Jim Pascual Agustin
Bloodred Dragonflies, a selection from three decades of his writing, is Jim Pascual Agustin’s first book published in South Africa. It includes new poems and some recently translated versions of poems from the Filipino. Constructed from subtle images, close observations of nature and refracted memories, Agustin’s poems express an innocence that has survived the most difficult conditions.
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The work of Agustin is notable for its intense imagery. He is economical with words, never going past that which is necessary for a fulfilling experience […] There is an observant quality to the poems. Whether writing about various insects or family life or the downtrodden, the poet’s power is in his descriptive ability. Bloodred Dragonflies is a book that documents not only the breaking down but also the rebuilding of a life that can change for better, or worse, in an instant.
– Sihle Ntuli, Botsotso Literary Journal
