Poetry on the go in 'Metro Serye'

Thanks to e-books, the cost of reading has been significantly reduced. But some bibliophiles can't help but mourn the printed word. There's a certain romance in smelling a book, reverently picking it off the shelf, and curling up on your favorite chair and feeling the paper as you turn the pages. 

 

As more and more authors go digital, a wisp of a publication has quietly stepped into the scene.

 

“Metro Serye” is a sampler of work that aims to reach the contemporary reader. Designed to be literally taken with you, it can be tucked in a book or stuffed in a pocket. Even the way it's sold is charming—editor Mookie Katigbak-Lacuesta and marketing manager Anina Abola sell copies out of their bags.

 

Instead of waiting to be found on the shelves, they go to the readers. They plan to get into schools, independent bookstores and retailers, and even selling copies at train stations. In the meantime, they interact with readers online through Facebook and Twitter.

 

"’Metro Serye’ is the offspring of the journal and the roadmap. It was born on a sunny afternoon in 2011 at the UST Publishing House and has proven to be, like all talented children, a bit rebellious and different," says Lacuesta.

 

Lacuesta explains that although they're published by UST Press, they're a bit indie. While this D-I-Y method makes it difficult to get it out there, it makes it special in the sense that it's very personal.

 

Lacuesta recalls that within a day of being requested for their work, she received submissions from the five young poets featured in the first issue. She adds that even the publisher thought it was a good idea.

 

"Everybody seemed to want a project like this. Something that wasn't heavy on the publisher, because they don't really publish many poetry books... basically poetry books don't make money, but people like to read poetry. There's really a demand for it," she says.

 

"The big publishers find it difficult because they don't think it will sell. Because we don't write about vampires,” adds Abola, who believes “Metro Serye” is for everyone.

 

"People who are hungry for some literature to which they can relate, something they can emulate. The Internet is full of poetry and short stories, but there is pleasure in having an object to hold, and to share with people. It’s pretty difficult to ignore someone flapping a large piece of paper in front of you saying, ‘Look!’” she says.

 

Lacuesta says “Metro Serye” is for anyone who loves literature. "Any erudite, charming person who is both refined and cool; who loves life, motorcycles, trains, jeepneys and has scribbled verse on the margins of lined notebooks at some point or other in their lives. Someone who is both mysterious and accessible, both a student and a teacher, someone who loves history and current events, maybe even works for WWF.”

 

“Literature is exciting now. You have many contentions, people fighting each other. We decided, make love, not war. Just publish the poetry. Don't say anything, don't pick a faction, don't pick a side. Super simple," Lacuesta says, smiling the way giddy teenagers do when they've discovered something great.

 

New poets

 

While the idea is not entirely new, as some readers may recall Tita Lacambra-Ayala's “Road Map Series” in the seventies, the content is most definitely fresh.

 

“Metro Serye” features people who don't have poetry books yet, but most probably will be publishing in the future. "These are people who've been winning awards, so you know that this will be their future; they will be publishing books. But you also have the very, very quiet ones who nobody really knows about. But it's usually the quiet ones who are very, very good, who are the best poets," says Lacuesta, adding that her choices are biased. "It's just people whose work I really really like. It's as simple as that," she says.

 

For Abola, “Metro Serye” feels like grown-up show and tell. "You’ve just found something that you think is beautiful and meaningful and you are trying your darnedest to share it. Without of course sounding like you’re gushing, but really, not being able to help yourself," she says.

 

Since its launch last October, “Metro Serye” has released two issues. The first features poetry by Eliza Victoria, Mark Anthony Cayanan, Joseph de Luna Saguid, Lawrence Bernabe and Marie La Viña, while the second features works of fiction by Anne Lagamayo and Marguerite Alcazaren de Leon. The third issue will feature more fiction, and will be followed by an art issue to be edited by comics author Manix Abrera, who illustrates “Metro Serye”.

 

Lacuesta says that people really admire and appreciate the art, but Abrera says there is a conscious effort to avoid drawing his own interpretation of the works. "Dapat ‘yung illustration sa poetry ‘yung parang weird din para mag-isip ‘yung reader. Baka interpretation ko lang ‘yung lumabas masyado," he says.

 

So far, readers have welcomed “Metro Serye”. "Any venue where literature can reach out to more readers is a good thing," says Martin Villanueva of the Fine Arts program of the Ateneo de Manila University.

 

"When you're getting passed a book and it's 700 pages long, parang there's a certain mystique about it, like a certification that 'I'm great because I have a book.' But ito, napaka-humble lang na, 'Just read it, read this,'" he says.

 

While admitting that he is friends with many of the people featured in the first issue, he says that he really appreciates the form. "You can go to the bookstore and buy a few hundred-peso books, but this is another venue by which you can reach out to the reader and that's good. The fact that there's graphics adds a certain 'come enjoy the work' kind of thing," he adds.

 

“Metro Serye” reminds Abola of graphic design objects she used to see in the design agency she used to work with. "They were usually things to take home from art exhibits and really great museums—and they were being kept because they were such beautiful artifacts," she says. Lacuesta adds that they want “Metro Serye” to be a beautiful artifact, but useful, too.

 

"You have literature in a foldable form so you can take it with you, read it anywhere, and be aware of what kind of local literature is being written here and now. Through Manix's wonderful illustrations, it has the potential to be a collector's item. They broaden the folio's appeal and, unlike the newspapers or other ephemera, it's meant to be kept. It should be pointed out that the journal is as much about the cover art as it is about the content," she says.

 

Abola shares that apart from releasing “Metro Serye” every three months, they also organize small events. 

 

One such event is "A Walk Through Words at the Gardens" on March 21 at 6:30 p.m. at the Ayala Triangle Gardens, in celebration of World Poetry Day. Lacuesta and Victoria will participate in the event, together with Krip Yuson, Jimmy Abad, Vim Nadera, Mike Coroza, RJ Ledesma, Kael Co, Carlomar Daoana, Heights, and Gloc9. –KG, GMA News

 

“Metro Serye” is released every three months, and is available for 80 pesos at the Filipinas Heritage Library, the UST Press and Sputnik in Cubao X.

 

Cover art by Manix Abrera