Happy Mondays XXVI

featured readers for tonight's 26th installment of the Happy Mondays Poetry Nights @ mag:net cafe katipunan are as follows:

1. Ramil Digal Gulle
2. Angelo V. Suarez
3. Costantino Zicarelli
4. Pancho C. Villanueva
5. Keith Cortez
6. John Torres
7. Khavn Dela Cruz
8. Adam David
9. Marie La Vina
10. Andrea Teran
11. Mikael Co
12. Ken Ishikawa
13. Pocholo Goitia

plus Krip Yuson, Jimmy Abad, Marne Kilates, regular Happy Mondays mainstays, and special guests.

Admission is free. runs from 7pm to 930pm. please bring poems if you want to read for the open mic. Kitakits!

Happy Mondays XXV

sorry for the late post. been under the weather the past few days. anyway, Happy Mondays Poetry Nights @ mag:net Katipunan tonight, 7 to 930pm. It's the 25th installment and this week, we'll be giving a tribute to the late poet,visual artist, and architect Sid Gomez Hildawa, whose works some of the poets present tonight will read.

featured readers as follows:

1. Lourd De Veyra
2. Eric Melendez
3. Marie La Viña
4. Angelo Suarez
5. Yol Jamendang
6. Pocholo Goitia
7. Mikael Co
8. Jonar Sabilano
9. Marne Kilates
10. Lawrence Bernabe
11. Patty Laurel
12. Krip Yuson

please come and read as well. free admission. kitakits.

Doubting Mang Tomas

ewan ko ba. parang ayoko na kay Mang Tomas. nakakahighblood! grrr.



at kay Thomas Covenant na rin. unbeliever s'ya.



haven't been posting lately because of my private Calvary. been checking a mountain of novel analyses this past holy week. submission of grades is tomorrow and i've yet to compute grades. hotdamn.

anyway, much thanks to all who came, supported, and read during the anniversary of the bi-monthly Happy Mondays Poetry Nights at Mag:Net Cafe the other Monday. photos to follow. please come and join us on the 25th installment on April 7.

below's more or less the final cover design with blurbs for my upcoming book to be published by UST Press. wasak!

XXIV

Previously on Happy Mondays...

It was on the second of April last year, the first monday of the month, that the Happy Mondays Poetry Nights was successfully launched @ Mag:net Cafe in Katipunan. Tomorrow, March 17, marks the 24th installment of the bi-monthly reading -- a rare feat in consistency and the completion of a year-round series of Poetry Reading that featured veteran and multi-awarded pillars of the Philippine poetry scene, as well as some of the brightest and most promising young poets in the country today.

The idea of having a regular poetry reading in the cafe was conceived by Mag:Net owner Rock Drilon and young poet from the Ateneo Andrea "Drey" Teran sometime in March of last year. The goal was to establish the cafe as a regular venue for reading poems. The project was commendable since public readings of this type are hard to come by; the opportunity to read literary works is often dependent on (and limited to) literary festivals and workshops.

The Happy Mondays Poetry Nights project has brought on stage some of the most revered and respected young and established poets in the country: from Marc Gaba, Angelo Suarez, Mookie Katigbak, and Conchitina Cruz to Marne Kilates, Marjorie Evasco, Krip Yuson, and Gemino Abad. Frontrunners in Poetry in Filipino like Benilda Santos, Mike Coroza, Egay Samar, Jospeh Saguid, and Caloy Piocos have also graced the readings.

Visiting Fil-am poets Patrick Rosal and Joseph Legaspi have joined the celebration of the word and have read from their acclaimed collections. Rising poets like Mikael De Lara Co, Arkaye Kierulf, Allan Pastrana, and Emong De Borja have become regular Happy Monday readers, alongside upcoming and talented younger voices from nearby colleges and universities who are now part of the Happy Mondays reading family.

And the family is still increasing, twenty-four happy mondays after, a testament to the power of the written and spoken word, and the sublime negotiations in between.

The anniversary reading tomorrow will run from 7 to 10pm and will feature the following poets:

1. Rebecca Anonuevo
2. Teo Antonio
3. Gemino Abad
4. Edgar Samar
5. Alfred Yuson
6. Marne Kilates
7. Victor Penaranda
8. Lourd De Veyra
9. Angelo Suarez
10. Mike Coroza
11. Kris Lanot Lacaba
12. Joseph Saguid
13. Mikael Co
14. Eric Melendez
15. Karen Kapco
16. Pocholo Goitia
17. Adam David
18. Keith Cortez
19. Khavn Dela Cruz
20. Sasha Martinez
21. Celine Martelino
22. Pancho Villanueva
23. Ria Torrente
24. Kash Avena
25. John Torres
26. Mia Tijam
27. Kristian Abe Dalao
28. Carlos Piocos
29. Ken Ishikawa
30. Corin Arenas

plus other readers still to confirm. Admission is free. Genuine Moleskine Notebooks will be raffled off, courtesy of Avalon.ph. Kitakits at makiwasak!

Happy Mondays XXIII

readers for tonight's 23rd installment of the Happy Mondays Poetry Night as follows:

1. Karl De Mesa
2. Sasha Martinez
3. Adam David
4. Enuh Iglesias
5. Corin Arenas

+

6. Marne Kilates
7. Allan Pastrana

+

8. Pancho Villanueva
9. Drey Teran
10. Ina Feleo

plus other readers and guests. 8-930pm @ Magnet Cafe Katipunan. Free Admission.
bring your poems for the open mic. thanks and kitakits!

btw, asan na kaya si Rick Astley? akala ko pa naman --



buti pa si sponge bob...

Such A Shame

Such a shame
to believe in escape.
'A life on every face'
But that's a change,
until I'm finally left with an '8'.
Tell me to relax - I just stare.
Maybe I don't know
if I should change
a feeling that we share.
It's a shame

(such a shame)

Number me with rage
It's a shame (such a shame)
Number me in haste (such a shame)
This eagerness to change

It's a shame

The dice decide my fate
that's a shame
In these trembling hands my faith
tells me to react
"I don't care"
Maybe it's unkind if I should change
a feeling that we share.
It's a shame

(such a shame)

Number me with rage
It's a shame (such a shame)
Number me in haste (such a shame)
This eagerness to change

Such A shame

Tell me to relax - I just stare.
Maybe I don't know
if I should change
a feeling that we share.
It's a shame

(such a shame)

Number me with rage
It's a shame (such a shame)
Number me in haste It's a shame (such a shame)
Write across my name it's a shame (such a shame)
Number me in haste (such a shame)
This eagerness to change

Such A Shame

Talk Talk
It's My Life
1984

Happy Mondays XXII

readers for tonight's 22nd installment of the Happy Mondays Poetry Nights @ Mag:Net Cafe Katipunan as follows:

1. Lourd De Veyra
2. Ina Feleo
3. Eric Melendez
4. Kash Avena
5. Pocholo Goitia
6. Daryll Delgado
7. Pancho Villanueva
8. Peachy Paderna
9. Marne Kilates
10. Sasha Martinez
11. Krip Yuson
12. Enuh Iglesias

plus other special guests and first-time readers.

reading runs from 7 to 930pm. free admission. see you guys.

btw, if you guys want to join the Happy Mondays readers list, please email me, ramblingsoul@yahoo.com and we'll include you in the line-up. better yet, come to magnet tonight if you have poems you'd like to read. The Happy Mondays Poetry Nights is open to all writers who want to read their work. :)

***

my poems are up @ the Concelebratory Shoehorn Review website. Thanks to editor Maurice Oliver for the invite.

Piece of Mind

for all you rubik's cube revival fanatics out there.

Happy Mondays XXI

'yan ang idol kong johnny depp! long before his sparrowing and sweeney todding.

anyway, featured readers for tonight's 21st installment of the Happy Mondays Poetry Nights @ magnet cafe jumpstreet este katipunan are:

1. Marie La Viña

2. Kris Lanot Lacaba

3. Peachy Paderna

4. Jonar Sabilano

5. Pancho Villanueva

6. Adam David

7. Kang Martelino

8. Arkaye Kierulf

9. Lope Cui, Jr.

10. Marne Kilates

also joining us are Sir Krip Yuson and Jimmy Abad, a visiting performance poet from Singapore, and other guests. pls bring poems if you feel like reading for the open mic.

tonight's reading kicks off with Karl De Mesa's new hybrid band, Driver Down.

show runs from 7-930pm. admission is free. Kitakits!

Happy Mondays XX

featured readers for the 20th installment of the bi-monthly Happy Mondays Poetry Nights @ magnet cafe katipunan are as follows:

1. Allan Pastrana

2. Conchitina Cruz

3. Mark Cayanan

4. Joseph Saguid

5. Gabe Mercado

6. Kash Avena

7. Adam David

8. Marne Kilates

9. Keith Cortez

10. Peachy Paderna

plus other mainstays, fellow writers, and special guests. january 21st, 7-930-pm, free admission. please bring a poem or two if you feel like reading during the open mic. kitakits!

Claire-Obscure

semi-final cover design study for Chiaroscuro. the front is from an enhanced photo called "Light Confused, On Paper" (2001). the spread shows details from the painting "Something About Windows" (acrylic on canvas, 12”x12”, 2007) for the back cover. Both by Pancho Villanueva. wasak! na! bombilya!

The Smith

Bandits

aaaaaa

Did you ever want to be overrun by bandits?
To hand over all of your things and start over new?

While we were out hunting for food
Our house was being robbed

I caught an apple and she caught a fox
So I caught a rabbit but she caught an ox

So upon our return we found everything gone
Which for us was no loss
And we started over with a rabbit and an ox

So they came down from the north
Carrying all they owned
With a basket full of food and clothes
They were stopped by a weekend raid
Traveling the woods one day
Tried to put up a fight but lost
So we asked for them to stay
With us on their way
To have a drink and rest
And regain their strength

Did you ever want to run around with bandits
To see many places and hide in ditches
It's not always easy, it's not always easy
When the winter comes and the greenery goes
We will make some shelter

---

Tim Smith (singer/composer)
The Trials of Van Occupanther (2006)
Midlake

"Poetic Images"

photos from the reading last monday. see you again on the 21st for the 20th installment of the Happy Mondays Poetry Nights. :)

Happy Mondays XIX

the bi-monthly HAPPY MONDAYS poetry nights @ magnet cafe katipunan jumpstarts the year of the rat TONIGHT with a special reading featuring Fil-Am poet Joseph Legaspi, whose new collection just recently came out, with a foreword by no less than Philip Levine. wasak!

other readers for the night include:

1. Marjorie Evasco

2. Gemino H. Abad

3, Krip Yuson

4. Marne Kilates

5. Kris Lanot Lacaba

6. Pocholo Goitia

7. Angelo Suarez

8. Pancho Villanueva

9. Lourd De Veyra

the program starts at 7pm, with the formal opening of Ma'am Marj's poem "Origami" at the Poet's Alcove. wine will be served. free admission. see you guys later.

MMVIII

happy 2008! good tidings to all.

some announcements to start the year. ma'am Marjorie Evasco's poem, "Origami" will be featured @ the Poet's Alcove in mag:net cafe katipunan. formal unveiling is on monday, january 7, 7-8pm before the 19th installment of the Happy Mondays Poetry Nights (details on readers in the coming post). pls come. Nityalilla Saulo will give a song rendition of Origami during the opening.



the fourth issue of sir marne's Poet's Picturebook poetry magazine is fresh. featured poet is Sir Jimmy Abad. drop by and check it out.

a bit of good news! Chiaroscuro, my first book of poems, is coming out this march. i just got word from the UST press this morning that they need the cover design, last-minute revisions, etc, by january 30. am doubly happy because my dear alma mater's (UP) press is also publishing my other collection by the end of the year. wasak! salamat kay gelo sa pag-abot at pag-asikaso. tagal ko rin 'tong hinintay.

Happy Holidays MMVII

announcements, write-ups, photos, etc from the past few days.

first, sir marne kilates has a new blog he calls the poets' picturebook, "the ezine for poems & pictures that deserve each other". he is accepting contributions for featuring and critiquing. for details, just visit the site. btw, thanks sir marne for featuring my poem "crows".

secondly, huge thanks to arkaye kierulf and lourd de veyra for agreeing to be guest speakers in my Phil Lit and World Lit classes in miriam. wasak na wasak sila sa inyo. salamat rin kay direk john torres for sitting in. :)

thirdly, happy birthday muli kay Khavn who celebrated his 30++ last night. hehe.

lastly, sir eric gamalinda's amigo warfare is here! download nyo na agad bago mawala. was able to get my copy using IE7. sir krip has a review in his column at the phil star today. btw, sir eric is judging this year's 7th annual meritage press holiday poetry contest. deadline is dec 31. if you guys want a chance at getting an actual hard copy of the book, then join, amigos and amigas!

and oh, sir krip's responsible for sending some of the more interesting photos here. for your holiday fancy. ahehe.

maligayang pasko sa lahat!

Voices, Tilted Screens, and Scenes of Extended Microphones

Happy Mondays XVIII

tonight's Happy Mondays Poetry Night

@mag:net cafe katipunan

is brought to you

by the number

our nine featured readers are:

1. Conchitina Cruz
2. Andrea Teran
3. Adam David
4. Yaps Etagle
5. Angelo Suarez
6. John Torres
7. Kash Avena
8. Marne Kilates
9. Waps San Diego


also expected to drop by are Sir Krip Yuson, Sir Rayvi Sunico, Marie La Viña, Lope Cui, Jr., Arkaye Kierulf, Allan Pastrana, MIkael Co, and Pancho Villanueva.

7-930pm. free admission. kitakits!

Folding the Ace

R.I.P. Ace Vergel, Philippine cinema's original bad boy. basag at wasak!

The Decemberists

two new anthologies out -- the 2007 Likhaan Journal (UP Press) and PEN's At Home in Unhomeliness: An Anthology of Philippine Postcolonial Poetry in English (UST Press). the former is edited by Butch Dalisay and the latter by Neil Garcia. a few of my poems are in both anthologies. thanks a heap to both Sirs Butch and Neil. bili naman kayo, please.

the UP Writers Night last saturday was somber due the passing of Sir Rene Villanueva (RIP). the set-up was likewise a bit too cramped, but intimate nonetheless. too bad the event coincided with the PEN anthology launch in intramuros. pero masaya pa rin naman; 'di lang wasakan. still, the tanduay booth was there, and the beer. congrats to the ICW for the successful awarding of the Madrigal First Book Award 2007 and the lauch of the Likhaan Journal.

btw, check out Microsoft's new Silverlight technology. this is the real-deal, next-gen, guys.