Showbiz stars join poetry night for legendary Chinese stateman

Can sublime poetry, showbiz stars, an innovative mayor and a 2,300-year-old Chinese tradition help popularize the literary arts in our society beset with Third World problems? On June 5, from 6 p.m. onwards, the country’s most exciting poetry reading night will be hosted by the country’s largest national writers group, Unyon ng Mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas (UMPIL), in cooperation with the UP Institute of Creative Writing, UP Writers Club and the Marikina City Government. The public is invited. Tentative venue is the ultra-modern City Hall of Marikina.

Can literary writers have a strong impact on the conscience of Philippine society? William Shakespeare cites the importance of poetry: "Not marble, nor the gilded monuments of princes, shall outlive this powerful rhyme." US President John F. Kennedy said at Amherst College on Oct. 26, 1963 in a speech honoring poet Robert Frost: "Where power corrupts, poetry cleanses." William Carlos Williams said: "It is difficult to get the news from poems, yet men die miserably every day for lack of what is found there."

In February, right after this writer suggested the Philippine gala movie premiere of the Jet Li epic Hero for the Anvil Executive Club, this writer suggested at the UMPIL directors meeting that we start an annual major poetry reading night in honor of the ancient poet and idealistic statesman Qu Yuan (pronounced Chu Yuan), whose dramatic death protesting corruption 2,300 years ago epitomized righteousness and moral courage.

Poets For Righteousness, Showbiz Stars For Literary Arts

This poetry reading night on Qu Yuan’s death anniversary would be a unique poetry celebration in our country where literature is not given much importance by the state. It would be an unprecedented cultural feast, as well as for Filipino writers‚ with the community standing up for political righteousness in the tradition of the ancient Chinese poet-statesman who publicly condemned corruption and social iniquities in his era. It was UMPIL chairman Alfred "Krip" Yuson who broached the idea of holding it in Marikina, due to this city’s progressive image.

Apart from top national award-winning poets, such as Virgilio Almario, UP Prof. Gemino Abad, Teo Antonio, Cirilo Bautista, Dr. Ophelia Dimalanta of UST, Marjorie Evasco, Benilda Santos and others, the UMPIL Youth Desk has invited the brightest young college poets from Ateneo, UP, UST, La Salle and other schools to participate. Members of the UMPIL Youth Desk include Angelo Suarez of UST Thomasian Writers Guild, Christopher Calilao and Jewel Castro of De La Salle University’s Malate Literary Folio, Mikael Co, Jaclyn Qua Hiansen and Karlo Noche of the Ateneo’s Heights literary journal, and Donamor Cruz, Vlad Gonzales and Beverly Siy of the UP Writers Club.

Yuson said the organization plans to invite other nationally renowned poets from the regions to participate in the event, such as Judge Simeon Dumdum, Jr. of Cebu, Cesar Ruiz Aquino of Dumaguete City, Anthony Tan of Iligan City and Dr. Leoncio Deriada of Iloilo City. Helping UMPIL from the Marikina Mayor’s Office are Milette Lorenzo, Maria Lourdes Navarro, Ma. Evelyn Nabus and Sally Balagot.

From the crowd-drawing showbiz sector, the stars who shall read poetry and scintillate in the night with their presence include recent Time magazine cover girl Chin Chin Gutierrez, award-winning actresses Gina Alajar, Lara Fabregas and Pinky Amador, still alluring sexy actress Rosanna Roces, nubile sexy star Diana Zubiri, as well as two of the country’s outstanding actors, Ricky Davao and Joel Torre. Diverse musical numbers will spice up the event in between poetry readings. UP’s Capili invited the country’s top beauty queens to join this poetry reading event.

UMPIL extended an invitation for Marikina Mayor Maridel Carlos Fernando and her husband Metro Manila Development Authority chairman Bayani Fernando to possibly participate, too. Local Chinese-language literary writers shall also participate in the poetry reading, including young ethnic Chinese writers in the English language, such as Charlson Ong and Shirley Lua.

Poetry, Delicious Ma-Chang And Dragon Boat Races

Qu Yuan was a legendary poet-statesman who took his own life by jumping to his death in the Miluo River on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar, to protest the then prevailing government corruption during China’s Warring States period of feudal kingdoms.

This year, the Dragon Boat Festival commemorating his death falls on the first week of June. His life epitomized the Confucian virtue of placing the national and community welfares above those of the family and self. Due to Qu Yuan being a famed poet, his death anniversary is also marked as Poet’s Day in much of Asia.

The death anniversary of Qu Yuan is commemorated yearly as a major international festival, with colorful dragon boat races and the eating of tsung tzu or glutinous rice with fillings and wrapped in bamboo leaves. In the local Hokkien dialect spoken in the Philippines, tsung tzu is called ma-chang, a popular and delicious dish in many local Chinese restaurants. Ma-chang is so diverse in flavor and taste, with some becoming elaborate preparations with the addition of pork, peanuts, salted eggs and other delectable fillings.

How did eating ma-chang come about? When the idealistic poet ended his life by drowning, people started throwing balls of sweet rice in bamboo leaves into the river to keep fishes from eating the hero’s body.

The people also furiously raced in boats looking for his body, thus starting the annual Dragon Boat Race tradition. Today, major cities worldwide seek to outshine each other’s Dragon Boat races in size and prestige, from Vancouver, Sydney, San Francisco, Singapore, Shanghai, Taipei, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Beijing to Europe.

The group is now working to ensure the success of what may become the country’s biggest and most memorable poetry reading night under the dynamic UMPIL 2001-2004 executive board, led by chairman poet-novelist Yuson. Other members of the UMPIL executive board are vice chairman Roberto Añonuevo, secretary general Vim Nadera, auditor Ariel Borlongan, with directors Karina Bolasco, Romulo Baquiran, Jr., Jose Bragado, Herminio Beltran, Jr., Jose Wendell Capili, Luna Sicat-Cleto, Michael Coroza, Jose "Butch" Dalisay, Jr., Marne Kilates, Mario Miclat, Charlson Ong and this writer. Elected chairman emeritus are Adrian Cristobal, Virgilio Almario (the top Filipino poet writing under the pen name Rio Alma) and the late poet Mike Bigornia.

For inquiries regarding the UMPIL poetry reading night on June 5, call the UMPIL Secretariat at 372-3548, 372-3549 or 410-3116.

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Please send your comments, suggestions, jokes or poems to wilson_lee_flores@yahoo.com or wilson_lee_flores@hotmail.com or P.O. Box 14277, Ortigas Center, Pasig City.