Buang sa Pag-ibig: The art of loving out loud

By Noel Galon de Leon

There is no single formula for writing a great poem, and John Iremil E. Teodoro proves this in his collection Buang sa Pag-ibig, published by the University of the Philippines Press in 2025. This book is a shining contribution to contemporary Filipino poetry and an important addition to the growing body of queer literature in the Philippines. Many of these poems were written years ago, yet they feel fresh and immediate. Time has not dulled their power; if anything, it has made their clarity sharper. The poems feel lived in—shaped by memory and experience. They speak of longing, heartbreak, desire, shame, humor, resilience, and survival. They move effortlessly between vulnerability and wit, a skill that only a practiced poet can master. Teodoro writes with both emotional intelligence and precise craft, giving each poem room to breathe while keeping a clear thread of meaning throughout the collection.

Buang sa Pag-ibig is a book about love in its many complex forms. It explores romantic obsession, brief encounters, unrequited affection, and the gentle dignity of self-acceptance. What sets this collection apart is not just its subject matter but its perspective. These are poems shaped by queer experience, written from a consciousness that has loved and suffered in ways society often marginalizes or misunderstands. The emotional landscapes are specific, yet they speak to universal human experience.

For queer readers, the collection offers recognition. It affirms lives and emotions that are too often ignored or simplified. It reminds readers that their stories are worthy of art, worthy of serious attention, worthy of preservation. Representation in literature is not superficial—it shapes how individuals see themselves and how communities imagine their possibilities. To see one’s desires and struggles rendered with care and beauty is a profound act of validation.

For non-queer readers, the book is an invitation. It opens a door to the intimate realities of gay life without defensiveness or apology. Poetry has always been a bridge between inner worlds, and this collection builds that bridge with generosity. Readers who approach these poems openly will find not a strange terrain but a shared human condition refracted through a distinct lens. Love, after all, is universal. What changes are the social pressures, coded negotiations, and acts of courage required to pursue it.

The importance of a collection like Buang sa Pag-ibig goes beyond its literary quality. Gay poetry anthologies and queer-authored collections play a vital role in preserving cultural memory. They show how queer people live and feel in particular moments in history. They resist silence and challenge narratives that reduce queer identity to stereotype or tragedy. By writing about desire with honesty and humor, Teodoro confronts the lingering conservatism that still shapes many conversations about sexuality in the Philippines.

Supporting queer writers is more than a symbolic gesture—it is an investment in a more inclusive literary future. Publishing is still uneven, and marginalized voices must work harder to be seen. When readers buy, review, teach, and discuss books by queer authors, they create space for these writers to keep producing work. They encourage publishers to take risks on diverse stories and help build a literary ecosystem where authenticity matters more than conformity.

Reading gay poetry expands the emotional language of literature. It teaches us about forms of intimacy that have long existed but were rarely centered. It complicates traditional ideas of romance and masculinity. It reveals tenderness where society expects hardness and humor where it expects shame. In doing so, it enriches the whole poetic tradition.

The future of queer literature is promising. As more writers claim their space and more readers seek stories that reflect the full spectrum of human experience, collections like Buang sa Pag-ibig will no longer be seen as niche—they are central to literature. They shape how future generations understand love, identity, and the evolving language of the self.

Buang sa Pag-ibig is a celebration of queer imagination and emotional truth. It shows that poetry thrives not on rigid formulas but on honesty, courage, and craft. This book deserves to be read widely, discussed seriously, and cherished deeply. It is an important part of contemporary Filipino literature.

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Noel Galon de Leon is a Filipino and Creative Writing professor at the University of the Philippines Visayas. He is the founder of Kasingkasing Press, and his poetry has received recognition from the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature. He currently serves as Secretary of the National Committee on Literary Arts under the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).