Jim Pascual Agustin's Blog, page 37
August 8, 2013
So I did write something called “The Ghosts of Fukushima”
But I only have it up for a while for critique at one of my poetry groups. Here is the LINK – temporary as I plan to delete the post when I’ve got a final version.
For those who have no idea what I’m talking about, read yesterday’s entry.
Filed under: Asia, environment, poetry Tagged: Jim Pascual Agustin, nuclear meltdown, Philippines, poetry, The Ghosts of Fukushima, tsunami
August 7, 2013
The Ghosts of Fukushima
One day someone will write a novel, or at least a short story, if not a poem with that title. It probably isn’t going to be me, but I’m willing to take credit for the title. 
Seriously though, this article from the New York Times is worrying.
Cape Town has had its own problems with its nuclear plant which, like the ones in Fukushima, are by the sea. A few years ago a wrench was found in a sensitive section of the reactor. There were also reports of the dwindling number of qualified technicians. These days power utility Eskom seems to have either managed the various problems or now employs good spin doctors.
The other night I suddenly recalled the horrifying footage we saw during the Fukushima disaster – of black waters wiping out everything in its path, cars, street poles, and even buildings that looked stable and unmovable. Shots filmed from a helicopter made you realize the extent of death and destruction.
And yet we forget. Or so easily get used to such events. There are ghosts. You know there are, and they will haunt us all.
-o-
Filed under: Africa, Asia, Silly Babble Tagged: Fukushima, Koeberg, nuclear plant
August 3, 2013
August 1, 2013
Has anyone ever died of subtlety?
Just a ramble. What language do they use in Israeli courts when dealing with Palestinian issues?
THIS NEWS ITEM is like something out of The Far Side. Sooooo subtle, the IDF.
Legalistic (is that even a term?) language can be a minefield for those outside of the legal profession. Here’s the beginning of an ignorant’s ramble… feel free to enlighten me.
I grew up in a country with many islands that had various cultural groups, some with their own languages or dialects. The language that lawyers used in court was English. Language was a way to isolate those who are not “equipped” to deal with legal matters. It remains the same today, as far as I know.
My country of birth is celebrating “Buwan ng Wika” – literally, “Language Month.” It isn’t declared as “Filipino Language Month” for it’s meant to celebrate all the different languages and dialects of the country – except the dominant official language, English. There are so many questions I’m eager to ask, now that I am halfway across the globe and more often using the colonial language. Where do I even start?
Filed under: Uncategorized
July 29, 2013
A Bewitching Poem and three news items
By chance I discovered a stunning poem by a poet I had never before heard of. Toe Good Poetry which published one of my poems, “Parable of the Stupid Man,” not long ago, has featured Michaela A. Gabriel. Read the poem, listen to her reading. She’ll make you gasp for air!
NEWS ITEMS: Edward Snowden, Bradley Manning, and Stop Prawer Plan - the first two have been covered by various mainstream and independent media while the last one should be.
I hope to write a poem for each item. Some day. Perhaps they won’t be as good as what Michaela A. Gabriel might write, but I’ll try anyway.
Filed under: Fragments and Moments, Imperialism, Influences, Literary News & Articles, Middle East, North America, Silly Babble, terrorism, Uncategorized Tagged: Bradley Manning, Edward Snowden, Jim Pascual Agustin, Michaela A. Gabriel, Prawer Plan, Toe Good Poetry
July 26, 2013
It isn’t true that history will teach us nothing
This article is worth reading. Not for the revisionists.
Chronology of the Marcos plunder
Filed under: Uncategorized
A stray kitty
One day I’ll write about Caspian, the kitten who strayed into our property close to Christmas.
For now, here’s a very early photo of him. Not sure if he was trying to say THANK YOU for saving him from being stuck on a wire gate. But I’m using the photo to say THANK YOU to those who read my poem and maybe even voted HERE. See yesterday’s post if you have no idea what I’m talking about.
I’m not sure when voting ends. If you can still vote, then great.
Maraming salamat.
Filed under: Uncategorized
July 25, 2013
Someone thought this baby has something special
In an earlier post I mentioned a poem that I didn’t expect would get noticed. Got a nice surprise this morning.
The current judges of the Goodreads.com Monthly Poetry! competition thought my poem has something special enough to be chosen as a finalist for the August Newsletter. It isn’t the biggest charmer among those chosen, but it’s got a lot going for it.
Donning my salesman’s hat here – all ragged and out of shape.
First, this poem has an unusual title: End of 2010: Another Science Fiction Year has Come and Gone. Now, how many poems do you know can pull off that kind of title and still expect to be liked? hahahaha… almost falling off my chair here.
I’m not going to tell you that the other poems are not as good. Much of poetry comes down to taste. But if you want more than just a passing oooh and aaah, something that deals with more than just the pretty and easy, something that will make you stop for a moment and won’t let you slide back into the groove of the day, maybe you want to give this poem a chance.
If you do like it – odd as that may sound – please sign up with Goodreads.com and the Poetry! group in order to vote for it. And tell others. Or at least tell me here. One day the poem might end up in a future collection tentatively titled SKY FOR SILENT WINGS.
Had my fun. Thanks for reading this. Oh, that cat is our stray Caspian. He has nothing to do with the poem. He’s there to attract readers. 
Or scare them.
Filed under: Fragments and Moments, Life in a different world, Literary News & Articles, Mga Tula / Poetry, poetry, Silly Babble, Uncategorized Tagged: Alien to Any Skin, Baha-bahagdang Karupukan, Filipino poetry, Jim Pascual Agustin, Philippines, South Africa, UST Publishing House
July 17, 2013
An Updated Entry and a Ramble
The five poems of mine which appeared in the online Middle East Monitor needed links updates, so I might as well mention it here. I hope the poems are still worth reading, years after they were written.
Now the ramble…
When I arrived here in Cape Town I worked briefly for a small company (mother and daughter owners) teaching little kids how to use the computer. It was an odd experience, but one of the many things I clearly remember was this strange sensation when I was referred to as someone who had come from “the Far East” – a phrase I’d never thought of.
For me, “the East” was not far at all. It’s home! And then if you really think about it, there is no East or West or North or South when you look at the globe. It’s a sphere and wherever you turn and keep going, you’ll end up just going round and round without reaching East, West, North, or South!
End of ramble. End of silly ramble.
Filed under: Mga Tula / Poetry, Middle East, poetry, Silly Babble Tagged: Middle East Monitor, poems on Israel, poems on Palestine
July 16, 2013
A poem that took years
It used to take me a few minutes to write a poem. More recently I find myself going back to a poem from many years ago and reworking it until I find a point of satisfaction… or is that exhaustion? The monthly poetry contest at Goodreads.com has picked my work a number of times, one of them even won (AUDIO RECORDING LINK).
This month I entered something which I started writing in December 2010 but just “finished” a few weeks ago. It is post 296 near the end of page 6 on THIS LINK. Apparently it has a “local” flavor… meaning what, I wonder. hahaha. I appreciate any feedback or critique – as always. Maybe it needs more mending.
Thanks.
Port Jackson willow. photo from wikipedia.org
My poem is called “End of 2010: Another Science Fiction Year has Come and Gone“
Filed under: poetry, Uncategorized Tagged: Filipino poetry, Goodreads.com, Jim Pascual Agustin, Sky for Silent Wings, South Africa
