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We are familiar with the saying, "Don’t judge the book by its cover" which means don’t judge someone you barely know because first impressions don’t always last. This saying fits the book Tugmaang Walang Tugma by a writer of his own style, Axel.

Tugmaang Walang Tugma is a yellow book designed with four different pictures on the cover with its title and author’s name written in the front. While on the back is a poem written in Filipino presenting people who attempted to read the book. It goes something like: "…kung ‘di ka naaliw, nabaliw, nagiliw, nasuka, naiyamot, nainis, nagtaas ng kilay, napa-yuck, napa-ismid, nalibugan, nagpantasya, kinilig, na-high, nagiyang, nag-trip, nangarap, nag-ambisyon, nanaginip, nanuligsa, pumuri, naging kritik—ipokrito ka."

Below the text is a picture of the author sitting on a toilet bowl with half of his pants off. What would your impression be if you saw this book? Would you be interested in reading it? I bet most of you would, because of its extra ordinary approach and eccentric style.

Tugmaang Walang Tugma is a Filipino poetry book that has no rhymes or measure. It talks about different things and situations in life in a very blunt and "green" manner. But giving it a second look trying to read between the lines, you will realize that it’s not green. It’s just reality and what’s actually happening in our society. Take the author’s picture sitting on the toilet bowl. This could mean nothing and is senseless to most people but all the author wants to signify is the irony of life. According to him, life is really dirty, like a toilet bowl, only "We’re trying to be normal in an abnormal situation."

The book has about 63 poems all written in Filipino, based on the author’s experiences. It is a reflection of the author on his experiences. Some of these poems are Tugmaang Walang Tugma that is so hard to understand because of its personified descriptions; Pagsasarili, which is about masturbation; Luwalhati sa Kasilyas that talks about taking a dump; Trip to Jerusalem featuring about someone searching for his faith. And there is a lot more that will truly stimulate the perverted mind. But again, it’s not as perverted as you think it is. Readers might think it’s tactless, it’s green and bastos. Axel only has to say that: "…ang tao lang naman ang nagbibigay ng meaning…" "Wala akong intensyong magpalitaw ng kahit na anong kulay tungkol sa sinusulat ko. Nagkataon lang siguro na gusto kong kumawala sa tipikal na paraan ng pagsusulat na kailangang gumamit ng flowery words at nakakahon sa standards, para maka-convince at palutangin sa ere yung nagbabasa,…sabi ko bakit hindi puwedeng gumawa ng isang tula na straight to the point. Poetic, pero hindi nako-compromise ang mensahe…"

Most poems in the book are sensational and "sampal sa mukha ng mga konserbatibo" as he categorizes it, although he emphasizes that it is not demoralized.

THE BOOK IN THE MAKING

Tugmaang Walang Tugma was conceptualized three years ago, but just came out recently, on May 09 in Indang, Cavite where it was first launched. It was Axel’s small dream that eventually came true. Axel never really dream of producing a book, only a compilation of his work, but because of his friends’ encouragement, expectation and faith in his talent, he finally pushed through with his dream. He never planned on selling the book either, he just wanted to publish it. He just gave it away to his friends and people who were interested. But because of the readers’ feedback, he actually considered selling it. It may not be widely distributed at the moment, but Axel is working on it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

"Gradweyt sa kalye. Kumukuha ng masteral sa tumbang-preso. Thirty-eight seconds sa mindsweeper (intermediate level). Binatang ama," writes Axel in his book. And because of this and his poems, people think that he is a bum, a trip who couldn’t find anything better to do with his life but to come up with a senseless book like this. But those with these thoughts are wrong, and it’s sad to say that I thought the same thing too.

Asked him personally to describe himself in a phrase, he declares that Axel is someone who is "mapangahas at hubad ang sarili sa pagbabago." This can mean a lot of things and can be perceived in different ways, but after meeting Axel in person, this is what I have to say now: "Someone with great dignity, beliefs and prerogatives. Very simple and typical and yet extra-ordinary. Weak but always tries to be strong. A man of dreams, a man of changes, a man of talents and a man of his own world. Very different but most of all very transparent and TRUE."

Axel, 27 and the eldest of four, was a born writer. At fourteen, he wrote small pieces but he could already recite poems as early as four. He would go up on a table surrounded by his father’s friends and recite poems taught by his father. With his aptness in writing, he became the associate editor in chief of the student publication in high school and wanted to continue in college. Unfortunately, he didn’t make it in college when he failed the publication exam. This didn’t stop Axel from writing however. He would still write and contribute his pieces to the publication but only kept getting rejections, then he started questioning himself. He wondered whether it was his writings they didn’t like or his style. In spite of his misfortunes, he still wrote. Finally someone appreciated his work, an essay called "Father and Son," where he gained the recognition of the "Most Promising Literary Writer."

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

In contrast to some people’s presumptions that he is uneducated, Axle has acquired a degree in BS Agriculture at the Don Severino Agricultural College (now Cavite State University) in Indang, Cavite. From being an agriculturist, Axel has transformed into a graphic artist. Right now Axel is employed at the Department of Science and technology as a graphic artist and production editor. As I have said he is a man of talent. He didn’t have any proper education to learn these skills but they have just come out of him naturally.

As to where he learned to layout and declares, "Self-study and books. Books na hindi binibili…" He has practically learned everything on his own, with the help of his friends and books that he never bought. What he would do is just go to the bookstores and browse through the computer books and try to remember all the commands he needed to know.

FUTURE PLANS

Getting his book published already meant a lot to him. In fact he thinks "puwede na akong mamatay," when it first came out. But Axel has to live to pursue his other plans, although he says that he pretty much has done everything he wanted to do in life. Axel is aspiring for another book, which will be called Tugmaang Walang Tugma 2. This book will be on socio-polital issues, status symbols and a compilation of his friends’ works. Says he: "Gusto kong ma-involve naman yung mga kaibigan ko, hindi yung ako lang. Hindi ko na kailangan ng exposure, napatunayan ko na hindi pala ito ang nagdidikta para maging epektibo kang manunulat, pwede palang magkaroon ng reyalisayon ang mga hangarin mo sa anumang larangan buhat sa sariling inisyatiba…"

Axel has also mentioned about coming up with a dictionary of uncommonly used Filipino words as Tugmaang Walang Tugma was all done in "deep" Filipino. But he corrects that, "There is no such thing as malalim—hindi lang ginagamit…"

He also wants to instigate poetry reading in our society since he perceives poetry as part of culture. For he wants the writers to be true to their writings as he vocalizes: "Maging totoo sa sinusulat. ‘Wag magsawang mag-attempt ng bago, mag-explore… At tangkilikin ang sariling atin. Gawing bahagi ng ating buhay ang panitikang Filipino—dahil isa ito sa esensya ng ating kultura…"

Axel may be an author with not much popularity. And his books may be misjudged by the many, but there are only a few of his kind. Someone who could actually come out and speak for himself and express what he really wants. Someone who wants to be different and does not want to be enslaved by the mainstream. Someone who’s only intention is to be real.

Tugmaang Walang Tugma is the author’s small dream –turned-reality. This only shows that dreams are not impossible. Anything can come true as long as the beholder has the courage to find a way to do the will. In this book, the author had a motive to wake up the sleeping and passive minds of the readers so he had to come up with something different and extra ordinary. It may be sensational, but it’s only telling the truth. It may not have rhymes but is certainly full of messages—only if you will read between the lines.