The poet Rita Dove once wrote that poetry “is language at its most distilled and most powerful.” There are many powerful poems that capture the emotions and the struggles, loves, and victories of people living their lives. The Philippines has produced many great poets over the years, from Francisco Balagtas to National Artists for Literature such as Jose Garcia Villa and Edith Tiempo.
One form of poetry that has regained popularity in recent years is spoken word poetry, which involves an oral poetic performance that highlights not only the poem’s content but also the performer’s aesthetic qualities. Back in 2020, Plus Network featured some of the country’s best spoken word artists in Sa Bawat Paghinga, which featured their poems accompanied by videos that bring their words to vivid life.
This year, Sa Bawat Paghinga returns for a new season, which features the works of poets from the Linangan sa Imahen, Retorika, at Anyo or LIRA, a group of Filipino poets. Founded in 1985 by National Artist for Literature Virgilio S. Almario (also known as Rio Alma), it has produced some of the country’s best poets such as Victor Emmanuel Carmelo Nadera, Jerry Gracio, and Edgar Calabia Samar.
The first two episodes of the new season of Sa Bawat Paghinga feature the poems “Sa Bawat Paghinga: Naisip Ko Kung Nakalimutan Ko Na Nga Bang Magmahal” by Edgar Calabia Samar and “Bitiw” by Adelma Salvador, with more episodes to come featuring the best works from the poets of LIRA. Together with the talented poets from LIRA, Plus Network hopes to continue featuring the best spoken word poems that capture the human experience.
“Naisip Ko Kung Nakalimutan Ko Na Nga Bang Magmahal” ni Edgar Calabia Samar
“Bitiw” ni Adelma Salvador
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