THE POETICS OF EDUCATING "SHIH"

This photo of Filipinas and an American Soldier (from Univ. of Wisconsin Archives)

is a provocative illustration to a fabulous presentation of "Pinay Poets" at The Bakery, curated by Barbara Jane Reyes.  I'm honored to be part of the group: Joi Barrios, Arlene Biala, Sasha Pimentel Chacon, Rachelle Cruz, Luisa A. Igloria, Karen Llagas, Melissa Roxas, Melissa Sipin, Eileen Tabios, and Jean Vengua.

"Pinay Poets" is The Bakery's monthly feature and as part of such, poetics essays by the participants also will be featured throughout the month.  So far, two have appeared: Jean Vengua's "Notes on a Poetics of Individuality and Community" is over HERE, and my "Educating the Shih: A Filipina Poetics" also just appeared HERE. 

My two sample poems (on boxing, haha) are from a manuscript-in-progress that could be my first long-poem book, 147 Million Orphans: A Haybun.

And as my poetics essay moves from Sun Tzu's The Art of War to Michael Gerard Tyson (of the recent menage a troi Brad Pitt and Robin Givens fame, sigh), it seems appropriate to me that the poetics statements are featured on The Bakery's "Dirty Pans" Blog ... coz if your poetics don't get dirty, it ain't particularly ... tasty.