when I go up to get a drink, it does'nt work the way you think, i turn it up the water goes and hits me right upon the nose!

For months we have been anxiously preparing for this book launching. Then

suddenly, here we are on the night itself. Getting the actual book in our hands

and a few tears in our eyes, we hit the wine.


It all began fifteen years ago, when a young and sensitive man started churning

out Cebuano poems. His name is Adonis Durado and he is now one of the

brightest stars in our literary sky.


A great book of poetry, apart from being a beautiful thing in itself, gives

readers an insight into the poet’s passions. Without meaning to, it tends to be

autobiographical. Adonis exposes himself to his readers and gives evidence that

while he is walking on our planet, he is also flying in the universe of ideas. Two

of his most popular poems are about habal-habal and pancit. Things we tend to

take for granted. Who would think of writing a poem about an illegal motorcycle

public vehicle plying our mountain barangays? In addition, he turns it into a

poignant love story. Who could turn the pancit noodle into a symbol of a

woman’s domestic martyrdom? The answer is Adonis Durado.


The book launching was like a reunion of the romantic and post modern

Cebuano poets of our time. Since an exhibit featuring the works of artists Josua

Cabrera and Radel Paredes was also opened, visual artists also came in droves.

Performance art from XO provided the intermission number. Cebuano film

makers also graced the launch. Literary giant Dr. Resil Mojares mixed with the

crowd and our literary mother Dr. Linda Alburo delivered the closing remarks.


The air in the Q Gallery during the book launching cum exhibit opening

reeks of art. Every minute was like watching a documentary entitled: Cebuano

Contemporary Culture in the Making. Cebuano writers living in other parts of the

world sent electronic mails to reserve books and wish the poet well. Those who

do not know this poet may well ask, what makes this artist tick?


Butch Bandillo, a noted writer himself, says in his foreword (quoting Ezra

Pound ) for the book Dili Tanang Matagak Mahagbong (Not All That Drop Falls)

that:

“the supreme test for a book is that we should feel some unusual intelligence

working behind the words…There is no intelligence without emotion. There may

be emotion without intelligence, but that does not concern us”


Multi awarded writer Merle Alunan, the book’s translator says she has

been watching out for this book over the years. She noted the difficulty of

translating Adonis’ poems into English which are indeed pale shades of the

original.


There is no doubt that this poet is respected by his mentors and peers.

He received the Emmanuel Lacaba Prize given by National Commission for

Culture and Arts in the year 2000 and Best New Writer from the Cebuano

Studies Center and Faigao Foundation in the succeeding year. Perhaps, the

only reason why he does not harvest more awards was because he left the

country for Saudi Arabia, Dubai then Thailand to work as a graphic artist. We

lost him for eight years but the book launching last Saturday was proof that his

heart is always in his homeland.


“Tell me, who knows about the ring which dropped from your hands into

the sea, which until now may still be sinking, sinking into the depths?” he asks

the reader, in his poem Not All that Drop Falls.


His answer is: “I am of the opinion that the soul of those lovers who killed

themselves by jumping off a cliff are still floating, floating in space.”


I think Adonis Durado is a brave, responsive Cebuano poet who looks at

life squarely in the face.


MARIA VICTORIA BELTRAN
For CEBU GOLD STAR DAILY