Belle Nabor: A Filipino Haijin

Belle Nabor: A Filipino Haijin

By

Melchor F. Cichon
November 26, 2005

As a haijin, or a haiku poet, she is recognized worldwide.

Her haiku have been published both in print and in the web. They were published in the Mainichi Daily News, a world famous newspaper that prints haiku, The Makata, Short Stuff, and in Poetry Country Mouse. Her other haiku were included in Sakura Anthology of Haiku published in Sweden along with other world famous haijins like Robert D. Wilson, Michael Rehling, an'ya, and 27 other poets. Her popular blog, http://short-poetry.blogspot.com that features her short poems: haiku, tanka, and cinquain, has been instrumental in her introduction to world haiku.

Her haiku were featured twice (September 2003 and Spring 2005) in the issues of Simply Haiku, edited and owned by a well-known haijin, Robert D. Wilson.

In addition, some of her poetry has been printed on hand-made greeting cards made by the Red Dragonfly Cards from Malaysia.

The name of this Seventh-day Adventist lady and a boxing aficionado is Belle Nabor, an Aklanon.

Belle was born on August 2, 1972 in Ibajay, Aklan. Her father is a native of Numancia, while her mother is from Ibajay. She has one elder sister, and one younger brother. She also has one half-brother and one half-sister from her mother.

She first studied at Kalalake Elementary School in Olongapo City, then transferred to Bulwang Elementary School in Numancia, Aklan. She finished her secondary and tertiary education in Aklan College, Kalibo, Aklan. Now she works as a University Research Associate at the University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD). At the same time, she is working for her master's degree in Education majoring in Guidance and Counseling at UPD where she is also studying the French language.

Here is an excerpt of my online interview with Belle. Those in black are my questions, while those in blue are Belle's answers:

***
Ay saeamat ay nagbaeos ka.

Pag-eaom ko hay nageain ring buot sa pangabay ko nga masueat ako hanungod kimo.

You're funny, Nong Mel. =) Owa nageain ang boot. Hehe. Nakibot pa ngani ako but I was glad that you've noticed my poetry. =)

No doubt, you are worthy to such an honor.

So far no Aklanon has been published in Simply Haiku and in the websites you have mentioned in your short note in your blog.

In fact, I am so happy to find out that here is an Aklanon who has been writing haiku. Really, I thought that I was the only Aklanon to have been published in Heron's Nest.

Thanks po for the compliments! I have heard about Heron's Nest but I haven't tried submitting my haiku there yet. Actually, I haven't been participating in poetry fora and haven't had time in submitting my haiku in journals. Work is just crazy lately.

I know that you have been writing haiku. How did you become interested in haiku writing? What is in haiku that caught your interest?

What sparked my interest in haiku writing was the time when I had accidentally come across a haiku or two while perusing some poetry books before. I was really amazed at how such a short poem which consists of only a few words can provide so much imagery and even has rhythm and melody.

I understand that aside from haiku you also write tanka. And other short poems. Have you also written longer poems?

Yes, I also write Tanka, as well as Cinquains.Cinquain as influenced by the Japanese short form of poetry was developed in the US. It is an unrhymed poem of five lines with a syllable count of 2-4-6-8-2. It's challenging to delve into other types of poetry. I am careful with Cinquains though because most of those who tend to experiment on this form sacrifice the rhythm thus, they become contrived while following its rigid format of 2-4-6-8-2. I don't want that to happen on my Cinquains, so my collection of Cinquains is far lesser than my haiku poems. I am very comfortable with haiku writing, however, I have longer poems too. In fact, I have written lots of haiku and longer poems, compared to Tanka and Cinquain.

Aside from poems, do you also write other forms of literary works and in what other language. I understand you are studying French. Do you also write poems in French?

I have written short stories before. They are mostly autobiographical in nature. I only write in the English language. Yes, am currently studying French. They say it's the language of love! I'll be finishing French 3 this month and is planning on moving on to higher levels in the months to come. As soon as I get much more acquainted with the language, I definitely would write haiku or poems in French.

You told me your parents are both from Aklan. May I know where you were born and when? Your siblings? Your educational backgrounds.Did you get any scholastic honors in the elementary, high school and in college?

My parents are both from Aklan. My father is from Numancia and my mother, from Ibajay. I was born in Ibajay on August 2, 1972. I have an older sister and a younger brother. My life is really complicated having grew up with separated parents. I also have a half-brother and half-sister from my mother's.

I had my elementary education in Kalalake Elementary School in Olongapo City, then transferred to Bulwang Elementary School in Numancia. I studied high school and college in Aklan College, now Aklan Catholic College. I was an honor student in the elementary grades. High school and college were tough times during my growing up years and I retreated into the background. It's truly a sob story but this interview is not about that. My family background though may have contributed a lot in my interest in poetry writing.

I am currently taking my MA Education, Major in Guidance and Counseling at the University of the Philippines Diliman, while at the same time working on my French classes in the same university.

What is your undergraduate degree, and your major?

I finished Bachelor in Elementary Education, Major in English in Aklan College. I remembered a funny incident during my enrollment. After high school, I wanted to study in a university but my father was adamant that I stay in Aklan. It's almost 5:00PM on that enrollment day, yet, I still hadn't chosen a course to take. I would prefer to study Journalism or Creative Writing but they're not offered in Aklan. Majoring in English though was the closest thing to those courses. But I am proud to be an Aklan Collegian with a loyalty award under my belt having studied high school and college there.

I know you must be related to Artemio Nabor, the historian, but are your parents writers too?

I am sure Mr. Artemio Nabor is one of our relatives. The Nabors from Numancia and Madalag are a lot although I don't personally know most of them. My older relatives might know them for sure.

Nope, my parents are not writers.

Did you attend any creative writing workshops in our country or abroad?

I haven't... yet. But I would love to given the opportunity. I have taken some units in Creative Writing (focusing on poetry and short story writing) in U.P. Diliman to "test the waters" so to speak since I have been writing poetry since high school. My interest started when I was in the elementary grades because from a very young age, I have loved the English language and I read story books every single time.

Who greatly influenced your writing?
When did you first publish your poem? And what was it? Can you share that with our readers?

I always say that I am a hopeless romantic thus, any writings that depict love before was an inspiration to me. I like Elizabeth Barrett Browning's Sonnet #43, How Do I Love Thee. I remember that I tend to always recite it out loud with feelings and emotions! I greatly admire Pablo Neruda and the Chinese poet, Li Po as well as Ezra Pound because his poems seek to introduce clarity and economy of language.

I never intended to have my poems published before. When they get published in any way lately, it was pure accidental. Writing poems for me is just a hobby. I write them to let out my emotions, my experiences and the drama in my life. I have a friend who teaches poetry in the university and when he learned that I write poems, he told me to submit them to him for possible publication. I never did because I have this principle before that when my poems are worth it, I don't need friends to help me publish it.

I have kept my poetry writing a secret for far too long. I just share it with people online through my Short*Poetry site. My real publication came when Robert Wilson, an American haijin and editor discovered my haiku, and he encouraged me to submit them for the book, Sakura. I was quite flattered because here is a person who doesn't know much about me, yet have found my poems worthy of such an honor. Then, somebody in Canada has also discovered them and decided to contact me to publish some of my poems, as well as an entrepreneur of hand-made greeting cards from Malaysia who asked me to use some of my short poems for their cards. After that came a string of online publications, as well.

Back in high school though, I have two poems submitted for our paper, The Reflector. I lost my copy of it because of numerous typhoons and floods. I even announced to my batchmates that I would give a reward for whomever can give me a copy of it.

I know you have written hundreds of short poems?

Yes, I did and still counting. I'm hooked on it forever.

Could you give us ten of your most favorite haiku and tanka?

Most of my favorite haiku were already published and my favorites are more than ten. =) Here are some of my haiku and tankas I can share here though:

HAIKU Selections

crossing the mirror
the gait
of a confused ant

fireworks—
a blind girl's
enraptured face

inside a train
the city
moves faster too
surf sound—
the uncoiling
of a troubled sea

canoe-shaped moon
tonight, your beauty
floats

tired of seeing
the world, the snail—
a recluse again

drooping eyelids
the moon
looks smaller now
TANKA Selections

Burying

the box from the attic
was full of letters, faded ink
those soulless papers — haunting
it wasn't that easy
putting him to rest.


Poet in Love

for you, I'll begin to write
this poem, a new set
of words with my heart
full of yearning
I could not speak.


Forgetting Time

we sit side by side
under the graceful stars
our hands entwined
dawn has arrived
too soon.


Have you won in any poetry competition?

I have never tried joining a poetry competition ever since. It has never become a need or a necessity for me maybe because I tend to write for friends only. As I've said earlier, I never advertise my poems. I write for a small audience, and only lately that people are discovering it online. Lately, I've been mulling of joining a poetry competition and maybe someday soon, I'll be doing that when I have some free time. Probably, I'll write a new one for this purpose alone or polish a poem or two that I have written before. Now, that would be something to look forward to.

Aside from writing poetry, do you have any other "fashions"?

I love dancing. I always say that dancing is in my veins. (Maeara: in her blog, she says she loves walking in the beach and watching sunset)

What message can your give to our fellow Aklanon poets?

I am so humbled to be given this opportunity to talk with you, Sir Mel, and through this medium, have made my writings known to all Aklanons. To the Aklanon poets, especially you, I am truly honored and I am happy to share with all of you my humble writings. I hope I can continue to contribute to the Aklanon literature by writing more. To my admired and established Aklanon poets, do make waves in literature because your accomplishments are also the accomplishments of our province and people. [/color]

Do you have any other information to share?

I am planning to compile my short poems to make a book of haiku and maybe publish them. I just need to find illustrators in making it possible. It's a big work but people are telling me that it is better that way to protect my works. In other news, some of my haiku might get published again abroad. Everything is still in the pipeline.

By the way, we have had our first high school reunion last year, and our batch has bestowed upon me the Breaking the Barriers Award for my contribution in literature. I was not able to attend it due to pressing matters at work. I have yet to claim the trophy. Hope it is still there! *laughs*