Literary Zines from Mt Cloud Bookshop: Nine Lives & Writings of the Unschooled

Discovering these two titles was among the highlights of my recent trip to the City of Pines.

After years of hearing it, I finally understand why Baguio City is one of the Philippines’ fertile breeding grounds for artists, especially writers and poets. The serene mountains of Benguet province, with their own scenic charm, cultural heritage, myths, and literary traditions, must be brimming with creative fodder waiting to be put into words. A recent trip to the highlands piqued my curiosity about the kind of literature that Baguio inspires. I got an interesting answer in the zine section of Mt Cloud Bookshop.

First, a quick background about Mt Cloud. The independent bookshop, nestled in a corner of boutique hotel Casa Vallejo, feels more like a cozy library than a typical bookstore. Of course, it’s the best place to satisfy your curiosity about Cordillera Literature and art books before anything else. Over the years, it seems the bookshop has evolved into a haven for all kinds of works and knick-knacks for the city’s creative readers. Finding a dedicated shelf for zines was not a surprise.

While leafing through the copies of illustration and comic zines, two literary titles caught my attention: Nine Lives, a collection of poems by Kervin Calabias, and Writings of the Unschooled by brothers Kalinaw and Kaaro Ramos Palaganas.

Both titles come in really simple packages — just simple inkjet printing on plain bond paper, and a glossy cover for Writings of the Unschooled. I found the striking simplicity encouraging; it was about immersing in the words instead of visuals. They were modestly priced and made accessible to readers of all kinds (and budget). I simply had no excuse to not get copies and show my appreciation for these creatives. So I did, and I wasn’t disappointed.

Nine Lives (2015)

Poems by Kervin Calabias; Layout by Kaisa Aquino

Nine Lives is a collection of five poems of solitude, loneliness, and longing, with cats as the unifying theme. The feline association is strong from the title alone, with Kervin’s cat characters taking on different roles and personalities (or purr-sonalities?) in each poem. Each free verse has a date in place of a title and reads like an ardent letter to a distant “Dearest.”

The strength of this collection lies in its relatable imagery — which is likely to be especially potent for cat lovers like me. Whether it’s “alleys dotted with / the eyes of cats,” “The sound of a hundred caterwauling,” or the “sudden streak/Of black fur,” it’s easy to plunge into the feline-laden details and immerse in the stories, emotions, and memories evoked in each poem.

Writings of the Unschooled (2015)

Words by Kalinaw & Kaaro Ramos Palaganas; Illustrations by Kelly Ramos; Layout by Meling Abuga-a

Writings of the Unschooled by brothers Kalinaw and Kaaro beckoned with an interesting premise — what could the writings of young ones who have embraced “non-structured, child-led learning” be about?

The first page made me dive straight in and figure it out. In “What the Mountain Teaches Us,” Kaaro pondered about the lessons he learned from Baguio and its mountainous surrounds. The entire zine houses musings like these — personal essays and realizations inspired by the brothers’ journey to discover the world’s wealth of knowledge at their own pace. And it all began with the peaks they call home.

Some of the entries mention of the brothers going to school, but I guess it’s the less traditional kind, and more encouraging of the many other ways to learn. The words are simple but some of the thoughts and ideas are quite eloquent and imaginative. I also found it refreshing that young as they were (Kalinaw was most likely aged 12 and Kaaro aged 9 when this zine came out), the boys were already trying their hands at writing about events and cafes, and art reviews.

If you too have ever wondered about Mt Cloud Bookshop, the collection of zines it houses, and the works of Baguio/Cordilleran creatives, just drop by and satiate your curiosity. I’m sure you’ll find a zine or two to pick up!