Adonis Durado: A glimpse of a poet's soul

      Adonis Durado was born on August 25, 1975 in Cebu city, Philippines. Adonis durado is a fine arts graduate from the University of San Carlos. Even at 2017 in the School of Visual Communication at Ohio University, he received a Knight Fellowship award. Adonis is currently an Assistant Professor at the School of Visual Communication within Ohio University's Scripps College of Communication. 

    Adonis Durado chose Cebuano as the language for his poems because for him, it was easier to use that language. Adonis said "For me, it's intrinsically onomatopoeic. I also find it adaptable and easy to bend".

Literatures of  Adonis Durado

     All of Adonis' works are entitled in Cebuano language. Dili Tanang Matagak Mahagbog or "Not All That Drops Falls", Minugbo Alang sa Mugbo og Kalipay or "Shorts for the Shortjoyed", Lisay sa Bugan  or "A Swelling in the Loins",  Pahinungod sa Di Hintungdan or "To Whom It May Not Concern",  Ang Nakayatak Kay Nayatakan or "Who Steps Upon Is Stepped Upon", Lastly, Tabyong sa Way Kinutoban" or "Swinging Without End". All of these titles/works are by Adonis Durado himself, he had translators in  each poem.                                                                           

                                                                                                                           

Who Steps Upon Is Stepped Upon

    Ang Nakayatak Kay Nayatakan or "Who Steps Upon Is Stepped Upon" was awarded the 2023 Philippine National Book Awards. The judges praised the poet for his skillful use of language, crafting diverse images by drawing inspiration from various visual forms such as postcards, paintings, photographs, and other non-prose texts. 

     Who Steps Upon Is Stepped Upon is Adonis Durado's fifth poetry collection. His previous books are: "Dili Tanang Matagak Mahagbong", "Minugbo", Lisay sa Bugan", and "Pahinungod sa Di Hintungdan". 

     Pahinungod sa Di Hintungdan (To Whom it May Not Concern). The book can be switched depending on what language the reader  would prefer because the translation is in the other side of the book,  and the corresponding pages of the poem and its translation are the same.         

                                                                                                                              

To Whom It May Concern

     Adonis once said; “The reason I asked other writers to translate it to English is that I go abroad and I have friends there who are also writers. So the only way I can promote Cebuano is for them to be able to read my balak. But if my balak is in Cebuano only, they will not be able to appreciate it. So I prefer for my works to have English transations even if they are not perfect. Because these books we have today, for example Tolstoy, his books have gone through hundreds of translators, even Shakespeare’s works, if not for that we won’t be able to read them".

Awards 

    Adonis Durado received numerous awards during his journey. In 2023, he had 1st Prize in Bienvenido Lumbera Prize For Cebuano Poetry. Also in 2023, He is the Winner in Philippine National Book Award for Who Steps Upon is Stepped Upon. While in 2022, He had 1st prize again in Bienvenido Lumbera Prize For Cebuano Poetry. His 2019 awards are International Book Award Finalist for To Whom It May Not Concern and Second prize, 1st Visayan Music Awards for "Balitaw", Lastly Vicente Ranudo Literary Excellence award. He also had two 2017 awards which are: VisCom Knight Fellowship (Ohio University) and NCCA Writers' Prize. He had a 2012 award which is the Writer of The Year (Bathalad Inc.). Adonis had an award in 2002; Faigao Prize (University of San Carlos - Cebuano Studies Center). Lastly, in 2000 he received a Lacaba Prize for Cebuano Poetry.

Conclusion/Thoughts

     I believe Adonis Durado's Literature gives an inspiration towards cebuano's, He is not only proud of being a filipino but also being a cebuano. He used cebuano language on his works and proved that him being cebuano poet has many capabilities and can achieve many goals. Though I have not read any of his work yet but I believe it has deeper meanings.