The Callowness of youth

Día del Libro 2011 and Bersong Europinoy 3 was held in Instituto Cervantes last Saturday, April 16

I was excited to attend Book day or Día del Libro, it was a hot Saturday so I was forced to buy an umbrella. After getting lost around Kalaw St., going around in circles in a cab and phoning a friend on how to get to the new Instituto Cervantes place, I was relieved by the sight of books, cheap too in a language I barely understand.

Día del Libro, according to the Bersong Europinoy 3 booklet, is an international book day which originated in the Catalan region of Spain to celebrate St. George’s day in which roses are given in exchange of books. There were jazz performances, workshops, poetry reading, food and book fair, wine fair and contest all summed up in one festive day.

So if you purchase a book or something in one of the sellers, you will also be given a rose for free, long stemmed too.

There were several publishing houses selling books at discounted prices while on the side would be wine bottles and next to it would be Alba, selling food and other delicacies.

I went to the Bersong Europinoy to see several poetry performances. Poems from Greece, Austria, Czech Republic, Belgium, Spain, Poland, Italy, Netherlands, United Kingdom and Philippines were performed.

Of course there’s an English translation to the poems, which I’m afraid tragically failed to retain the feel of the original poems since I’ve seen livelier zombies than the English translation readers. Well it’s just like a movie adaptation, always failing to match up with the based book.

One performance that I loved was read by a German couple, a poem by Gottfried Benn titled Palau. They said they practiced and listened on how the original poet had performed it probably more than 50 years ago. The poem was read as though to lull the audience and put them into a state of transience consciousness. It was beautiful indeed which inspired me on how to construct my future poems specifically those that I want to be read in an audience. I also have a certain fondness to the German language but I don’t think I’m biased at all.

My favorite Poem by Lord Byron was performed by United Kingdom, a woman with British accent, it was interesting.

Evidently there were delegates of different nationalities, therefore proper decorum and politically correct behavior must be observed.

I am gravely appalled by the two young performers from the Philippines, they have shamed us, shamed themselves. I was sitting next to Abdon Balde Jr., whom I take advices from with book writings and submitting manuscripts to publishers and he said he will teach me a lot of “Kabalbalan” because he read some of my poems. He’s also a chairman of UMPIL and has taken home several awards and a National bookstore consultant. He has written 10 books, so I’m an UMPIL member because he suggested submitting an application. A man of the literary world whom I revere and look up to and is still alive, he said he’s in his early 60s.

There were two young performers, probably around my age but perhaps older for a few years that have performed the most abominable performances ever to grace Instituto Cervantes. The first performer, in which despite writing a few young adult novels and performing all over the country have shamed himself, on the platform he told a story about him stalking a guy on facebook and he sang and recited a poem but after singing, the Europeans have complained and the director of Insitituto Cervantes, Jose Rodriguez walked out and exited the room.

I wanted to follow him but spontaneously combusting was more apt in this situation, Abdon was quietly sitting next to me. The guy whom I shall not name, out of respect - for myself, performed a number about stalking a guy while his armpits were wet, a reaction from the heat perhaps in an AC room. He made gestures and sang in a pedestrian manner. It was obnoxious.

After the performance he recited a poem which wasn’t in the booklet, a deliberate abandon of rules. That was when Jose, the director, exited the place. He thought it was funny but no one’s laughing.

After that, he somehow realized the repercussions of what he did and was seen on the side of the stage biting his nails out of, I don’t know, shame? Had he any...

His friend, also didn’t perform what they were suppose to read but rather read a poem that seem to promote war between nations. I wonder if he had forgotten there were representatives from different countries in the audience that was made painstakingly obvious because most of them were blondes.

In a very cultured event he was wearing what seems to be off for the season, a beanie for his head, a shirt that appeared to be two sizes bigger and baggy pants. I have reasons to believe he’s stuck in the 90s or to believe he’s a gangster. A beanie, seriously? The sun had unleashed his hellish rays outside!

I’m all for self-expression and all, but there is still certain decorum artists need to observe in certain situations and these are magnified more so for artists and performers unless one wants his or her reputation down the gutters. I always believed the generation of my youth are quite reckless and well… callow. Should Culture and Decorum be included in College curriculums?

The only performance that took the audience off their seats was from Abdon, he even had a lot of people taking his autographs after.

After the event I roamed around the place and bought a book that was rather interesting, with a typewriter cover and a set of traditional vintage cards I’m going to use in my new place in Katipunan and send to friends. So I had two roses with my purchases, I gave it to my friends whom I met in intramuros after Insitituto Cervantes.

Before leaving I saw a common friend, she introduced me to the douche who made a clown out of himself, he asked “Did you see me embarrass myself?” in which I replied “Yes…” we had a chat for a bit and I left since my friends were waiting. I remembered back in the Salon de Actos, he said to the audience that his only Culture is "Bacteria" a very common joke you can hear if you were in a comedy bar. I guess he was right, the only culture he has is... of Bacteria level. Rubbing it on his face wouldn't help.

And my theme song for the Book Day event would be from BT's Emotional Technology - Communicate

I've been listening to his Album "These Hopeful Machines" the whole week. I'm hooked I must admit. I love Electronica and Trance.