Songs of a Rambling Soul

Oy. Look who's coming out with a book.*

ramblingsoul (a.k.a. Joel Toledo) is launching his first poetry book, Chiaroscuro, tonight at Mag:net Katipunan around 6:30 pm. Cocktails (read: free drinks!) is set with the Happy Mondays poetry reading afterwards around 8 pm.

For those who don't know, Joel won second place in the 2006 UK Bridport Award for his poem, "The Same Old Figurative". And check out the guest list for the poetry reading: Ma'am Marj Evasco, Jimmy Abad, Butch Dalisay, Marne Kilates, Krip Yuson, J. Neil Garcia, Sarge Lacuesta, Chingbee Cruz, etc. Now that's what I call the big guns. (If that ain't pressure for Joel, I don't know what is!)

The reading will be hosted by Radioactive Sago Project's own Lourd de Veyra and afterwards, Joel's band Los Chupacabras-- as well as Dead Pop Stars-- will be playing.

Congrats, Joel! (And we expect a similar celebration next year for the second collection, yes?)

*speaking of collections, that reminds me that I should blog about...