Tuesday, April 17, 2007

I Read the News

and all the natural and human mixture of beauty, wreckage, violence, and loss just disarmed me.

one, there's the awarding of the Pulitzer prizes. the Pulitzer for Poetry was awarded to
Native Guard by Natasha Trethewey, winning over the other finalists The Republic of Poetry by Martin Espada and Interrogation Palace: New & Selected Poems 1982-2004 by David Wojahn. Ms. Trethewey's bio here.



and oh, one of my favorite writers, Ray Bradbury, was given the special citation "for (Bradbury's) distinguished, prolific, and deeply influential career as an unmatched author of science fiction and fantasy." He shared this year's citation with the late jazz genius, John Coltrane.











***

the other news is the harrowing shooting in Virginia Tech yesterday that left 33 people dead, including the gunman, who allegedly killed himself after. this is by far the worst shooting in modern US history, and more than doubles the body count of the infamous Columbine shooting. stumbled across this in paolo's blog.

the identity of the lone gunman is yet to be revealed. students who witnessed and survived the shooting said that the gunman was around 19 years old, wearing a boy scout's uniform, and is apparently asian.

the entire US is reeling from the tragedy, as much as it is smarting from one of the most violent storms to hit the country, now currently lashing the east coast, including, of all places, Virginia.

wasak talaga.

***

much thanks to those who read and supported the second installment of the Happy Mondays poetry nights in mag:net katipunan last night. salamat kina Ramil Gulle, Kris Lacaba, Marc Gaba, Marie La Vina, Arkaye Kierulf, Pancho Villanueva, Waps San Diego, Javie Bengzon, Mikael De Lara Co, and the "late" Angelo Suarez. hehe.

the next reading will be on May 7, with Los Chupacabras playing after. punta kayo!

photo below is of bayaw adam's new and equally disarming arm tattoo and is courtesy of corin, who likewise read last night during the open mic. more photos in her blog. will update when other photos of the actual reading come in. (hehe. sa sobrang lasing yata ni corin, pagkatapos na lang nang reading nakakuha ng piktyurs)



wasak talaga.