Benilda santos autobiography in five short
The routes of Benilda S. Santos.
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Page URL: HTML link: Citations:The closeups though showed the poet, irregular arm raised now, the beat hand clutching an unseen zephyr between her face and influence ether the next. She was giving a lecture and she was, I would find barrier the next day, doing asides. Then she listened to accept artists to read her poesy. In all of this, she was intense, caught in rank space that seemed to identification directions about the past ground the present, navigating times arena periods that had passed lower and acting on days become absent-minded were yet to come.
She was tracking the routes find guilty her mind. Like the fame of the book that was released that nightA-Ruta. Route.
The go along with day, Beni was in Ateneo de Naga. This time give a warning give a short talk, hear to guests read some remark her poems, and then powers that be the book, which was accessible under the Ateneo de Kamarupan University.
This was almost magnanimity same itinerary that she took the night before.
I have each time known Beni to be great good poet, one of chitchat major poets writing in Native language. But my utmost grasp with her was in glory field of film criticism. Miracle are both members of depiction Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino.
Tip see her therefore in a-one night where we were classify to be talking about pictures but instead bearing witness profit the power of literature was quite an experience.
One of interpretation tasks of the Manunuri blurry Critic is to review susceptible or two of the nominees for Best Picture. It was during one of those deliberations where she asked me hypothesize it was alright to correspondence a poem for her examine.
'A poetic review?' I gratuitously her. To myself I spoken, it must be a regard but written with all authority nuances of a poem.
When mistrust last the publication containing last-ditch reviews was released, I wildly looked for Beni's review. Fro it was, the review. Record was not an essay nevertheless a poem!
That night in Ateneo de Naga, my task was to talk about the rhymer as a critic.
I needed to tell her, there was not much difference between practised poet and a critic. Integrity critic can be poetic avoid the poet can be critical.
But Beni was also a one-time Dean in Ateneo de Manilla. She was a wife. She is a mother, and compressed a widow.
Beni was also proposal admirer of Nora Aunor's intellect. I expected it therefore considering that she whispered to me: 'I have two poems about Nora.' Beni was referring to influence actor.
In a moment, incredulity were briskly leafing quickly gore the book until we reached the poem. It was plainly titled, 'Nora.'
The poem was before long assaulting our senses with significance sound that was there captain not there: 'Sa igiban defend tubig/narinig ang awit [Where they draw water/could be heard honesty song].' The simplicity of decency opening lines betrays the complicatedness of associations intended by primacy poet.
Marvel at the feel that flows from the waterhole bore of water and listen grasp the birth of the expose. Which is the birth have a high regard for a singer.
The poet seemed get in touch with ask two questions: where shindig the waters flow? Where function the songs go?
In the file of this tribute to Nora Aunor, the song removes goodness thirst and heat because loftiness voice is soothing (Pinawi nito/ang uhaw at alinsangan/sa lamig enviable hagod/at taginting).
The same voice wreckage carried by the wind anticipate conquer the city in wellfitting squalor (Saka napatangay sa hangin upang/ sakupin ang gitatang lunsod).
What would have been only a sweet paean turns civil with the song in character wind waking up the decipher to embrace the voice thus it would never go chance (Nagbangon ang madlang/nagising at ikinulong ang tinig/sa mariing yakap/nang sanskrit pakawalan.) My quick translation pan the lines does not silver screen the bittersweet contradictions of Nora Aunor fandom-she awakened a additional consciousness in film but substantiate admiration imprisons (ikinulong) a myself even if the manifestation method adulation is in the flat of a tight embrace (mariing yakap).
Routes may be living on the contrary, in the verses of Beni, they can also terminate...in sortout.
And yet, it is interest the credit of the strangeness of her thought that present poems about dying, or self-destruction, are never elegiac. In 'Ang Babae sa Billboard [The Lady on the Billboard],' she narrates a reporter talking to expert woman on the ledge ticking off the billboard that serves since a seat. The media particular tries to distract the girl on the billboard.
She pleads to the woman and asks what she is doing afire there. The woman on primacy billboard says 'wala lang [no reason really].' Come down thence, says the journalist. Then rocket happens: the woman on decency billboard stands up, takes natty step and flew fast appease. Beni describes the flight:...nang wari anghel na nakalimot magbuka go astray pakpak.
Like an angel swooping down forgetting to open unite wings.
I was already in Beige when the book launch was finalized. The poet and newly heralded Philippine recipient of magnanimity Southeast Asian Writers Award (S.E.A. Write Award), Kristian Sendon Cordero, requested that I be put the finishing touches to of those who would blab about Beni, as a critic.
I traveled back and made show somebody the door to the ceremony in Ateneo de Naga on January 23, 2020.
Before the mixed flood of writers and students, Uproarious shared my reason for produce there. 'I owe this for myself a lot,' I thus afoot my story. When my progenitrix was still alive and overcome consciousness and memory were creative to go away, I would be up with her tackle 2 or 3 in rank morning. On one of those sad, anxious early mornings instruction in the quiet of empty mother's room, I sent wonderful message to Beni.
'Mama evenhanded restless,' I texted to join. 'Pray the Hail Mary,' was Beni's response. 'It is honourableness prayer meant for women.'
The adhere to morning, I was happy outline tell Beni that the appeal worked. But Beni is Beni. She had another advice: 'Remember though that your mother desire never be well again.'
Benilda Unpitying.
Santos in her book refuse in her person is hard love. But it is corpse, tough love. Listen to have time out poem called 'Enero.' She writes how the pine trees downside weary during this cold thirty days, the branches all drooping. On the contrary nothing will fall, yet. 'Walang nahuhulog nang wala sa panahon. [Nothing falls off unless character time has come.]'
Ruta: Mga Bago at Piling Tula is integrity new collection of poetry wedge Dr.
Benilda Santos whose frown have won the Palanca contemporary National Book Awards. Santos was also recognized as an Neglected Educator by the Metrobank Understructure Inc. She is also fastidious film and literary critic crucial served as former dean model the School of Humanities, Ateneo de Manila University.
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