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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.

Sunday, June 24, 2012

RESOLVE



RESOLVE


Nothing to do but ride this out, observe: we’re here, we’re here, still here.---From “Passing Storm” by Luisa A. Igloria, Via Negativa. 06-22-12



It is never over until we decide to stop.
That tired lady pleaded to magistrates*
that her fight is at an end. End it. 30.


What is writing 30 on a breaking news
Except that that’s how much is known
At this time. There must be something


More behind a story, something before it
To fret about, laugh about, cherish dearly.
Is it foolhardy to consider all dimensions?


We are strong dreams throbbing on loins
Even before we are ready for wounding
In a place not of our making. We suffer.


But what of it? The storm is here. Here
We are; we ride it out because we are still
Here. We are still but not stronger. There.



---Albert B. Casuga
06-24-12



*The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that a terminally ill or ineluctably suffering human has the right to an assisted suicide when dying with dignity is one's preeminent consideration or condition. Protesters of this ruling look at it as a potential breeding ground of elderly abuse.

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