and yellow flowers as big as hands,

the breeze slipping between each

petal finger. I went to his room

to ask the name of that tree.

He lay on his bed, resting

with eyes closed but aware

of the birds weighing down

the branches, leaves caressing

the roof. The breath of sparrows

like his own. There was no need to name

the tree, no need to name anything

at all at that moment. I bid him thanks

before leaving, my footsteps drowning

in sparrow wings.

-o-

Filed under: Africa, Alien to Any Skin, Asia, Baha-bahagdang Karupukan, Fragments and Moments, Influences, Kalmot ng Pusa sa Tagiliran, Life in a different world, Literary News & Articles, Mga Tula / Poetry, poetry, Sound Before Water, Uncategorized Tagged: Africa, democracy, Freedom, Jim Pascual Agustin, Madiba, Nelson Mandela, South Africa, tribute

Cape Town Launch of the Sol Plaatje European Union Poetry Anthology 3

I’m not sure what to expect, but I already promised I’ll read my work at the Cape Town launch. So here’s the official announcement…

I will try not to make a fool of myself in front of complete strangers. “Try” is one word but “Fool” always seems to cling to me.

Filed under: Fragments and Moments, Literary News & Articles, Mga Tula / Poetry, poetry Tagged: Filipino poetry, Jim Pascual Agustin, poetry, Sol Plaatje European Poetry Anthology Vol III

Listen to Matt Damon and Howard Zinn

I should have said HI to him when he came to South Africa to ride with Francois Pienaar on the Argus Cycle Tour around the Cape. His film choices and the things he reads and says in various interviews show a truly thinking person so rare from someone so popular.

Here’s one more from him, reading from Howard Zinn… click on the LINK.

Filed under: Capitalism's greed, environment, Fragments and Moments, Imperialism, Influences, Latin America, Middle East, North America, terrorism Tagged: civil disobedience, civil obedience, Howard Zinn, Matt Damon