Song of the Brown Man
by David Villavera

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In my early years, I read and wrote to learn English as well as I could. There were moments when I had no courage to use words that were new to me. But believing no one will ever see those words I wrote, I went ahead, discovering after a while my writings, then and now, were a distillation, nay, an impression of the language's eloquence and as I learned it more, a conscious acknowledgement of its beauty. Equally important, but not necessarily the flip side, is the function of unzipping oneself. I took to express my sensation by evoking the abstract forms I felt. What mystery and symbolism are given to me are bristled with adventure and beauty. As I continue to pry and coax from within tales of the moment and stories of the past, thereby exposing myself. My fibre is revealed; I was a success or a failure. Every braided word imagery was a brush stroke and still is. And yet, the mass of colour becomes magical and telling. I have no reason to doubt that we can know the one who writes through his work. His honesty is tested where it matters: on the skin of his poems. If my verse and feelings are to speak a universal language, then these two cannot be separated. My written words must be in the same pitch as my emotion to sing an unforgettable song. Fire the imagination and awaken the senses. This is my life. This is my poem.

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Born in the Philippines and educated in Manila, David Villavera continued his Fine Arts studies in the United States. Moving to Canada, he joined various Studios and Advertising Agencies as a graphic artist, designer, illustrator and art director. He taught life drawing and was an instructor in graphics at Dawson College in Montreal. During the malevolent years of the Marcos Dictatorship in the Philippines, David painted and wrote consistently but only occasionally exhibited and published. Always adventurous in pursuing his art, David is very individualistic and works with different mediums. Casting his artistry widely, from figurative paintings to abstract expressionism, allows him to explore an idea, a subject, or a genre without restraint. It brings about rhythmic and spiritual poetry in his life as a painter and writer, the richness of which is apparent in his work on both mediums. He is not encumbered with style. He submits himself only to the singular act of creation, finding fulfillment in what follows next. On the one hand, he could be evocative and delicate— his meticulous rendering superb, masterful and refined— on the other, his artwork and written works could be vivid and resilient, done with an almost careless abandon. However he approaches an idea, he brings profound skill and passion, evident with feeling, colour and atmosphere. Song of the Brown Man is his first book of poetry. Awards: Certificat d'Excellence de la Publicité Française. The Canadian National Poetry Contest Award of Excellence from the Poetry Institute of Canada.

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Contributors

Author

David Villavera