Doc Penpen's 'Visual Poems'

MANILA, Philippines - Love them or hate them. There’s no middle ground. Those who are tenaciously perched on grammar, syntax, structure, meter, rhyme and so on, dismiss his compositions as garbage, but they are gold to those who “get it.” They may be trash to those who cannot crack the poet’s style, but treasure to those who can. Doc Penpen’s “visual poems” have started a controversy that has generated a whirlwind of reactions and comments, both positive and negative, in the social networks that published his works.

Doc Penpen’s “visual poems” are definitely out of the box. They dared provoke the standard, the conventional and the traditional. The nearly insolent bravado with which the poems were written defies time-honored rules, taunting rather mischievously the establishment without reservation, hesitation or trepidation. An avowed non-conformist, the poet has no qualms experimenting with written words, configuration, punctuation marks, symbols, etc., which he uses, at times licentiously, in his compositions. If his ‘visual poems’ were paintings they would be both surreal and abstract.

The poems are by no means easy reading, intentionally so, and it takes a lot of forbearance, pluck, and an open mind to sift through the grammatical and syntactical assaults, perplexing punctuation marks, and seemingly senseless open spaces, leaving the readers bombarded and bamboozled. Admittedly, the style is gung-ho and after a line or two, the adrenalin rush is on.

Doc Penpen’s theatrical presentations are cryptic interpretations of wounded hearts, dazed minds and weakened spirits. He explores the world of the battered, the bruised and the broken. The readers are dragged to his personal anguish, compelling the former to go through, at least share, the intense grief that led the latter into writing his verses. Even when he detonates emotional time bombs, he cautiously avoids belittling grief and overplaying rage. Dealing with difficult realities, he strives to applaud even when appalled.

Several passages are sweetly lyrical. The poet’s sensitivity is bared when and where the sounds of the plaintive whispers of the heart or the muted cries of the soul are heard. Some poems actually bring tears to many readers’ eyes as they feel a mother’s unconditional love for her child or a love so mercilessly betrayed. Other poems lead the readers to a frightening confrontation with reality, luring them to face their own demons.

Doc Penpen’s “visual poems” are as raw as they need to be, given the awful circumstances under which they were penned. Hardcore realism! That’s what it is. A lethal brew is what Doc Penpen concocts. True, he brings in the fright factor but only when underscoring that the hard ones are the heart ones. He has the uncanny ability to stumble on and meet head-on perfect storms.

Reading his “visual poems” may not be easy, may not be pretty, but in the end it is pretty easy. Encouraged by friends and associates, Doc Penpen has given serious thought in compiling his works in a coffee-table book which may be out early next year.

*Dr. Penpen’s full name is Dr. Epitacio Tongohan, Jr., pathologist, businessman, writer and filmmaker. He was cited on 2007 by FAMAS as “New Filmmaker” for his acclaimed docu- indie film, Takipsilim.