Poetry: Fhen M

Fhen M.

Cerberus and a Knight

He drank countless bottles of beer

cold night after cold night, 

he drowned himself in serbesa

until his bloodstream ran with it.

In a frozen, grimy wasteland 

ground cracked beneath layers of ice and dirt

Soni is a bottle of beer 

clutched in the claws of a giant hound 

his blood is what Cerberus thirsts to drink.

I am the knight-poet,

with a chainmail coif and helmet,

I wield a scythe, a bottle opener,

serrated, sharp, and soon,

Soni the drunkard, your time is near.

***

Balete Tree

She sleeps soundly, 

beside her, a thick rope lies coiled.

Sprawling branches, aerial roots, 

wide, shaded canopy

Jona is a Balete tree.

Her face on the tree trunk

harpies perch on the bough 

like a woodpecker drilling holes.

The Balete trees are in The Wood 

of the Self-Murderers by William Blake.

The sap is blood 

flowing through the dark woods.

***

Gustave Doré's Wood Engraving 

Sky of nimbostratus 

a rocky, cliff-like edge 

overlooking a red river.

Viscous liquid swirling 

with the weight of countless lives lost.

The blood flows like a dark, relentless tide, 

The river's surface seems to churn and seethe.

Eliot and Arthur descend to a ring,

like a rice pond field of a rice terraces,

and see the river of blood of

Gonzalo Mariano, Darwin Dormitorio, 

Horacio Castillo, Leonardo Villa…

Half-human and half-horse creatures

stand guard on the riverbank

armed with bows, arrows, and paddles.

They shoot at souls of D'Pogi

(look, he’s in tears and agony)

and his fellow fratmen 

whenever they try to rise 

too far out of the blood.

***

---

Setu, November 2025

Fhen M.

Fhen M.

Fhen M. studied the academic subjects Writing in the Discipline, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴, and The Literature of the World at Eastern Visayas State University. His Waray poem “Uyasan” (“Toy” in English”) was published in a collection of literary works entitled 𝘗𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘭𝘪: 15 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘸. His English verses appeared in 𝘗𝘰𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢 anthology series published by Clarendon House, including "Lighthouse," “Seaport,” “January Constellations,” among others. Red Penguin Books’ 𝘈𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦: 𝘈 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨-𝘰𝘧-𝘈𝘨𝘦 𝘗𝘰𝘦𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘈𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺 will publish his piece “Outside the Block Universe". His poem “Sea Snail” will also be included in 𝘍𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘢/𝘍𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘢 𝘈𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺 by Open Shutter Press. Fhen M. submitted verses in Waray for the 5th Lamiraw Creative Writing Workshop, including the 𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘺 “Duha nga mga pagtug-an” (translated in English as “Two confessions”). David Genotiva, Merlie Alunan, and Victor Sugbo were some of the distinguished panelists of this writing workshop held from the 5th to the 7th of November 2008. His Binisaya poems “To View the World,” “Those who were Left in Cancabatoc,” and other verses won the 1st Chito Roño Literary Awards.

---

Authors A-Z

Poetry: Fhen M

Fhen M.

Agamemnon, a Cockfighter

On the hilltop, where an altar was built,

a man dressed in black waited for him.

A broken stone staircase, broken Greek columns,

led to a place covered by white smoke.

Birds clashed in a flurry of feathers and beaks.

An animal sacred to the goddess was killed

in a cockfighting arena.

The sea wind was not blowing; sails hung still.

Life's adventure was in another land.

Offering Agamemnon to the gods

would be a fitting and just atonement.

Or, he could turn to a handsome rooster,

and Actaeon's friends would capture him.

Birds clashed in a flurry of beaks and claws.

With a burst of speed, a rooster lunged at him.

Death to the Mycenaean king had come.

The wind started to blow.

***

Importance of Chickens

As the murkiness of night receded,

a plump chicken strutted onto the bed.

With a boisterous "cock-a-doodle-doo!",

the colorful rooster flapped its feathers.

The chicken's clarion call pierced the air,

echoed through the dark trees below the sky.

This friend channeled the spirit of Alectryon,

who watched over the gates of Olympus.

Alectryon fell asleep on the job,

transformed into a rooster by the gods,

doomed to announce the dawn for eternity.

My avian alarm clock reminds me

to leave the place 

before the Sun's chariot hurries near.

My girlfriend's parents were sleeping soundly;

I covered up and got dressed

before Helios told them of our affair.

***

Guido Cavalcanti in Circle 7

The head and torso of a woman

body and wings of a feathered rooster.  

Harpy, with graying hair, 

perched on a gnarled, monstrous-looking tree. 

On the inner bank of Phlegethon 

a wood where trees have their human form. 

Gamblers pursued through the wood by harpies.

***

---

Setu, June 2025

Earth Melodies: WATER’S SONG AND OTHER POEMS

Fhen M.

Bio: Fhen M. studied the academic subjects Writing in the Discipline, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴, and The Literature of the World at Eastern Visayas State University. His Waray poem “Uyasan” (“Toy” in English”) was published in a collection of literary works entitled 𝘗𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘭𝘪: 15 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘸. His English verses appeared in 𝘗𝘰𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢 anthology series published by Clarendon House, including "Lighthouse," “Seaport,” “January Constellations,” among others. Red Penguin Books’ 𝘈𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦: 𝘈 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨-𝘰𝘧-𝘈𝘨𝘦 𝘗𝘰𝘦𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘈𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺 will publish his piece “Outside the Block Universe". His poem “Sea Snail” will also be included in 𝘍𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘢/𝘍𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘢 𝘈𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺 by Open Shutter Press. Fhen M. submitted verses in Waray for the 5th Lamiraw Creative Writing Workshop, including the 𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘺 “Duha nga mga pagtug-an” (translated in English as “Two confessions”). David Genotiva, Merlie Alunan, and Victor Sugbo were some of the distinguished panelists of this writing workshop held from the 5th to the 7th of November 2008. His Binisaya poems “To View the World,” “Those who were Left in Cancabatoc,” and other verses won the 1st Chito Roño Literary Awards.

Water’s Song

pebbles form as flowing water washes 

over rock particles on the bottom 

the water softly laps against the shore

old twisted trees and spiky plants

growing along the banks

gentle sound of water heard from a stream

the murmur of the water cleanses

the disturbed mind.

***

Before Dead Leaves Crackled on the Ground

a Rhododendron flower blooms 

hear the pitter-patter of raindrops 

on pink petals;

tune in to the leaves rustling in the wind

white noise sounds 

of breeze blowing through trees;

listen to your innermost self 

before leaves are whipped into the air,

before dead leaves crackled on the ground.

***

The First Speech of Thunder 

she sits in a chair like a shining throne

facing a marble wall without mirror 

thus speaks thunder:

don’t enter to her stone chamber,

you are neither her husband nor her king,

let her untangle the barrette in her hair,

wash the makeup on her pretty face,

take off the dress from her supple body,

let her be alone in that high-ceiling room,

silk curtains between monolith columns 

will stop the wind from coming in,

fire from the hearth will keep her warm,

let the unlock door remain closed.

in Fogtown, when storm clouds gathered distantly

I heard the sound of thunder, powerfully 

Boom! Boom! Boom!

in our bamboo house, I'd listen to its speech

with awful bravery, my heartbeat pounded.

***

Let me serve nature

Thor's helmet among the planets and stars

I wonder what nebulae sound like. 

I know not how goat meat tastes like

to stop the noise of an empty stomach

I'd like to try one, maybe share with my kins. 

magical goats served on a banquet table

children chewed the meat, broke the bone

thunderclaps were heard nearby.

***

Squeal of a Pig

pour a boiling water from a kettle

into a cup of coffee or tea

bottoms up, Dante.

undercover animal activist

posts online a video about pig farm:

they are immersed, conscious,

into a scalding bath at a temperature 

of 60 degrees Celsius where they drown.

with anguished eyes,

screams of pain pierce the air,

a hog in scalding water cries

a pig is not a person, Dante?

“let us say Napoleon the Pig,

corrupt dictator ordered Snowball’s death,

thrown into a river of boiling tar

like the grafter in a silent film”.

***

---

Setu, October 2024

Special Edition: Fhen M

Fhen M.

One Bench Along a Long River

you may say I am lonely

but I have companions:

two trees beside the lone seat.

in this garden, yes, this is a garden

we are not alone

we have the high sky to contemplate about

talk about the origin of the universe

or why the heaven is blue

whether colors exist or are they illusions?

when I was young and a philosopher

I would sit on a wall beside the sea

and bring a book by John Locke

I am not alone, I am not lonely

I have people, imagined or imaginary,

discussing about the nature of reality.

***

Muses Turned into a Tree (Monumento a Dante a Trento by Cesare Zocchi)

Crowned with laurel leaves,

comparable to curtains blown by the wind

or a flying cape fluttering in the air

one Roman toga, two medieval textiles

past and present in a block universe. 

Three poets

who drafted about a knight desiring to kiss the lady's hand, 

who wrote about a king wanting to bed his wife,

who penned about a pilgrim 

yearning to gaze at an angel's face.

Muses turned into a tree, a tapestry, 

a bust, and watercolor fresco. 

And poets are monuments, stones

erected in a public square

to tell their stories, their voices heard

from the depths of hell, 

from the other side of the world

neither inferno nor heaven. 

***

In the Garden (Federico Faruffini’s Sordello e Cunizza)

In the garden, a knight is not a knight

sword and sheath are laid down 

among the blades of grass,

crimson petals, lavender buds. 

the garden is ornamented 

by marble columns, draped curtains, 

Grecian urns that tell tales

of a queen abducted from her king. 

in the garden, the knight is a lover

bends his knees, his head bowed down

before the lady, the holy virgin of virgins? 

clad in jeweled crown and golden necklace. 

the hand of a beautiful maiden

he holds and pulls to his lips.

***

In Watercolor (Philipp Veit's Fresco) 

In watercolor, you painted on a ceiling

red, purple, white, and cerulean. 

Clad in crimson clothing

a harlot from Jericho, her hand hangs 

a cord red as the lamb’s blood

from men hidden 

under bundles of flowering plants. 

Clothed in lilac-color garment

a noblewoman married to many men

devoted her dying days

her wealth freely given, 

from bondage, freed her slaves. 

Wore white headdress, blue robe

a pectoral cross resting on his heart

a poet of passion and played his guitar

redeemed the souls of the sinners. 

In watercolor, you painted on a ceiling

golden light shining from the empyrean.

***

Dirty Water 

consumes a box of ice cream and sweet cake

drinks a cold soda bottle in a day

chews a bag of chips in aircon chamber 

H is a hog wallowing in food and drink.

she's among plus-size souls in Third Circle

huge hailstones, dirty water, and black snow

howls like a hound in freezing storm, turning 

as if the naked side could keep her warm.

***

Bio: Fhen M. studied the academic subjects Writing in the Discipline, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴, and The Literature of the World at Eastern Visayas State University. His Waray poem “Uyasan” (“Toy” in English”) was published in a collection of literary works entitled 𝘗𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘭𝘪: 15 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘸. His English verses appeared in 𝘗𝘰𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢 anthology series published by Clarendon House, including "Lighthouse," “Seaport,” “January Constellations,” among others.  Red Penguin Books’ 𝘈𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦: 𝘈 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨-𝘰𝘧-𝘈𝘨𝘦 𝘗𝘰𝘦𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘈𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺 will publish his piece “Outside the Block Universe". His poem “Sea Snail” will also be included in 𝘍𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘢/𝘍𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘢 𝘈𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺 by Open Shutter Press.  Fhen M. submitted verses in Waray for the 5th Lamiraw Creative Writing Workshop, including the 𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘺 “Duha nga mga pagtug-an” (translated in English as “Two confessions”). David Genotiva, Merlie Alunan, and Victor Sugbo were some of the distinguished panelists of this writing workshop held from the 5th to the 7th of November 2008. His Binisaya poems “To View the World,” “Those who were Left in Cancabatoc,” and other verses won the 1st Chito Roño Literary Awards.  

---

Setu, September 2024

Poems by Fhen M

Fhen M.

I cannot stop for death

The smell of steak no longer holds sway. 

Monks live in the woods, I am told

– or mountaintop, a ladder reaching heaven

a sky showing the planet Saturn –

consuming wild plants and berries

Refrain from too much eating. 

Today, I started eating boiled squash, 

string beans drenched in soy sauce, 

slices of apple and seedless grapes. 

Indeed, I cannot stop for death

but I can deter oblivion. 

***

Mourning Field

Along gloomy paths into myrtle groves

Oh Cupid, hit her heart with arrow

with scented flowers, to shower me

to feed with grapes and mangoes, 

offer soft bed and tender kisses

a burning desire she'll have

But no,

she does not return my love

I write verses, she has no response, 

I build a world, she doesn't care, 

I offer eternity 

to which her reply: an eternal silence

I am not Aeneas, 

therefore my muse keeps evading me

travels to places I cannot follow, 

goes to an island I cannot cross

swims in an unknown sea, 

flies in a nameless sky. 

the clouds weep tears, 

leaves tremble here. 

***

The Triumph of Science over Death

tied your long black hair 

clad in a white cloth in a rural health center

test tube or beaker in hand, 

placed it in a machine

you were conducting an experiment, I think

to prove or disprove a hypothesis. 

I shall compare you to the fair maiden

supple breast, smooth skin, chiseled figure

holding a lit torch to illuminate, to enlighten

under her feet is a human skull. 

with your gentle touch and sweet voice

oh fair maiden, heal my aching heart.

***

Bio: Fhen M. studied the academic subjects Writing in the Discipline, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴, and The Literature of the World at Eastern Visayas State University. His Waray poem “Uyasan” (“Toy” in English”) was published in a collection of literary works entitled 𝘗𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘭𝘪: 15 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘸. His English verses appeared in 𝘗𝘰𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢 anthology series published by Clarendon House, including "Lighthouse," “Seaport,” “January Constellations,” among others.  Red Penguin Books’ 𝘈𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦: 𝘈 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨-𝘰𝘧-𝘈𝘨𝘦 𝘗𝘰𝘦𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘈𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺 will publish his piece “Outside the Block Universe". His poem “Sea Snail” will also be included in 𝘍𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘢/𝘍𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘢 𝘈𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺 by Open Shutter Press.  Fhen M. submitted verses in Waray for the 5th Lamiraw Creative Writing Workshop, including the 𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘺 “Duha nga mga pagtug-an” (translated in English as “Two confessions”). David Genotiva, Merlie Alunan, and Victor Sugbo were some of the distinguished panelists of this writing workshop held from the 5th to the 7th of November 2008. His Binisaya poems “To View the World,” “Those who were Left in Cancabatoc,” and other verses won the 1st Chito Roño Literary Awards. 

---

Setu, July 2024

Poetry: Fhen M

Fhen M.

Kingfisher

 

Chirping blue-feathered kingfisher

flying around the coconut mangrove

maybe searching for her missing lover

this tranquil beach beside the sea

here, shipwreck survivors may have landed

kingfisher tweeting to find her lost husband

or maybe he just wanted to be alone

far from the sand grains, farther than the stars

at peace with himself and nature. 

***

Under Mesopotamian Sky

moon's gentle glow

the night is young

though the seconds tick by

to the ends of the earth I have traveled:

passed groves of gemstone trees, 

outran the rising sun, 

cross the waters of death, 

find the boat man on mountain peak

this gentle grass is the bedsheet, 

these hands are pillow warm,

my thoughts race on

my body is weary

sandman whispers soft, low

but I must stay awake

“under Mesopotamian sky

a mortal man’s snoring.”

***

Employer to Office Worker

Wooden doors were secured with nails 

hammered through then bent on the side. 

R names and computes the payroll;

H encodes the ordinances;

articles – K composes, quotes;

meetings – the Secretary notes;

This is what you are to me now:

like a phone without a SIM card;

without a chord, a computer;

without ribbon, a typewriter. 

Your sister, the bank manager

is the sole reason why you're hired. 

(she hammered through, then bent me on the side) 

you’re dead as a doornail.

***

Bio: Fhen M. studied the academic subjects Writing in the Discipline, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴, and The Literature of the World at Eastern Visayas State University (Philippines). His Waray poem “Uyasan” (“Toy” in English”) was published in a collection of literary works entitled 𝘗𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘭𝘪: 15 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘸. His English verses appeared in 𝘗𝘰𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢 anthology series published by Clarendon House, including "Lighthouse," “Seaport,” “January Constellations,” among others.  Red Penguin Books’ 𝘈𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦: 𝘈 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨-𝘰𝘧-𝘈𝘨𝘦 𝘗𝘰𝘦𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘈𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺 will publish his piece “Outside the Block Universe". His poem “Sea Snail” will also be included in 𝘍𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘢/𝘍𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘢 𝘈𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺 by Open Shutter Press.  Fhen M. submitted verses in Waray for the 5th Lamiraw Creative Writing Workshop, including the 𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘺 “Duha nga mga pagtug-an” (translated in English as “Two confessions”). David Genotiva, Merlie Alunan, and Victor Sugbo were some of the distinguished panelists of this writing workshop held from the 5th to the 7th of November 2008. His Binisaya poems “To View the World,” “Those who were Left in Cancabatoc,” and other verses won the 1st Chito Roño Literary Awards. 

---

Setu, May 2024

Poetry: Fhen M

Fhen M.

Gerome's Bathsheba

 

The clouds were gold and silver

and you undress the clouds you were wearing

gently drop it on a stool on a low roof

without hesitation, the sun brings forth the light

shows off the white skin,

physique of pillow soft.

 

I don't know if this is a trend

a girl takes a bath in an open space

say, a rooftop, a clear blue pool

she is naked, she is clad in short and in shirt

someone paints a painting, takes a photo,

another gazes at it.

 

it takes a lot of faith or determination

for a man not to fall in love

with that figure and that beauty.

***

 

 

Sunbird

 

Drinks nectar from a lipstick plant

olive-backed sunbird sings

his morning ritual song

life gives choices and there's freedom

no one can take away.

 

o sunbird, bringer of good luck

sing me the life not of

sliding on slippery roadsides,

crashing motorcycle onto a car,

marrying Xanthippe, without my muse

 

but of books in my private library

the time to write, time to rewrite,

 

freedom to fly in the wide air,

to drink the sweet nectar

to sing the joy and thrill

this short life brings.

***

 

 

The Man who Defied Death

 

I had a stomach upset, probably a fever

grandpa Angkong bribed me to take

a herbal medicine called apdo han sawa

 

Asclepius observed a serpent

bringing healing herbs

to keep the death at bay.

the gods want men to be mortal

death makes us only human.

Jupiter strikes his bolt of lightning

a constellation is created in the heavens.

 

I drank the herb that tasted

pungent, putrid, nauseating

and kept the death at bay.

***

Bio: Fhen M. studied the academic subjects Writing in the Discipline, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴, and The Literature of the World at Eastern Visayas State University (Philippines). His Waray poem “Uyasan” (“Toy” in English”) was published in a collection of literary works entitled 𝘗𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘭𝘪: 15 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘸. His English verses appeared in 𝘗𝘰𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢 anthology series published by Clarendon House, including "Lighthouse," “Seaport,” “January Constellations,” among others.  Red Penguin Books’ 𝘈𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦: 𝘈 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨-𝘰𝘧-𝘈𝘨𝘦 𝘗𝘰𝘦𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘈𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺 will publish his piece “Outside the Block Universe". His poem “Sea Snail” will also be included in 𝘍𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘢/𝘍𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘢 𝘈𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺 by Open Shutter Press.  Fhen M. submitted verses in Waray for the 5th Lamiraw Creative Writing Workshop, including the 𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘺 “Duha nga mga pagtug-an” (translated in English as “Two confessions”). David Genotiva, Merlie Alunan, and Victor Sugbo were some of the distinguished panelists of this writing workshop held from the 5th to the 7th of November 2008. His Binisaya poems “To View the World,” “Those who were Left in Cancabatoc,” and other verses won the 1st Chito Roño Literary Awards. 

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Setu, March 2024