Marra PL. Lanot is a Filipino poet, essayist, and a freelance journalist who writes in Filipino, English, and Spanish. She has published several books, including five collections of poetry, three collections of profiles, and a book of essays, in addition to co-writing several teleplays. She previously taught literature, creative writing, and film at the University of the Philippines, her alma mater. She also served as Associate Artistic Director of the Cultural Center of the Philippines as well as Board Member of the Movie and Television Rating and Classification Board. She has won several awards for her work, including the Catholic Mass Media Award, and the prestigious Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature. She received second prize for Poetry in the Palanca Awards for her first collection of poetry, Sheaves of Things Burning (1967). Her fifth collection of poetry, Riding the Full Moon in Filipino and Spanish, continues to demonstrate her ability to write in multiple languages as does her forthcoming collection, Cadena de Amor, New and Selected Poems in English, Filipino, and Spanish due to be published this year.

Featured Writer Marra PL. Lanot: ‘Soldier’s Song’