Saturday, July 25, 2015

the graduation with Juan Miguel Severo

Last night, I attended a Spoken Word Poetry session with some of my Yawyan F. Alasan friends. I initially thought that I would go by myself since almost none of my friends are into this. Surprisingly, some of the girls in the Yawyan group were apparently also artists at heart and so off we trooped to Manila on a Friday night.

Sevs Cafe looks like an artists haven. It looks like one of those places where you can go and brood, write about betrayal, heartbreak, and pain then stand and announce to the world why you are miserable and everyone will cheer you on because in their own ways, they are equally miserable too. 


Spoken word poetry is something that I have done in the past when I was much younger. It has been years since I have participated in one or watched one and so I was really excited for this night. Poetry when written is powerful but when spoken with the right emotions, it becomes even more than what it already is. Suddenly, the words just take over you and you are swept away in a world where the words you are looking for just appears.

You now have a voice. They are no longer just your words. They become your thoughts and your feelings. They become your emotions and everything that you wanted to shout at to the world but never could because you couldn't find the words to say. Now, you finally have the words. Now you finally have a voice.

Juan Miguel Severo is one of the best spoken word artist that I have ever seen and watched perform. I loved that he had his own style and wasn't just copying or trying to be another Sarah Kay or Phil Kay. Sarah Kay is Sarah Kay. Juan Miguel Severo is Juan Miguel Severo. The powerful way he delivers his thoughts evoke such raw emotions in you. This is what its supposed to be like. Words should have the ability to make you feel ... to remind you of the pain ... to relieve you of it until finally you feel that you can remember the person but no longer the feelings.


There were over a hundred people but everytime the poets open their mouth, it was complete silence. Everyone knew that art is meant to be appreciated in silence.

Battery, abuse, catcalls, one night stands, love lost, love found, love thrown away, Harry Potter, love for one's body, fear, memories, misery, heartbreak, hope, redemption, forgiveness, and most of all, HOPE. Last night was about hope. It was about letting go and believing that there is hope for love, for forgiveness, and for new stories to be written and made.


For me, the most significant part of the night was that though I appreciated all the words about love lost and the pain of it, I could no longer relate to it. This was when I truly knew that I have healed from the pains of the loves that I have lost. This was when I knew that the love I have with my Bear has really changed me for the better.

Thank you Juan Miguel Severo for sharing your passion. I hope that you will never forget to do so.


Last night, I truly graduated from holding on to a past that I knew I should have let go a long time ago.

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Hi! Let's all try to add more positivity in this world and adhere to the saying, "if you don't have anything nice to say, keep silent."

Showering you with unicorn poop so you'd always stay magical! Heart heart!