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ALBERT B. CASUGA, a Philippine-born writer, lives in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, where he continues to write poetry, fiction, and criticism after his retirement from teaching and serving as an elected member of his region's school board. He was nominated to the Mississauga Arts Council Literary Awards in 2007. A graduate of the Royal and Pontifical University of St. Thomas (now University of Santo Tomas, Manila. Literature and English, magna cum laude), he taught English and Literature (Criticism, Theory, and Creative Writing) at the Philippines' De La Salle University and San Beda College. He has authored books of poetry, short stories, literary theory and criticism. He has won awards for his works in Canada, the U.S.A., and the Philippines. His latest work, A Theory of Echoes and Other Poems was published February 2009 by the University of Santo Tomas Publishing House. His fiction and poetry were published by online literary journals Asia Writes and Coastal Poems recently. He was a Fellow at the 1972 Silliman University Writers Workshop, Philippines. As a journalist, he worked with the United Press International and wrote an art column for the defunct Philippines Herald.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

HOW CAN THERE BE?


Photo by Bobby Ong Jr., Postcards from Manila

WONDERMENT

How can there be things almost oblivious to suffering?*

How can there be glorious sunsets?
How can there be spring flowers?
How can there be singing birds?
How can there be children laughing?
How can there be mothers rearing?
How can there be patriots dying?
How can there be being instead of nothing?

–Albert B. Casuga
03-10-11

* A "prompt" from Luisa Igloria's "Impression, with Rain and Buds", posted in Dave Bontas's Via Negativa, http://www.vianegativa.us/ 03-10-11
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