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Laan
- GenresPoetry
78 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
July 12, 2014
Note: Only rated this based on one poem in the collection which is Sa Piling ng mga Bagay. Got the chance to read this one poem because it was the poem we had to base our finals paper for Human Literature. *Edited*
There's something about poems that makes you want to understand them and dissect them part by part just to fully analyze what message it aims to get across. Truly, a poem is not just a creative and unique way of compiling words, it has a potential to contain messages that are usually subliminal and subtle. While some poems can be easily figured out and understood, some are more complex and takes more time, and effort to apprehend. For me, the latter is where I would place and consider Allan Popa’s poem Sa Piling ng mga Bagay.
I did not expect Sa Piling ng mga Bagay to be that hard to read and interpret. I thought that after reading it once, I can at least have a concrete idea or explanation of the poem inside my head. Not much to my surprise, I found myself reading it for several times, but even after those times, confusion still overpowered. Honestly, I found myself lost after reading the poem all over and over again. After reading it for a number of times, lots of ideas and interpretations came crossing my mind, although some were contradicting and downright weird to even consider. I must admit, I was kind of frustrated with the poem because I really wanted to know what it was exactly about, but I just could not put my finger on it.
My general impression of Sa Piling ng mga Bagay is that it was lengthier compared to the other poems discussed in class. Also, it was in Filipino, and personally, I find poems in Filipino harder to comprehend, unlike those written in English. In line with this, the Filipino words used were deeper, and it was even the first time I heard some of the words. The poem was also kind of like a narration to me, but of what exactly, I am not so sure. I did notice that the poem consisted mostly of things or inanimate objects. I think this is where the interpretation of the title comes to play. By noticing that the poem consisted mostly of things, I kept in mind that the title of the poem had the word bagay on it. With this, imagery also came into play. There were a lot of descriptions about the things surrounding the persona that then I began to visualize it in my head. Also, I was getting the impression that the setting was happening inside a house, specifically in a room. But there was also a time I thought it was happening inside a cell or an old abandoned house. In connection to this, it was undeniable that my main general impression of the poem was that it was kind of confusing, since there were a lot of interpretations I got from it. All those ideas started to jumble inside my head, and I did not know which one was right, wrong, or was the closest to the exact interpretation.
In terms of the structure of the poem, most stanzas consisted of two lines, while the others had one, three, or four. The maximum number of lines was only five, and that was only on one stanza. I also noticed something unique and odd about the line cuts. Majority of the sentences were not finished with one line, rather they were cut into parts. With this, I remembered the term “enjambment” or where the meaning of an idea changes because of an intended line cut. Also, because of the odd line cuts, I found myself seeing the different emphasis on some words, and my interest was piqued because of the incomplete idea that the line cuts produced, thus making me want to continue reading it. There were also times when I would read one line, then I would interpret it like this, but then I would continue reading the next line, and then the meaning would change entirely. With this, I like how the author carefully and creatively maneuvered the line cuts, and I think this is one the poem’s strengths.
I think the poem was intense in its own form. But personally, I did not like it per se, but I did like how it frustrated me to know what it was exactly about. I also liked the way it made me think, and claw for a clearer picture of it. I also like the intriguing aura of it, and how it kind of compels you to continue reading it. But would I personally enjoy it? Personally, I do not think so. As I said, Filipino poems do not easily pique my interest, so it is kind of hard for me to enjoy these kinds of poems.
Over-all, I felt in sync with the persona’s desolation and his reminiscent vibe with the things around him while I was reading the poem. Although I did not actually enjoy the poem, rather greatly intrigued and compelled it by it. But I personally commend the author and the poem itself for being a powerful piece in its own form. Props to the author for a job well done!
Filipino poems at its best ;)
There's something about poems that makes you want to understand them and dissect them part by part just to fully analyze what message it aims to get across. Truly, a poem is not just a creative and unique way of compiling words, it has a potential to contain messages that are usually subliminal and subtle. While some poems can be easily figured out and understood, some are more complex and takes more time, and effort to apprehend. For me, the latter is where I would place and consider Allan Popa’s poem Sa Piling ng mga Bagay.
I did not expect Sa Piling ng mga Bagay to be that hard to read and interpret. I thought that after reading it once, I can at least have a concrete idea or explanation of the poem inside my head. Not much to my surprise, I found myself reading it for several times, but even after those times, confusion still overpowered. Honestly, I found myself lost after reading the poem all over and over again. After reading it for a number of times, lots of ideas and interpretations came crossing my mind, although some were contradicting and downright weird to even consider. I must admit, I was kind of frustrated with the poem because I really wanted to know what it was exactly about, but I just could not put my finger on it.
My general impression of Sa Piling ng mga Bagay is that it was lengthier compared to the other poems discussed in class. Also, it was in Filipino, and personally, I find poems in Filipino harder to comprehend, unlike those written in English. In line with this, the Filipino words used were deeper, and it was even the first time I heard some of the words. The poem was also kind of like a narration to me, but of what exactly, I am not so sure. I did notice that the poem consisted mostly of things or inanimate objects. I think this is where the interpretation of the title comes to play. By noticing that the poem consisted mostly of things, I kept in mind that the title of the poem had the word bagay on it. With this, imagery also came into play. There were a lot of descriptions about the things surrounding the persona that then I began to visualize it in my head. Also, I was getting the impression that the setting was happening inside a house, specifically in a room. But there was also a time I thought it was happening inside a cell or an old abandoned house. In connection to this, it was undeniable that my main general impression of the poem was that it was kind of confusing, since there were a lot of interpretations I got from it. All those ideas started to jumble inside my head, and I did not know which one was right, wrong, or was the closest to the exact interpretation.
In terms of the structure of the poem, most stanzas consisted of two lines, while the others had one, three, or four. The maximum number of lines was only five, and that was only on one stanza. I also noticed something unique and odd about the line cuts. Majority of the sentences were not finished with one line, rather they were cut into parts. With this, I remembered the term “enjambment” or where the meaning of an idea changes because of an intended line cut. Also, because of the odd line cuts, I found myself seeing the different emphasis on some words, and my interest was piqued because of the incomplete idea that the line cuts produced, thus making me want to continue reading it. There were also times when I would read one line, then I would interpret it like this, but then I would continue reading the next line, and then the meaning would change entirely. With this, I like how the author carefully and creatively maneuvered the line cuts, and I think this is one the poem’s strengths.
I think the poem was intense in its own form. But personally, I did not like it per se, but I did like how it frustrated me to know what it was exactly about. I also liked the way it made me think, and claw for a clearer picture of it. I also like the intriguing aura of it, and how it kind of compels you to continue reading it. But would I personally enjoy it? Personally, I do not think so. As I said, Filipino poems do not easily pique my interest, so it is kind of hard for me to enjoy these kinds of poems.
Over-all, I felt in sync with the persona’s desolation and his reminiscent vibe with the things around him while I was reading the poem. Although I did not actually enjoy the poem, rather greatly intrigued and compelled it by it. But I personally commend the author and the poem itself for being a powerful piece in its own form. Props to the author for a job well done!
Filipino poems at its best ;)
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