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In what is now a timeless tapestry of Batangas literature, Tilamsik ng Diwa by father and son Apolonio Laqui, and J. Mario Laqui, compiled by Retired Judge Hilario L. Laqui of Cuenca, Batangas takes readers on a journey back in time— when Philippine cityscapes were laced with American and Spanish colonial charm, strife in local politics was beginning to emerge and the proverbial Batangueno machismo ever-present.
The first half of Tilamsik is assigned to the elder Laqui. Apolonio was born in April of 1900 and the only child of Francisco Laqui and Eulogia Loria. The Far Eastern Alumnus has been writing poems since college under various names including Quiloropa, Lipang Aso and Domingo B. Sabado.
This book has 140 poems of Apolonio and features masterpieces that date back as early as the 1920s. “Inang Pilipinas” (written December 1931) paints the Philippines as a beautiful woman, albeit antagonizing the anima: “Lugaygay ang iyong buhok na maitim/ at bubunti-buntong hiningang malalim/ ang dalawa mong matang kambal na bituin/ kung may liwanag ma’y malungkot, kulimlim” . The 1930s was a two-faced era for the Philippines. On the surface, the country was brazen poetry: the emergence of Western ideologies, Art Deco Manila, and the sophisticated Spanish architecture on its outskirts made for one of the most advanced economies in Asia. On the flip side, the Philippines was sans an identity: orphaned by Spain who had become its haughty caretaker for 300 years, and immediately being led by the nose by the Americans afterward.
The plight of the Filipinos during the American occupation continues with “Amerika”: Ang ibong makulong sa hawlang yari sa ginto at pilak/ Ay di masaya’t sa bawat sandali’y ang hanap ay butas.
Apolonio’s points of view, even in hindsight, are definitively for the Filipino— he is among the few who wielded their pens, the few who lit their thinking bulbs aglow hoping to shed light on the nation’s identity issues at its very core unfortunately sugarcoated with flashy, western consumerism.
But the works of Apolonio aren’t all just revolutionary. The anthology also encapsulates the life of a young adult, charmingly before the age of fast-paced technology. “Ang Nais Kong Aginaldo,” a poem dedicated to a certain Choleng, resonates with thrusting yet endearing simpatico lines: “Ang nais kong aginaldo’y ang sumpa mong walang kupas/ Na sa aking panambita’y ayaw mo pa ring igawad/ Hindi iyan ang brilyanteng hinugisan at tinapyas/ At lalo pang hindi ginto, hindi pilak, hindi perlas.”
The brash verses of “Wala Ka Pang Lugal,” on the other hand, are similar to today’s diss tracks more evident in the Hip Hop scene or in rap battles where sharp, no-holds-barred lyrics are delivered with aggressive cadence. Originally published by Ang Bandila, the poem reads: “Kung tunay man bigan, na sumusulat ka/ ng tulang lulukso, lilipad, dadamaba’y/ wala ka pang lugal magbansag magbadya’t/ magpanggap na ikaw ay isang poeta/
The second part of Tilamsik ng Diwa celebrates the works of J. Mario Laqui, son of Apolonio, an esteemed poet, attorney, and public servant.
Like his father, J. Mario’s poetry covers an array of themes. In this compilation, J. Mario’s poems on love, romantic relationships and his native Cuenca stand out the most.
“Sa Iyo, Bayan Ko,” an acrostic dedicated to his hometown Cuenca, Batangas offers a poetic glimpse of its history “Ngayon, ito ang bayan ko paglipas ng daantaon/ napanday sa panunudyo at pagsubok ng paahon/ nakidigma sa Kastila, Amerikano at Hapon/ sa amba ng kalikasa’y di humakbang nang paurong/
“Kahibangan” stages a cathartic backdrop where a poet’s creative juices pour: “Lungkot, hiwain mo ang manhin na puso, kiskisin ng suka’t asin ng siphayo/ timyas ng ligayang pamuling aamo/ ay nang malasap kong matimyas na lalo/
Tilamsik ng Diwa: Tinipong mga Tula ng Mag-Amang Manunulat ng Cuenca Batangas’s charm lies in the innate writing sensibilities of Apolonio and J. Mario. Apolonio’s poetic observations on the crucial moments of the country and J. Mario’s introspectiveness offer readers a wide perspective on what Filipinos thought about as a nation and as creative individuals. More importantly, Tilamsik ng Diwa is a striking remembrance of the Philippines that doles out lessons brought about by conflicts, be it a multi-nation war or personal struggles.
Tilamsik ng Diwa is available at National Book Stores nationwide.
