Copy of jolography by paolo manalo
Jolography Retconned: Poems
May 2,
This is the second edition of Paolo Manalo’s poetry collection “Jolography,” first published in I haven’t read the first edition, but according to the blurb of this new edition the majority of its contents are new and revised, which explains the “Retconned” in the title.
I first encountered Manalo’s work, specifically the titular poem “Jolography,” back in college, sometime in maybe. And at the time, as someone whose grasp of poetry was pretty basic (Neruda and Lang Leav), I found his work disorienting, but in a satisfying way. Just read the first six lines of “Jolography” to see what I mean:
How dead you child are, whose spoiled
Sportedness is being fashion showed
Beautifuling as we speak. In Cubao
There is that same look: your Crossing Ibabaw,
Your Nepa Cute, Wednesdays
Baclaran, “Please pass, kindly ride on”
Transliterations, Taglish, conyospeak, etc., inhabit Manalo’s work, leading to musical neologisms that can only be deciphered if you
I first encountered Manalo’s work, specifically the titular poem “Jolography,” back in college, sometime in maybe. And at the time, as someone whose grasp of poetry was pretty basic (Neruda and Lang Leav), I found his work disorienting, but in a satisfying way. Just read the first six lines of “Jolography” to see what I mean:
How dead you child are, whose spoiled
Sportedness is being fashion showed
Beautifuling as we speak. In Cubao
There is that same look: your Crossing Ibabaw,
Your Nepa Cute, Wednesdays
Baclaran, “Please pass, kindly ride on”
Transliterations, Taglish, conyospeak, etc., inhabit Manalo’s work, leading to musical neologisms that can only be deciphered if you