A One-Day Event That Showed The Wonder Of Writing Fiction, Poetry, Essay And Songs
“A word after a word after a word is power” is a line from “Daily Writer,” a book by Fred White. Indeed, when you write down one word after another, they can have more power than you can possibly imagine. They become short stories, novels, think pieces, plays, screenplays or other types of shareable content.
A glimpse of this power was revealed last February 28, 2023, when MLQU students showcased their budding talent and prowess in arts and literature, particularly in writing fiction, essay, poetry and song lyrics in an event entitled “Never Enough: Interpreting Love in the Time of Cholera” which was also the over-all theme of the written sample works presented by the students.
The event is part the university’s General Education Program which is envisioned to raise high again the torch of MLQU as the beacon of arts and literature. The objectives of the program is to inculcate the love and appreciation for the arts in general as well as to cultivate and hone the skills and talents of students and teachers in self-expression through different literary forms.
Mrs. Sofia G. Caccam, Head of the Office of Student Affairs and Services, and Ms. Lucille Ortile, Executive Vice President of MLQU, both delivered messages to grace and welcome the event.
In her message, Ms. Lucille Ortile stated that events like this, in which Quezonians are given the opportunity to showcase their talents and skills in literature, is a way to demonstrate the effectiveness of MLQU’s student-centered approach to education.
Meanwhile Dr. Jaime Guiterrez-Ang let it be known that MLQU was the nurturing cocoon of great artists such as Efren Abueg, Jr. and the late Ms. Rustica Carpio. He expressed the wish for MLQU to be renowned once again as a foremost educational institution in the field of arts and literature
The programmed set of performances was divided into four parts: Poetry, Fiction: The Excerpt, Essay, and Musical. Sure enough, each performance revealed that young Quezonians have what they call “The Write Stuff.”
Ms. Emelina Corpuz’s students from her Life and Works of Rizal class performed the Poetry section. The students themselves wrote the original drafts of each piece. On the other hand, the faculty members Dr. Jaime Guiterrez-Ang, Ms. Malaya Mendoza, and Ms. Micah Simon with SHS students, Keziah Abelida and Glen Ivan Salazar performed the Fiction section.
On the Essay portion, Carmela Miranda, Lorenzo De Jesus, and Jaycel Dominique C. Pante, who work for The Quezonian performed their original essays as well. The students Vianne and Nina Cayangyang performed the song “Kilometro” on stage in the musical segment. An original song performed by a few chosen BS in Accountancy students followed, capping off the event.
Judging from the delight on their faces, students went home that day with the admonition of the writer Louis Amour ringing in their minds: “Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.” The meaning is simple: there is always a poem, an essay, a short story or a song in every one. Write it! Express it! For to paraphrase the award-winning writer Maya Angelou: “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold feeling inside you.” There’s never enough for the love of literary arts!
