WHY I BELIEVE IN ANGELS

The Silliman Review, of the 106-year-old Silliman University in the Philippines, has asked to reprint Mom's engagement (in GR#7) with Luis Cabalquinto's Selected Poems, BRIDGEABLE SHORES.

Moreover, Silliman Review editor Ceres is also writing a history of Silliman University, the first Protestant school founded in the Philippines, and Mom's article has encouraged her to include a chapter on the alumnae of the Department of English and Literature Dept. (The school's Protestant roots reflects the influence of American vs Spanish colonialism, further reflected in my family -- we were raised Methodists.)

Anyway, that's a pretty Wow effect to me -- to have Mom's engagement and Galatea Resurrects reappear in the Silliman Journal. I hope these unfold as offered by Ceres.

But let's take a look at the Angelic Path: the synchronicities that's led to Mom's review and this blog post.

First, years ago I solicited and edited BRIDGEABLE SHORES and it was published by an imprint that I and Kaya Press once thought to develop, called "Galatea Speaks" (sound familiar?). As it turns out, the Kaya imprint only lasted for one book (and, later, I would come to be a publisher through Meritage Press).

Years later, BRIDGEABLE SHORES then became one of four books I gave Mom to review for Galatea Resurrects. At random, she opened this book first...and then came to write her engagement. If you look at her review, as I note on my Editor's Introduction, Luis Cabalquinto's poetry had a significant effect on Mom, to the extent of affecting her world view for the rest of her life -- that "there is something special / about remaining with the living after all..."

THAT is the power of poetry, and how it gives back to you if you give to it.

*****

Speaking of the power of poetry, I have 40 commitments so far for reviews in the next issue of Galatea Resurrects -- No. 8 whose deadline is Nov. 5. Woot! But we are always looking for reviewers. Please check Galatea's Purse on how you may get involved doing reviews as well as the latest list of available review copies (some fabulous publications have recently flown through the gate!).