The Language of Unbreaking

The Language of Unbreaking by Keana Aguila Labra is her fourth poetry collection, offering a deeply personal exploration of the author's memories, ranging from reflections on family and self to broader themes of connection. Through the seamless blend of Cebuano and Tagalog, Labra crafts poems that weave together vibrant, delicate recollections, sometimes anchoring them in physical artifacts that hold profound emotional weight. The words themselves feel like they unravel the very fabric of memory, pulling readers into intense emotional capsules. Labra's deep love for family, home, and community resonates throughout the book, offering a powerful and heartfelt expression of belonging. There are moments of loss that can break the reader's spirit, yet these same poems provide a sense of catharsis, as if the reader is finally receiving the balm they've longed for. Labra's physicality is present in the poems, with some exploring the raw autopsies of pain and suffering, while others celebrate the joys of the body and life. The interplay of Tagalog and Cebuano echoes the natural world's reclaiming of urban spaces, infusing the poems with a sense of renewal. The Language of Unbreaking is a collection that functions as both a prayer for healing and a powerful litany of hope, dissolution, and redemption.