Saturday, December 1, 2012

Northern Kingdoms Poetry Journey - Pix

In November 2012 I took part in the Northern Kingdoms Poetry Journey at Siem Reap, with a group of poets and artists including: five Filipino poets - Marjorie Evasco, Ricky de Ungria, Victor Peneranda, Loven Ramos, Luis Batchoy; Beatriz Alvarez Tardio (Spain), Kosal Kiev (Cambodia),  Ryan Danger Tong (USA), Masahiro Sugano(Japan/USA) Anida Yoeu Ali, (Cambodia) (for more re poets see Perf Pix post). Here are some pics from our readings/workshops in Angkor Wat, Bayon and Ta Prom.



Entering Angkor Wat across the moat.

We pay our respects.


Loven Ramos leads us in via a side collonade to avoid the tourist crush and is first to read.


Frames within frames..there's a lot of that here.


Buddhas, buddhas everywhere.


Along the side path in the cool of the trees.


We leave poems from yesterday's workshop on a workmans van.


Rear view of Angkor Wat.


The wild and wonderful Luis Batchoy reads.


We listen and are moved.


Beatrix Alvarez Tardio performs her lithe and ethereal movements in the Heart Chamber.


Then adds words.


Victor Penaranda reads at the feet of the Buddha.


Ricky de Ungria reads in the library.

Adds jaw harp.



Buddha in a doorway - Kosal Kiev.



My turn .. I sing a smot (sung poem) for my late poet mother Marj.



Marjorie Evasco moves mountains with words at the Centre of the Universe.



Anida Yoeu Ali (Cambodia,US) performs her powerful piece on absence.


Cambodian spoken word artist Kosal Kiev calls on the gods.




Our Angkor Wat guide/artrepreneur extraodinaire, Loven Ramos explains the churning of the oceans.


Ryan Danger Tong performs his first spoken word in two years.


Monks peruse our poem postcards.


On the raod to Bayon.


Ekphrasis workshop with Marjorie Evasco.


Ricky de Ungria gives an example.


Choose an image


Write a poem, suggested by the image, without referring to the actual image.


I chose this one - village boys playing in a small pond outside the temple gate...


rather than go for the Bayon obvious


Still leaving our poetic droppings...


Local kids more interested in collecting our poem postcards than selling us trinkets.


Ta Prom beckons us into its primordial realms.


Doorways heavied by time.


Ricky de Ungria, a verstatile poet, never misses an opportunity to perform.


Empty windows
ancient eyes
who did you see here?




Jan Cornall Nov, 2012