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Insectissimo!
INSECTISSIMO!
LOURD ERNEST H. DE VEYRA
has published two books of poetry: Subterranean Thought Parade and Shadowboxing in Headphones. He has won the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature, the Free Press Literary Awards, and the very first National Commission for Culture and the Arts' Writers' Prize for Poetry. He also fronts the spoken word-jazz-rock band Radioactive Sago Project and currently works as a host and writer for the News and Public Affairs programs of TV5. This is his third collection of poems.
LOURD ERNEST H. DE VEYRA
has published two books of poetry: Subterranean Thought Parade and Shadowboxing in Headphones. He has won the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature, the Free Press Literary Awards, and the very first National Commission for Culture and the Arts' Writers' Prize for Poetry. He also fronts the spoken word-jazz-rock band Radioactive Sago Project and currently works as a host and writer for the News and Public Affairs programs of TV5. This is his third collection of poems.
- GenresPoetry
88 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
8 people are currently reading
402 people want to read
About the author
Lourd Ernest H. de Veyra
14 books317 followersLourd Ernest Hanopol de Veyra is a multi-awarded Filipino musician, poet, journalist, broadcast personality, and activist who first became famous for being the vocalist of Manila-based jazz rock band Radioactive Sago Project.
De Veyra graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Santo Tomas.
As literary influences, de Veyra cites Beat movement writers such as Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac. He explains, speaking as a fellow at the 45th UP National Writers Workshop:
“What I look for in poetry is an uneasy kind of energy. An energy that is already beyond the configuration of words and then assumes a density that is akin to music. At the heart of it all is jazz. Jazz, the manipulation of breath— the unleashing of breath, the holding of breath, the destruction of breath. The most basic unit of jazz is the swing and the breath. My primary influence is the Beat movement and I think my initial fascination for them was rather hinged on the wrong reasons: the radical visual arrangement of lines on the page, the profanity and the absurdity that struck my mind as a welcome relief from the stultifying archaisms of 17th-century English poetry force-fed on us by high school teachers. Here was, at long last, literature that spoke to me. It was in sympathy with the energy of free jazz and punk rock records that I was listening to at that time. Through the lyrics of punk rock and hardcore records, I had an inkling of how words can be more powerful than a guitar amplifier cranked up all the way to ten. My exposure to the poetry of Ginsberg and Kerouac opened me up to the world of possibilities. And I am obsessed with the idea of ‘possibility’. ‘Possibility’ is what art is all about. It is the constant wrestling with forms, styles, and structures. It is the idea that something better is always out there. It is about discontent. It is about discontent with the safe, the middling, the accepted, and the acceptable.”
He has thrice been a recipient of a Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Award for Literature - A Third prize in essay (English division) in 1999, a second prize in the same category in 2003; and a first prize in teleplay (Filipino division) in 2004.
When the hardcore punk band Dead Ends ended their 4 year hiatus, he became the band's lead guitarist in 1994, thus making Dead Ends a four piece band. Then, they recorded their comeback and final album, the influential Mamatay sa Ingay(1994), it was a different sound than their past materials, it was more of a crossover-thrash approach. When Dead Ends disbanded in 1996(because of Jay Dimalanta's passing). He also became a member of Al Dimalanta's new band Throw, with his brother Francis playing the bass.
De Veyra graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Santo Tomas.
As literary influences, de Veyra cites Beat movement writers such as Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac. He explains, speaking as a fellow at the 45th UP National Writers Workshop:
“What I look for in poetry is an uneasy kind of energy. An energy that is already beyond the configuration of words and then assumes a density that is akin to music. At the heart of it all is jazz. Jazz, the manipulation of breath— the unleashing of breath, the holding of breath, the destruction of breath. The most basic unit of jazz is the swing and the breath. My primary influence is the Beat movement and I think my initial fascination for them was rather hinged on the wrong reasons: the radical visual arrangement of lines on the page, the profanity and the absurdity that struck my mind as a welcome relief from the stultifying archaisms of 17th-century English poetry force-fed on us by high school teachers. Here was, at long last, literature that spoke to me. It was in sympathy with the energy of free jazz and punk rock records that I was listening to at that time. Through the lyrics of punk rock and hardcore records, I had an inkling of how words can be more powerful than a guitar amplifier cranked up all the way to ten. My exposure to the poetry of Ginsberg and Kerouac opened me up to the world of possibilities. And I am obsessed with the idea of ‘possibility’. ‘Possibility’ is what art is all about. It is the constant wrestling with forms, styles, and structures. It is the idea that something better is always out there. It is about discontent. It is about discontent with the safe, the middling, the accepted, and the acceptable.”
He has thrice been a recipient of a Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Award for Literature - A Third prize in essay (English division) in 1999, a second prize in the same category in 2003; and a first prize in teleplay (Filipino division) in 2004.
When the hardcore punk band Dead Ends ended their 4 year hiatus, he became the band's lead guitarist in 1994, thus making Dead Ends a four piece band. Then, they recorded their comeback and final album, the influential Mamatay sa Ingay(1994), it was a different sound than their past materials, it was more of a crossover-thrash approach. When Dead Ends disbanded in 1996(because of Jay Dimalanta's passing). He also became a member of Al Dimalanta's new band Throw, with his brother Francis playing the bass.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 8, 2011
The third in Palanca award-winning Lourd de Veyra's list of poetry anthologies published, Insectissimo! takes a hefty amount of local pop culture and douses it with a lot of beautiful imagery. From the billboards along Quiapo and South Superhighway to superstitions such as sleeping with a full stomach, from television shows and movie stars of the golden age of cinema to jazz and rock and roll, from cannabis to umbrellas and bicycles to videoke and even fat Elvis, Insectissimo! leaves nothing untouched and provides a relatable potpourri that everyone from the islands can enjoy. The anthology boasts a wide range of 40 poems in a variety of sizes and topics, but mostly about life in this third-world tropical country.
The poet has a flair for words, unmatched in recent memory of local poetry. What is seemingly mundane, ordinary, he can turn into an attention-grabbing scene the reader wouldn't forget any time soon. The images are laced with as much reality as possible, you couldn't help but wonder if he has actually lived each and everyone of them. The slums, the suicidal fantasies, the irony - all of these things mash up well together under the skillful hands of the frontman for the band Radioactive Sago Project. It shouldn't surprise anyone, really. His signature wit is carried on to his show, Word of the Lourd, which is nothing short of entertaining.
Insectissimo! is one of those reads you should bring to one of your hospital visits to make such painful experience bearable. Chances are, you could finish the whole book in one sitting, like me. This may very well be the most creative poetry can get in the modern 7,107.
Not for anyone who'd get turned off by the rock and roll lifestyle, the drugs, the booze, and tragedy in general.
The poet has a flair for words, unmatched in recent memory of local poetry. What is seemingly mundane, ordinary, he can turn into an attention-grabbing scene the reader wouldn't forget any time soon. The images are laced with as much reality as possible, you couldn't help but wonder if he has actually lived each and everyone of them. The slums, the suicidal fantasies, the irony - all of these things mash up well together under the skillful hands of the frontman for the band Radioactive Sago Project. It shouldn't surprise anyone, really. His signature wit is carried on to his show, Word of the Lourd, which is nothing short of entertaining.
Insectissimo! is one of those reads you should bring to one of your hospital visits to make such painful experience bearable. Chances are, you could finish the whole book in one sitting, like me. This may very well be the most creative poetry can get in the modern 7,107.
Not for anyone who'd get turned off by the rock and roll lifestyle, the drugs, the booze, and tragedy in general.
August 17, 2012
Experimental 'urban' poetry. De Veyra's intoxicated verses are not to be shocked of, but their social realism is a curious anti thesis to his otherwise 'liberal' lyricism. There certainly are dull moments in the collection, but their boringness can be compared to the annoying boredom listeners feel for "Revolution 9" in The Beatles' White Album. An interesting read amidst the alienated, slap-worthy emo poetry which dominates contemporary Philippine literature in English today.
June 29, 2014
Walang talkshittan pero eto ang pinaka unang poetry book na binili ko gamit ang baong inipon. Nagsisimula pa lang ako noon mangolekta ng libro, wala pang bigote pero nakakaintindi na ng kung anu-ano't nakikinig na din ako ng Radioactive Sago Project at idol ko na si Lourd. Pati nanay ko alam na idol ko na sya kaya isang umaga bago sya pumasok sa opisina sabi nya "Merong libro si Lourd. Nakita ko sa National Bookstore. Book of poetry ata." Pag lipas ng isang linggo na tipid sa perang pang kain sa eskwala, meron na akong Insectissimo.
Sabi nila, na isusulat mo ng isusulat ang pinaka unang tula na nagustuhan mo. Ang pinaka unang tula na nagustuhan ko sa koleksyon na ito ay yung Fat Elvis In Kamias. Sumulat ako ng tula na hango dito na ang titulo eh, Jomarpee and the Great Classroom of Death (hango rin sa isang chapter ng isa pang libro ni Lourd na Super Panalo Sounds!). Simula nung isinulat ko yun at maraming nagsabi na "Ok lang naman." kinuha ko yung simbolo para magsulat ng magsulat. Kaya masasabi ko na itong librong ito, itong libro ng poetry kuno, ang nag-jumpstart sa akin para lumikha ng kung anu-ano gamit ang mga salita.
Meron akong kaibigan dati, sabi nya na wala naman daw itong kwenta't parang gumamit lang ang sumulat ng mga malalalim na salita; hindi na kami nag-uusap ngayon.
Sabi nila, na isusulat mo ng isusulat ang pinaka unang tula na nagustuhan mo. Ang pinaka unang tula na nagustuhan ko sa koleksyon na ito ay yung Fat Elvis In Kamias. Sumulat ako ng tula na hango dito na ang titulo eh, Jomarpee and the Great Classroom of Death (hango rin sa isang chapter ng isa pang libro ni Lourd na Super Panalo Sounds!). Simula nung isinulat ko yun at maraming nagsabi na "Ok lang naman." kinuha ko yung simbolo para magsulat ng magsulat. Kaya masasabi ko na itong librong ito, itong libro ng poetry kuno, ang nag-jumpstart sa akin para lumikha ng kung anu-ano gamit ang mga salita.
Meron akong kaibigan dati, sabi nya na wala naman daw itong kwenta't parang gumamit lang ang sumulat ng mga malalalim na salita; hindi na kami nag-uusap ngayon.
February 7, 2014
So ayun naga-adik ako sa mga tula nung panahon na 'to ewan ko ba kung ano pinaglalaban ko, pero basta ang saya lang kase nung mga bitin na words tapos yung feeling mo na tama lang na ganun sila, kung saan sila nakalagay tapos kapag dinagdagan mo pa, mawawala na yung essence, yung pagiging surreal niya. (chos. feeling madaming alam sa poems)
Anyways shet lord ang ganda niya po. Ang ganda nung choice of words lalo na kapag nagde-describe siya nung mga kaganapan sa loob ng club/disco/bar (whichever you prefer) which is madaming beses niyang naisulat in different ways sa insectissimo. Gusto ko yung feeling ko nasa dance floor din ako, nauusukan, nasisinagan ng strobe lights at high sa emotions (or drugs). Ang ganda nung mga simpleng bagay eh napapakumplikado niya at nabibigyan niya ng metaphor sa buhay at yung mga kumplikadong emosyon eh napapasimple niya like palagi mo 'tong nae-encounter on a daily basis kaya't wag mag-alala, everything's fine and normal.
Anyways shet lord ang ganda niya po. Ang ganda nung choice of words lalo na kapag nagde-describe siya nung mga kaganapan sa loob ng club/disco/bar (whichever you prefer) which is madaming beses niyang naisulat in different ways sa insectissimo. Gusto ko yung feeling ko nasa dance floor din ako, nauusukan, nasisinagan ng strobe lights at high sa emotions (or drugs). Ang ganda nung mga simpleng bagay eh napapakumplikado niya at nabibigyan niya ng metaphor sa buhay at yung mga kumplikadong emosyon eh napapasimple niya like palagi mo 'tong nae-encounter on a daily basis kaya't wag mag-alala, everything's fine and normal.
January 29, 2014
It's like reading Bob Dylan's Tarantula without the mystery.
September 11, 2013
That Improvisation 5...
March 3, 2015
This is way better than anything I've ever read from Lourd de Veyra.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews