PEOTRY IN MACAO

Renowned Macao poet Tao Li pointed out in his study on the development of modern poetry in Macao that modern poetry in the city veritably emerged in the 1950s, developed in the 1960s and thrived in the 1980s1. The launch of New Platform and AECM Journal in the 1950s provided platforms for local poets to release their modern poetic works, as a means to cultivate rising poets in Macao; the 1960s and 1970s was the time when poets started to develop their own styles and characteristics with the experience they had accumulated; the 1980s was deemed a golden age for modern poetry in Macao, because of the influence brought by the large pool of local poets in the city, as well as the poets that had immigrated from mainland China and Southeast Asia2. Different cultural backgrounds have allowed poets to express themselves in poems of diverse styles, and subjects ranging from national and social situations to personal sentiments, facilitating the vigorous development of both traditional modern poetry and contemporary modern poetry.

Note 1: Tao Li, Traces of Modern Poetry in Macao, https://www.macaudata.com/macaubook/book030/html/00301.htm

Note 2: Zhuang Wenyong, The Cultural Background for the Rising of Modern Poetry in Macao in the 1980s, http://www.macaudata.com/macaubook/book054/html/00101.htm

Wei Ming was one of the active poets in the poetic sphere of Macao in the 1980s, and witnessed its golden age. ‘The 1980s was indeed a flourishing period for the poetic circles in Macao. Back then, there were not only young poets from my generation, but also veteran poets Tao Li and Tao Kongliao, and Wong Man Fai and Agnes Lam from the new generation. It was a rare scenario in history, amid the development of poetry in Macao, that poets from different generations released their works in diverse styles and themes during the same period.’ Wei Ming explained that ‘the successive founding of Macao Daily News – ‘Kiang Hoi’ section and Va Kio Daily – ‘Chinese Youth’ section provided platforms for us to share our works with more readers’.

As a veteran in the local poetic sphere, Wei Ming has been keeping a close eye on its development. ‘In the 1990s, I was quite impressed by the works of such poets as Wong Man Fai, Agnes Lam and Che Sio Peng; in recent years, I have also noticed a number of active young poets, such as Gaaya Cheng, Un Sio San, Jojo Wong and poets at the Macao Outersky Poet Association’. Wei Ming added that ‘more than 10 poets are currently active in the poetic sphere of Macao, who were born between the 1970s and 1990s, and have been contributing their efforts to its succession and development’. He also encourages young people to make more creative attempts; they can visit the cities of the Greater Bay Area, which are in close proximity to Macao, to learn more about different regions and cultures, and create works with a more open attitude and broader horizons.

When searching for Gaaya Cheng and Rui Mutsu on the Internet, you will find an article about their interview with a magazine when they won the fourth Macao Literary Award. Both had a look of innocent university students, with their caps slightly pulled low over the eyebrows, their eyes showing a trace of unyielding personality, and their words revealing a yearning to create poetry… Twenty years have passed in the blink of an eye, and the two unacquainted men have become close friends, and experienced the same transition from childhood to fatherhood. Love is the most common theme in their poems. While staying true to the same strong character as in their youth, they have learned from the secular world to be sophisticated and down-to-earth, showing a sense of humour that can win the hearts of many people.

Both born in 1981, Cheng playfully insists that he is a ‘poet of the younger generation’, and is by no means a middle-aged man; his bosom-buddy Mutsu is an outgoing boy at heart with extensive interests ranging from music, food to trainers. From their initial battle in poetry forums to collaborations in promoting each other’s works, it is not an overstatement to describe the nature of their friendship as ‘frenemies’, rather than one of mutual support as stated in the official introduction. In recent years, they have tried to attract public attention to their works by various means, such as producing new media adaptations Getaway and When Felicity Calls, and have taken a formal approach in launching their books on the market, by inviting models to take photos for the promotional posters.

With the sweet burden of family on their shoulders, both Cheng and Mutsu have chosen to be a ‘semi-poet’ with a stable full-time job, being actively involved in the editing of the Pen of Macao during their spare time, and even published their own works at every other time. In reply to the question of whether there is any notable change in the poetic circles of Macao nowadays, since social media platforms have become popular, they observed that ‘in our opinion, there is no problem of succession in the development of poetry in Macao, as we can see from the stable number of works received for each issue of the journal. Many young people have submitted their works under various themes, which suggests that the local poetic sphere is still flourishing.’ Mutsu said with a smile that ‘young people can release their works across more channels than before if they wish to start writing poetry. In addition to literary journals, they can publish more on the Internet, and it has become easier to find books that offer a systematic approach of learning poetry.’ ‘Macao is a happy land that provides fertile soil for the growth of poets, and where young people should never waste their talent, but write without fear,’ Cheng added.

Pansy Lau, a ‘post-1985’ poet born and raised in Macao, started to write poetry in 2007. Her works can mostly be found in newspapers and literary platforms, and have been published in two solo collections: Leeway for the Fragrance (2016) and Retrograde (2019). She is one of the active young poets in Macao in recent years, with her works developed from her own thoughts about everyday life and observations on social incidents, and created in an articulate style that can easily resonate among readers.

Being one of the main figures in the new generation of Macao poets, Lau observes that the local poetic circles have seen a boom in recent years, with a number of young poets being actively involved. Each poet demonstrates different characteristics, whether in their individual works or solo collections, or in a local or Taiwanese market. ‘This can be attributed to our occupations. In addition to being a poet, we are also working a full-time job in different fields. We have often extended our professional mind-set to our works, and created new forms of imagery in our expressions, but this is something that happens naturally rather than something we do on purpose. In my opinion, this can be regarded as a distinctive feature of poetry in Macao nowadays,’ said Lau. She is also pleased to see poems created by the post-1990s and even post-2000s generations in local newspapers and online platforms, and considers it a good attempt, even though the works are still far from mature. ‘For me, poetry is a kind of faith. As long as you strongly believe in it, keep on writing and learning the techniques, you will find your way and create better works.’

Lau remarked that unlike over a decade ago when she entered the realm of poetry-writing, currently there are more ways and greater room for the release and exposure of works. ‘In the past, we could really only publish our poems in newspapers, and it was rather difficult to receive feedback directly from readers. Now I can publish my poems via my own pages on social media platforms. This allows me to promote my work quicker and easier, and to interact more directly with readers, which can become a source of inspiration.’ She has already set a new goal for herself in the future, which is to create another solo collection featuring a long poem of over 100 lines, and indeed offers a new challenge in terms of poetic structure and expression, including imagery. ‘I think poetry-writing in Macao is a type of endangered artistry to a certain extent. I am so fortunate to see my works recognized by readers and, being a poet myself, I should make more effort to pass on such artistry to younger generations in the city.’

From our paper and electronic collections, we have selected eight poetry books written by poets from Macao and around the world, giving you a glimpse of their attitude towards life between the succinctly beautiful lines.