by Jay Rafferty
It is no exaggeration when I say this is one of the most heartfelt and unique collections of poetry I have had the good grace to lay eyes on this year. Fahmidan Publishing’s latest offering, a collection of poems from Keana Aguila Labra (the founder of Marias at Sampaguitas literary magazine) gives its reader an experience like no other. I enjoyed every poem, every page in this bright little collection, it broadened my concept of what poetry can be (and I’m a Modernist at heart!). Even Keana’s Bio, presented as a poem called ‘Portrait of a Bio as a Poem’, is a fascinating read itself, difficult to crack I’ll admit —punctuation is a devil at the best of times but forward slashes as line breaks wreck my head— but rewarding in and of itself. And that’s the just the final poem of this remarkable collection’s repertoire.
Mohílak ranges in style across four sections (Biyaan, Luha, Hilak and Kusgan), the first three ending in a quote from another artist, the fourth ending in the aforementioned Bio poem. Across these four sections Keana offers up some compassionate gems, from Biyaan’s ‘To the Pianist who Refused to Play ‘Work’ by Rihanna for my Manghod’s 21st Birthday’ (which is amazing for the title alone, let’s be honest) to Hilak’s ‘When my future apo ask how their Lolo and I stayed in love during a pandemic’ and beyond. The range of tone and emotion within these pages is as varied as her poetic styles and stanzas. Couplets, lists, dedications and prose poems intermingle here. They dance like unfettered petals on a still pool. The old saying is “Jack of all trades, master of none.” But reading this collection? You’re likely to forget the latter. Regardless of your particular tastes there is a poem in this collection for any reader.
What strikes me re-reading these poems is their sincerity, the genuine quality in every word from Keana’s Lyric I that one may struggle to find in the work of many contemporary poets, present company included. In Mohílak there is joy without pride, sorrow without indulgence. In a word: bittersweet.
Buy this book.
Enjoy it.
That’s all the guidance I’ve got for you.
Jay Rafferty is an uncle, an Irishman and an eejit. He’s the Social Media Manager for Sage Cigarettes Magazine and a Best of the Net Nominee. You can read his poems in several journals including Lights on the Horizon and the Daily Drunk Mag. When not playing games of pool he, sometimes, writes stuff. You can follow him on Twitter @Atlas_Snow.
