Le Voyage Magnifique

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The Philippine Islands is a Southeast Asia country located in the Western Pacific Ocean. Filipino poetry dates back before colonization and has been an intregal part of the Filipino culture. The earliest Tagalog epics are written in verse.

Master poets show us how
to push the poetic plow
and compose poems in the now.
Please all stand and take a bow.
~~ Tinker

The Tanaga is a Filipino verse form that was originally composed in Tagolog, which to my ear is one of the more musical of languages. (Kumusta ka? Mabuti salam at) The form dates back to the 16th century and has an oral tradition. This old folk form had a resurgence of popularity in the 20th century, died down and resurfaced again mid 21st century. The poems are not titled. Originally it was a compact poem, contained in 4 lines, each is emotionally charged and asks a question that begs an answer.

The elements of the Tanaga are:
1. a tetrastich, a poem in 4 lines. However, modern poets have modified it to longer works in a stanzaic pattern of any number of quatrains.
2. syllabic, 7-7-7-7 syllables per line.
3. rhymed, originally monorhymed aaaa. Modern Tanagas also use aaaa bbbb etc., or aabb ccdd etc or abba cddc etc or any combination rhyme can be used.
4. asks a question seeking an answer
5. composed with the liberal use of metaphor
6. untitled. But in this poetic world we kind of have to title our poems for identity's sake.

I'd Like to Think, It Knew

Saintly sentinel stands guard,
oversees nature's regard.
St. Francis in my front yard,
stone statue weathered and scarred.

The welcome, silent and stead,
his story of care is widespread.
A brown bird lights on his head
to peruse the garden bed.

Do you think it may have known
what the ancient priest had sown?
In Christ he was never alone,
love for all life he'd intone.
~~Judi Van Gorder

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