Mesándel Virtusio Arguelles teaches literature and creative writing at De La Salle University in Manila. Kristine Ong Muslim’s English translations of his poems have appeared or are forthcoming in numerous publications, including Asymptote, Words Without Borders, Copper Nickel, and Poetry London. In 2018, he collaborated with various writer-musicians to produce Namamatay ang mga Nagmamahal, an album of his poems set to music. A recipient of several national awards and writing fellowships, Arguelles has written more than twenty books, including most recently Ang Aming Lungkot ay Amin (2023).