06/12/2020
Thank you, USC SAS Bulletin!
EYE OF THE LION
From Cats to Words: A Feature on The Stray Poets Collective
Written by: Liz So
What could be better than to heal a broken heart than with poetry?”
Words by Gino Paradela, one of the founding fathers of the Stray Poets Collective, a former teacher of mine in high school, and the reason I joined the same organization. Together with Kregian Miral and Nicole Hibionada, they started their own poetry group with the goal of creating a safe space of creative minds to churn without judgement. Looking into the origins of the collective, I could only explain it as the epitome of “Misery loves company.”
According to Gino – who I still refer to as Sir -- Kregian, Nicole, and himself started attending poetry events during their time of heartbreak. They would meet up in Coffee Prince, a café in Cebu, and join events to get caffeinated or win coupons. Soon, they were asked by the owner of Persian Palette to host a poetry event with them, and that’s how the collective started. When I asked how they came up with the name “Stray Poets”, Gino told me that, the idea sprung from a stray cat that graced their table with its presence in the midst of their thinking sessions. Who would’ve known that such a diverse group of people could stem from such humble beginnings?
The Stray Poets Collective does not only comprise of Cebuano, Filipino, and English writers, but also singers, and photographers each with their own distinct style of bringing art to life. Regardless of status, gender, age, and religion, the Stray Poets take in individuals who are willing to grow with poetry. Bands of misfits and other broken hearts are welcomed to join to express themselves in words and in art. For me, it served as an avenue for meeting new people and looking into beautiful souls. Gino enumerated to me the different members whose distinct styles stood out, some of which were familiar names. I remember Miss Leah, known for her minimalist and fictional style of writing matched with a warm smile and a motherly aura. I remember Kregian who is known to be the master of Spoken Word Poetry within the collective. I remember Ate Daphne who specialized in Cebuano writing and is also the lead singer of a band called Adamanta. There was also Porter and his then blue hair, who Gino described to be one of the best Indie musicians in Cebu. Lastly, Gino mentioned Noelle, who was my Senior High School Research teacher. He described her to be one of the best Cebuano-English writers ever, and I totally agree. On his end, Gino described his writing to be heavily influenced by poets like Jalaludin Rumi, Hafez, John of the Cross, Hildegard of Bingen. Although I’m not acquainted with these poets at all, I thank them for influencing Gino’s style of writing because he is truly gifted in what he does.
As a former member, I was definitely pulled in by the amount of talent and uniqueness each member possessed. In the reading nights I attended, I cannot remember a time that I wasn’t in awe of how beautiful their minds were and how their play on words could give meaning to the most mundane things. I also saw how poetry had made these heartbroken individuals bold in sharing their works. I could say it rubbed off on me when agreed to present with them during an event in Sugbo Mercado, I.T. Park. It was my first time doing such a thing but I couldn’t have been more grateful for their support and encouragement. As a member of the Stray Poets, I never felt like an outsider. I felt we were all just a bunch of struggling individuals who were better with the pen and words more than anything else. I wish I could have spent more time with them and got to know them better. Speaking from experience, joining poetry groups like this really gives young people a chance to be themselves without reservations. It encourages creativity and feeds the imagination. For all those who are interested in becoming a Stray Poet, message them through their page: The Stay Poets Collective.
I would like to leave you with a few words said by Gino about what it means to be a poet and an encouragement for all aspiring writers.
“You write because you have to, because you are called to. You write because the spirit of humanity has tapped you to become its medium. You are the bawls of the Earth, the groans of the spirit, the birth pains of the cosmos. Write for the human race.”
