Vol. 1, No. 7 June 2006

News

Two important literary events related to Aklanon Literature happened in May 2006.

Angelo B. Ancheta, a half-Aklanon, half-Ilocano, broke into the Simply Haiku with his haibun. He is a software analyst/engineer who is passionate about poetry (including haiku, senryu, tanka, haibun) and writing. He took his Bachelor's Degree in Geodetic Engineering at the University of the Philippines, Diliman, in Quezon City. His poems have been published in Poor Mojo's Almanac, Dalityapi Makata, Bueabod Literary, and Philippine Graphic Magazine. His essays and feature articles have appeared in Ducts, Philippine, PANORAMA, Homelife Magazine and Philippine STAR newspaper.
Angelo believes that writing is life recreated and relived

A haibun is a combination of a prose and a haiku. Simply Haiku is one of the world’s most popular ehaiku journals that publishes haibun.

With his permission, I am reprinting here his haibun.

HAIBUN

full moon
a fisherman falls
asleep

With a few more paragraphs to complete an essay for a deadline next week, a few more cups of coffee will do. I wish Alice wouldn't be so mad at me for postponing our movie date. Her "all right" didn't sound like it really was, but I'm sure she understands. She does. I stand away from my laptop, pace towards the window and peep through. It's not quite right to see only a few people out on Friday night. Perhaps they're already at home, or in their favorite hang-out places.

I walk back to my desk with hurried steps. The office lights blink a few times. My monitor becomes a diminishing circle of light

***
The other event was when JOHN IREMIL E. TEODORO, Coordinator Fray Luis de Leon Creative Writing Institute University of San Agustin Tel. No. (033) 337-7716 announced that Alain Russ Dimzon and Melchor F. Cichon are the recipients of the 2006 Fray Luis de Leon Creative Writing Grants given by the Fray Luis de Leon Creative Writing Insitute (FLDCWI), Coordinating Center for Research and Publications of the University of San Agustin.

Dimzon won a grant for his book manuscript Ang Manunulat kag ang Pendulum/The Writer and the Pendulum, a collection of poems in Hiligaynon with English translations.

Cichon won for his manuscript Siniad-Siad nga Kaeangitan/Strips of Heaven, a collection of Aklanon haiku with English translations.

Dimzon hails from Dumangas, Iloilo. He was given the Gawad Emmanuel Lacaba (Best New Writer in Hiligaynon) by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts in 2000. He is teaching at the Special Program for the Arts of the Iloilo National High School.

Cichon is from Lezo, Aklan. He is the college librarian of the College of Fisheries of the University of the Philippines in the Visayas. He is a recipient of the Gawad Francisco Balagtas, a lifetime achievement award given by the Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas (UMPIL). His first book is titled Ham-at Madueom Ro Gabii? His second is Haiku, Luwa and Other Poems by Aklanons.

The grantees received PhP10,000 each but they have to complete their book manuscript to be ready for publication by the University of San Agustin Publishing House in January 2007. The awarding ceremonies was held on May 19, 2006, 2:00 PM at the President’s Conference Room during the closing ceremonies of the 4th San Agustin Writers Workshop and the launching of the books by Maria Milagros Geremia-Lachica and Genevieve L. Asenjo, the grantees last year.

The main objective of the Fray Luis de Leon Creative Writing Grants is to support the flowering of writings in Aklanon, Kinaray-a, Hiligaynon, and Filipino. –

****

The haiku below was written by Uplo Irada, 22 years old, a poet and gamefowl breeder from JM Reyes St., Lezo, Aklan. Presently, he is not in the Philippines. This is the first time that he appeared in Bueabod. Here is his link: www.friendster.com/uploirada

black butterfly,
fly away from the blue sky,
before I die.


@@@

Cirilo Castillon, Jr.

The Scent Of Green

Pine trees
Tamed by the wind
Beneath the great blue sky
Home for the birds and the squirrels
Smell green.

***

a heron
balancing in one leg
on the back of a carabao

***
sorry my friend
you died prematurely
in my heart


@@@

Edna Romulo Laurente Faral

bukas
ro eangit
sa gustong magsueod

***
hugom
it agahon
sa bag-ong eangit

***
1st of May

just before sunrise –
1st of May's cooling breeze
kisses my wan face

@@@

Jose Jay Feliciano

uean
mabaskog ro
tunog sa eugta

***
eamig
mahapdi ro eamig
sa imong panit

***
spring
tulip nag-buskad
sa init ku adlaw


@@@

Melchor F. Cichon


California

California--
Sunflower shines brighter
after sunset

***

Sa Punta It Ikog

sa punta it ikog
ikog
it ikog

***
Si Pinoy sa Mt. Everest

May 17, 2006—
gintanum ni Leo Oracion
ro bandera't Pilipinas sa bubungan it Mt. Everest

(In Honor of Leo Oracion, the acknowledged First Filipino to climb the summit of Mt. Everest, 5:30 p.m., Philippine time, May 17, 2006.

***

Pag-eubog Kang Adlaw

Sampaguita,
pag-eubog kang adlaw
iuli mo ako ha sa ugat ko

***

Losing A Friend

losing a friend--
the way the sun
refuses to set

@@@

Losally Navarro -Enduri

Flames’ fans mourn--
the red mile
is dead!
(CALGARY FLAMES lost 3-0 to ANAHIEM DUCKS)