CASSayuran Hosts Poetry Workshop on Deconstruction, Social Justice

by Randy Adriane Martin


In celebration of Arts Month and the World Day of Social Justice, CASSayuran’s Literary Department, in partnership with the Kataas-taasang Sanggunian ng mga Mag-aaral (KASAMA) and the Literature, Language, and Culture Society (LILACS), organized a poetry workshop titled, “Poetry Beyond Structure: On Deconstruction and Social Justice” on Wednesday, February 19.


Featuring guest speakers Prof. Lourd Greggory Crisol and Asst. Prof. Fatimah Joy Almarez from MSU-IIT’s English Department, the workshop welcomed poets and enthusiasts to hone their poetry skills while using the art form to advocate for social justice and break away from traditional structures.


Prof. Crisol discussed poetry’s meaning, structure, and forms while also exploring ways to move beyond conventions while maintaining its internal limits.


He shared insights on integrating advocacy into poetry and introduced different literary lenses, such as feminism, Marxism, critical theory, gender theory, and eco-criticism, which help anchor poetry to perspectives that resonate with people’s core beliefs.


“Our fight for a more equal society does not necessarily mean going to the streets,” Prof. Crisol stated, emphasizing the power that literary works have in fighting for social justice. He added, “Through words, you can spear the hearts of people and call them to action.”


Prof. Fatimah Joy Almarez, in her discussion on deconstruction, urged participants to constantly interrogate their own positions in life to fight against oppression.


“For the longest time, our assumptions have caused injustice to others,” Prof. Almarez expressed, highlighting the need to be more aware of how words and contexts shape understanding.


She described deconstruction as an empowering tool, shedding light on its ability to shift meanings and uncover a deeper understanding of texts and how questioning leads to growth.


Jan Respicio, a first-year BA Political Science student, reflected on the workshop, saying, “I have learned that poetry can be a tool to deconstruct injustices by questioning our society. […] The workshop helped me understand that poetry is an art of […] lived experience.”


The poetry workshop provided a space not only to learn how to write poems, but also to engage in discussions on the relevance and capacity of poetry to challenge social injustices in society.