Professor
English

Luisa Igloria

4047 BATTEN ARTS & LETTERS
NORFOLK, 23529

During her term as 20th Poet Laureate of the Commonwealth of Virginia (2020-22), Emerita, the Academy of American Poets awarded Luisa A. Igloria one of twenty-three Poet Laureate Fellowships in 2021, to support a program of public poetry projects. She is one of 2 Co-Winners of the 2019 Crab Orchard Poetry Prize for Maps for Migrants and Ghosts (Southern Illinois University Press, fall 2020). In April 2021, the Writers Union of the Philippines (UMPIL) conferred on her the Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas lifetime achievement award in the English poetry category. In 2015, she was the inaugural winner of the Resurgence Prize (UK), the world's first major award for ecopoetry, selected by former UK Poet Laureate Sir Andrew Motion, Alice Oswald, and Jo Shapcott. Former US Poet Laureate Natasha Trethewey selected her chapbook What is Left of Wings, I Ask as the 2018 recipient of the Center for the Book Arts Letterpress Poetry Chapbook Prize. Other works include The Buddha Wonders if She is Having a Mid-Life Crisis (Phoenicia Publishing, Montreal, 2018), Ode to the Heart Smaller than a Pencil Eraser (2014 May Swenson Prize, Utah State University Press), and 12 other books. Her poems are widely published or appearing in national and international anthologies, and print and online literary journals including Orion, Shenandoah, Indiana Review, Crab Orchard Review, Diode, Missouri Review, Rattle, Poetry East, Your Impossible Voice, Poetry, Shanghai Literary Review, Cha, Hotel Amerika, Spoon River Poetry Review, and others. Luisa served as the inaugural Glasgow Visiting Writer in Residence at Washington and Lee University in 2018. With over 35 years of experience teaching literature and creative writing, Luisa also leads workshops at The Muse Writers Center in Norfolk (and serves on the Muse Board). She is a Louis I. Jaffe Professor and University Professor of English and Creative Writing, and member of the core faculty of the MFA Creative Writing Program at Old Dominion University, which she directed from 2009-2015. For twelve years to date, she has been writing (at least) a poem a day. www.luisaigloria.com

Ph.D. in English/Creative Writing, University of Illinois at Chicago, (1995)

M.A. in Literature, Ateneo de Manila University, (1988)

B.A. in Humanities, Comparative Literature, English, and Philosophy, University of the Philippines Baguio, (1980)

Expertise

Asia
Poetry, Creative Writing, Nonfiction, Filipino, Filipino American Literature, Asian American Literature, Postcolonial/diasporic literature
Asian American Literature
Poetry, Creative Writing, Nonfiction, Filipino, Filipino American Literature, Asian American Literature, Postcolonial/diasporic literature
Creative Writing
Poetry, Creative Writing, Nonfiction, Filipino, Filipino American Literature, Asian American Literature, Postcolonial/diasporic literature
Filipino American Literature
Poetry, Creative Writing, Nonfiction, Filipino, Filipino American Literature, Asian American Literature, Postcolonial/diasporic literature

Research Interests

Creative Writing; Poetry; Nonfiction; Contemporary American Poetry; Asian American Literature; Postcolonial Literature; Women Writers; Filipino and Filipino American Literature

Articles

Igloria, L. A. (2015). Syllogism. New England Review 36 (2).
Igloria, L. A. (2009). The Gods Must Be Crazy. The Humor Issue of poemeleon.
Igloria, L. A. (2009). “Apocalypse Redux. 5thwednesday Journal.
Igloria, L. A. (2009). The Wives of Chang and Eng and Garment. The Poet’s Picturebook.
Igloria, L. A. (2008). E-mail to the Tender Committee of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation. Umbrella journal.
Igloria, L. A. (2008). Fear Factor. Umbrella journal.
Igloria, L. A. (2008). Mangkik. The Poet’s Picturebook.
Igloria, L. A. (2008). Ziggurats there aren’t here, my darlings. HerMark 2009.
Igloria, L. A. (2008). Christopher Reeve’s Filipino Nurse and Yo Yu. Sweet.
Igloria, L. A. (2008). What to Do With Suitors in the Courtyard. Persona Poem Issue of poemeleon.
Igloria, L. A. (2008). What We Ate After Passing the Cape of Eleven Thousand Virgins. Water Issue of qarrtsiluni.
Igloria, L. A. (2008). Journey to the West and The Minim. Natural Bridge.
Igloria, L. A. (2008). Thinking in Sepia. Poetry East.
Igloria, L. A. (2008). What She Wants Most of All. Hawk and Handsaw.
Igloria, L. A. (2008). Paradise. Cha: An Asian Literary Journal.
Igloria, L. A. (2008). Aubade and Irreversibles. Poetry Salzburg Review.
Igloria, L. A. (2008). Invocation, Presence, Riddle, Grace. Seventh Quarry.
Igloria, L. A. (2007). The Clear Bones. Bellingham Review.
Igloria, L. A. (2007). Benison, Meridian, Lyrica Obscura. Shearsman.
Igloria, L. A. (2007). Carmine, Alizarine, Madder, Getting There, Gecko, Bird and Pearl Earring, Decanter. The Online Journal for Poetries by Women.
Igloria, L. A. (2007). I Have a Crush on an Italian Tenor. Poetry East.
Igloria, L. A. (2007). Intimacy deserves a closer look. Indiana Review.
Igloria, L. A. (2007). Communion, Carne Norte Sundays. “Come Together” issue. Crab Orchard Review.
Igloria, L. A. (2007). The Legend of Yamashita’s Treasure. Spoon River Poetry Review.
Igloria, L. A. (2007). Circle of Cranes. Rattle.
Igloria, L. A. (2007). Confessions of a Would-be Yogi. PRISM International: Contemporary Writing from Canada and Around the World.
Igloria, L. A. (2007). Perfectibility. Poetry East.
Igloria, L. A. (2007). Venom. North American Review.
Igloria, L. A. (2007). Descent. Poetry Flash.
Igloria, L. A. (2007). Marine Layer. Comstock Review.
Igloria, L. A. (2006). Worth. HerMark 2007 art and poetry calendar and datebook, WomanMade Gallery.
Igloria, L. A. (2006). Rice. Crab Orchard Review.
Igloria, L. A. (2006). Kierkegaard’s Fable. words+image.
Igloria, L. A. (2006). Wanting and Sediment. Smartish Pace.
Igloria, L. A. (2006). Dolorosa, Bypass, Rainy Day, Your Hand in My Side. Crab Orchard Review.
Igloria, L. A. (2005). Horizon Note. Rattle.
Igloria, L. A. (2005). Blur. Columbia Poetry Review.
Igloria, L. A. (2005). Gecko; Meditation at the Beginning of the Year. Dislocate.
Igloria, L. A. (2005). Stairway to Heaven; If the poem were glass. Poetry East.
Igloria, L. A. (2004). 22 June/The Amber Room, Yekaterinsky dvorets, Tsarkovoe Seloe. Switched-on Gutenberg: Postcards/Wish You Were Here issue.
Igloria, L. A. (2004). What You Remember. Crab Orchard Review: Wander this World – Migration, Immigration and Exile.
Igloria, L. A. (2004). Mandorla; Field planted to winter grass; The Return; Trill and Mordent. The Missouri Review.
Igloria, L. A. (2004). The Birdcage Maker. Fugue.
Igloria, L. A. (2004). In the Blood; Wounds. Smartish Pace.
Igloria, L. A. (2003). “More Fun than a Turkey Shoot. In screaming monkeys. CoffeeHouse.
Igloria, L. A. (2003). The Summer Carnival. New Letters.
Igloria, L. A. (2003). Grass; Mother Liquor; and Jungian Dream Therapy. Our Own Voice (9).
Igloria, L. A. (2003). Manifestations. Crab Orchard Review.
Igloria, L. A. (2002). From the Journals of Malakas and Maganda. Interlope (8).
Igloria, L. A. (2002). South. Asian Pacific American Journal.
Igloria, L. A. (2002). Castle Walk, Hawthornden. The Indiana Review.
Igloria, L. A. (2002). Tree of Watchfulness. Runes.
Igloria, L. A. (2001). Autobiography. DisOrient.
Igloria, L. A. (2001). When We First. Smartish Pace (5).
Igloria, L. A. (2001). Two Memories of Fire. Columbia: A Journal of Art and Poetry.
Igloria, L. A. (2001). Wedding Night. The North American Review.
Igloria, L. A. (2001). Fireworks, Harborfest. Poetry Daily.
Igloria, L. A. (2001). Cuauhtemoc; Note to her Translator; Fireworks, Harborfest; Goldwasser. Poetry.
Igloria, L. A. (2000). Radicalizing the Image: The Philippine Feminine in Poetry. Journey of a Hundred Years,. PAWWA.
Igloria, L. A. (2000). Paper Lotus; Electric Storm; Intima; Kierkegaard’s Fable. Blue Mesa Review.
Igloria, L. A. (2000). Watching the Tango Queen; Video Nights, with Electric Glide. In The Literary Review: Have Come, Am Here.
Igloria, L. A. (2000). Learning Ambahan. Crab Orchard Review.
Igloria, L. A. (1999). Chicago’s PINTIG. In Fil-Am: The Filipino American Experience. Publico.
Igloria, L. A. (1999). Profile of the poet Carlos Angeles. Filipino and Filipino American Studies at Old Dominion University; .
Igloria, L. A. (1999). Disclaimers. In : The Muse Bytes Back (special section on cyberpoetry). Asian Pacific American Journal.
Igloria, L. A. (1999). Ties. Asian Pacific American Journal.
Igloria, L. A. (1998). Tag-araw. De La Salle University.
Igloria, L. A. (1998). Poetry as Map and Itinerary. LIKHA.
Igloria, L. A. (1998). City of Poetry. Poetry.
Igloria, L. A. (1998). Dialogue with the Body. In Hayden’s Ferry Review. Arizona State University.
Igloria, L. A. (1997). Reading Botticelli. Poetry.
Igloria, L. A. (1997). . Pen & Ink I (1).
Igloria, L. A. (1997). Translations in the Wilderness. MUAE 2.
Igloria, L. A. (1996). Caracoa: Heroes and History.
Igloria, L. A. (1996). Ransom; Firstborn. . TriQuarterly.
Igloria, L. A. (1996). Darna and the Flying Machine. The Evening Paper.
Igloria, L. A. (1996). 50 Years Down this River (special feature for 50th anniversary of Philippine Independence from American colonial rule). The Evening Paper.
Igloria, L. A. (1996). . Asian Pacific American Journal.
Igloria, L. A. (1995). New Writing from the Philippines. Philippine Studies.
Igloria, L. A. (1995). . Asian Pacific American Journal.
Igloria, L. A. (1994). . SPAN.
Igloria, L. A. (1994). “Encanto” in Ruptures. Literary Journal of the Three Americas.
Igloria, L. A. (1994). Eduardo Masferre and the Philippine Cordillera. Philippine Studies.
Igloria, L. A. (1994). . Asian Pacific American Journal.
Igloria, L. A. (1993). Bomb.
Igloria, L. A. (1991). . The Review of Women’s Studies I, 2.
Igloria, L. A. (1991). . Ani V (1).
Igloria, L. A. (1991). Exploring Ethnicity. Solidaridad.
Igloria, L. A. (1990). . Black Warrior Review.
Igloria, L. A. (1987). . Black Warrior Review.
Igloria, L. A. (1986). New Writing from the Philippines. Philippine Studies.

Books

Igloria, L. A. (2009). Juan Luna’s Revolver. University of Notre Dame Press.
Igloria, L. A. (2005). Trill & Mordent. WordTech Editions.
Igloria, L. A. (2003). Not Home, But Here: Writing from the Filipino Diaspora, as central editor. Anvi.
Igloria, L. A. (2000). Turnings: Writing on Women’s Transformations. Friends of Women’s Studies at Old Dominion University.
Igloria, L. A. (1997). Blood Sacrifice. University of the Philippines Press.
Igloria, L. A. (1997). Songs for the Beginning of the Millennium. De La Salle University Press.
Igloria, L. A. (1995). In the Garden of the Three Islands. Moyer Bell/Asphodel.
Igloria, L. A. (1994). Assembling Bodies of Filipino Experience. ArtManila.
Igloria, L. A. (1993). Encanto. Anvil.
Igloria, L. A. (1992). Cartography. Anvil.
Igloria, L. A. (1990). Cordillera Tales. New Day.

Book Chapters

Igloria, L. A. (2015). “Dolorosa” and “Herald” Annunciation: Sixteen Contemporary Poets Consider Mary Montreal, Canada: Phoenicia Publishing.
Igloria, L. A. (2015). Ten Thousand Villages in Raising Lilly Ledbetter: Women Poets Occupy the Workplace Lost Horse Press.
Igloria, L. A. (2015). The Patron Saint of Bakers and of Frenzy Rabbit Ears: TV Poems NYQ Books.
Igloria, L. A. (2014). Can you hear me? Desde Hong Kong: Poets in Conversation with Octavio Paz, on the occasion of the poet’s centenary Chameleon Press.
Igloria, L. A. (2014). Hagia Sophia Transatlantische Auswanderergeschichten: Reflexionen und Reminiszenzen aus drei Generationen; Festschrift zu Ehren von Robert Schopflocher Wurzburg: Konigshausen & Neumann.
Igloria, L. A. (2014). The Patron Saint of Bakers and Frenzy Rabbit Ears: TV Poems NYQ Books.
Igloria, L. A. (2014). “Certified,” “Why appropriation is not necessarily the same as mastery,” and “Improvisations” Read Women: An Anthology Locked Horn Press.
Igloria, L. A. (2014). “Yo Yu,” “Christopher Reeve’s Fiipino Nurse” All of Us: Sweet- The First Five Years Sweet Publications.
Igloria, L. A. (2013). Appetite Tongue Journal.
Igloria, L. A. (2013). “Transparencies,” “Sunday Afternoon,” “Dragon” Escape into Life.
Igloria, L. A. (2012). “Huevos de Amor” and “Collision” Fire On Her Tongue: An eBook Anthology of Contemporary Women's Poetry Asian American Literary Review.
Igloria, L. A. (2012). "Consonance," "Forager," "Speaking of--" and "Despedida de Soltera" Fire On Her Tongue: An eBook Anthology of Contemporary Women's Poetry Two Sylvias Press.
Igloria, L. A. (2009). Cooking Berenjena,The Kitchen Girl’s Journal, and La Americana - in Not a Muse: A Global Poetry Anthology on the Inner Lives of Women Haven Books.
Igloria, L. A. (2009). Little Islands. In the Eden Waters Press Anthology.
Igloria, L. A. (2008). Food for the Soul - in A Taste of Home (pp. Edgar Maranan and Len Maranan-Goldstein) Anvil.
Igloria, L. A. (2008). Hill Station - in Language for a New Century: Contemporary Poetry from the Middle East, Asia, and Beyond W. W. Norton & Co.
Igloria, L. A. (2008). The Gift. In the special chapbook issue “Power Crazy Senior General Than Shwe,” anti-poetry.
Igloria, L. A. (2007). Orchises - in Letters to the World: Poems from the Wom-Po Listserv Red Hen Press.
Igloria, L. A. (2007). Somnambula - in Home Eden Waters Press.
Igloria, L. A. (2005). The Oral Tradition: Or, The Oracle Admonishes the President Though it Might Really be Too Late - In Truth and Consequence: An Anthology of Poems for the Removal of [Philippine Manila: Alliance of Concerned Teachers, and Congress of Teachers for Nationalism and Democracy.
Igloria, L. A. (2004). Group Picture with Two-Seater Plane - in Father Poems Anvil.
Igloria, L. A. (2004). Lost Photograph - in Red, White, and Blues: Poetic Vistas on the Promise of America Indiana University Press.
Igloria, L. A. (2004). Rings - in 100 Love Poems Anvil.
Igloria, L. A. (2003). Chinatown, Moon Festival; Longing- in Going Home to a Landscape Calyx.
Igloria, L. A. (2003). Edible Hours, in Comfort Food Anvil.
Igloria, L. A. (2003). Some Poems I Love. In Seven Times Ten: World Poetry Choices by Seven Filipino Poets Libris Books.
Igloria, L. A. (2002). Jungle Book in Eros Pinoy: An Anthology of Contemporary Erotica in Philippine Art and Poetry Anvil.
Igloria, L. A. (2002). Looking North. In Writing Home: Nineteen Writers Remember Their Hometowns Anvil.
Igloria, L. A. (2002). Rings”; Homily in Love Gathers All: The Philippines-Singapore Anthology of Love Poetry Manila and Singapore: Anvil Press and Ethos Books.
Igloria, L. A. (2002). Views of War and Citizenship from Between Two Shores. In To Mend the World: Women Reflect on 9/11. Human Rights Series White Pine Press.
Igloria, L. A. (2001). Blended in BigCityLit Ten Year Anniversary Anthology New York: Asian American Writers Workshop.
Igloria, L. A. (2001). Woman of the North/Mujer del Norte; Autobiography/Autobiografia; Purple Yam/Batata Morada” in Lo Ultimo de Filpinas: Antologia Poetica Madrid: Huerga y Fierro Editores.
Igloria, L. A. (2000). Mangosteen; Ancestral Home; Soup and Coffee, Poetry and Love in Feasts and Feats: Festschrift for Doreen G. Fernandez Ateneo de Manila.
Igloria, L. A. (2000). Sometimes and Again, A Stranger. In Pinay: Autobiographical Essays by Filipino Women Writers 1978-1998 Ateneo de Manila University Press.
Igloria, L. A. (2000). Song of the Turning Body; Looking Back; Bulan a Naraniag/O Radiant Moon; Dagiti Sarsarita ni Uncle Pete/The Stories of Uncle Pete. In Babaylan: Prose and Poetry by Filipina and Filipina American Writers (pp. Nick Carbo and Eileen Tabios) aunt lute.
Igloria, L. A. (1999). The Secret Language; Legend; Encanto; Familiar; From the Islands; Journey to Luna; Simoom; Postcard from Persephone; Manchachawak; Filipino American Barbie; Confession; Ransom; The Other Annunciation; and Reading Botticelli. In A Habit of Shores: Filipino Poetry and Verse from English, 60s to the 90s University of the Philippines Press.
Igloria, L. A. (1997). American Beauty Roses; The Book of Exile in Flippin: An Anthology of Poetry and Fiction by Filipinos in America New York: Asian American Writers Workshop.
Igloria, L. A. (1997). Woman from the North. In Sa Ngalan ng Ina: 100 Taon ng Tulang Feminista sa Pilipinas [In the Name of the Mother: One Hundred Years of Feminist Poetry in the Philippines] University of the Philippines Press.
Igloria, L. A. (1997). Mountain Magic. In Kasaysayan (a 10-volume Cultural History of the Philippines).
Igloria, L. A. (1996). Premonitions: The Kaya Anthology of Asian American Poetry Kaya.
Igloria, L. A. (1996). Returning a Borrowed Language CoffeeHouse.
Igloria, L. A. (1995). Songs of Ourselves: An Anthology of Filipino Women’s Poetry Anvil.
Igloria, L. A. (1993). Sansho-en: In the Garden of the Three Islands; Vendor of Sweets in Kung Ibig Mo [If You Desire]: An Anthology of Filipino Women’s Poetry Anvil.
Igloria, L. A. (1992). Forbidden Fruit: Women Write the Erotic Anvil.
  • 2022: 2022 Newsmaker of the Year , Virginia Professional Communicators (formerly Virginia Press Women)
  • 2022: Finalist, 2021 Jeffrey E. Smith Editors Prize, The Missouri Review
  • 2021: 2021 Poet Laureate Fellowship recipient, Academy of American Poets
  • 2021: Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas (National Award for Lifetime Achievement, English Poetry Category), UMPIL (Unyon ng mga Manunulat ng Pilipinas/Writers Union of the Philippines)
  • 2020: Poet Laureate of the Commonwealth of Virginia, 2020-22, Office of the Governor of VA; Poetry Society of VA
  • 2019: 2019 Crab Orchard Open Poetry Competition, Crab Orchard Review and Southern Illinois University Press
  • 2018: Nominee/University Finalist, SCHEV Outstanding Faculty Awards, Old Dominion University
  • 2018: 2018 Center for the Book Arts Poetry Chapbook Prize, Center for the Book Arts
  • 2017: Nominee/University Finalist, SCHEV Outstanding Faculty Awards, Old Dominion University
  • 2017: Featured as Cover Story for Tidewater Women, January 2017 issue: “The Path to Poetry” , Tidewater Women
  • 2016: Distinguished Mention in the Tupelo Press 2016 July Open Reading Poetry Competition , Tupelo Press
  • 2016: Pushcart Prize nomination from The New Verse News for “The Ghosts of Ishinomaki” , Pushcart Prize
  • 2016: Third Prize, 2016 Annual Poetry Superhighway Contest, for “Only Let the Body Find the Chime” , Annual Poetry Superhighway Contest
  • 2016: “Synecdoche,” poem nominated and selected for inclusion in 2016 Inaugural Independent Best American Poetry, Inaugural Independent Best American Poetry
  • 2015: “In the hotel with thin walls and the name of a poet,” Finalist for the 2015 Creative Writing Awards, Aesthetica Magazine (UK)
  • 2015: International Merit Award Citation, Atlanta Review
  • 2015: John R. Broderick Diversity Champion Award, Old Dominion University
  • 2015: The Charles O. and Elisabeth C. Burgess 2015 Award for Research and Creativity, Old Dominion University
  • 2015: “The Rain is Writing a Letter,” Finalist for the 2015 Orison Anthology Award for Poetry,
  • 2015: 2015 (Inaugural) Resurgence Prize for Poetry, Resurgence Magazine, UK
  • 2015: Luisa A. Igloria on Emily Dickinson, Poetry Daily Poets’ Picks for National Poetry Month, Poetry Daily Poets’ Picks
  • 2014: Featured as AWP Member Spotlight (as MFA Program Director),
  • 2014: Featured by Coastal Virginia Magazine as one of “10 Leading Ladies of the Year” , Coastal Virginia Magazin
  • 2014: Featured by Distinction Magazine in its special edition honoring local writers, Distinction Magazine
  • 2014: Finalist in the 6th annual Naugatuck River Review Narrative Poetry Contest, Naugatuck River Review Narrative Poetry Contest
  • 2014: “Certified,” selected as POETRY DAILY’s feature,
  • 2014: 2014 Gintong Aklat (Golden Book) Award, National Book Development Board and Manila Critics Circle
  • 2014: 2014 May Swenson Poetry Prize, Utah State University Press
  • 2012: Finalist, 2012 Tusculum Review Poetry Competition, judged by Amy Gerstler; for the poem “Interlude”, Tusculum Review Poetry Competition
  • 2012: Finalist, Doctoral Mentoring Awards, Old Dominion University
  • 2011: Philippines Free Press Literary Award – First Prize for Poetry , Philippines Free Press
  • 2010: Honorable Mention, Potomac Review Poetry Contest, “The Art of Kissing”, Potomac Review
  • 2010: “Paradise”, selected as one of 6 “Best of the Net 2010” Poetry Entries to Asia Writes, by Lee Upton ,
  • 2009: Finalist, 2009 Narrative Poetry Contest, for “Recycling History” and “On the Difficulty of Discerning Shapes in the Distance”, Narrative Magazine
  • 2009: 2009 Ernest Sandeen Prize, University of Notre Dame Press
  • 2008: Finalist, the first Doctoral Mentoring Awards, Old Dominion University
  • 2007: Finalist, Indiana Review Poetry Prize, Indiana Review
  • 2007: Finalist, Lynda Hull Memorial Poetry Prize, selected by Marvin Bell, Crazyhorse Journal
  • 2007: Finalist, Ruth Stone Poetry Prize, "Hunger Mountain", The Vermont College Journal of Arts and Letters
  • 2007: Finalist, Spoon River Poetry Prize, Spoon River Poetry Prize
  • 2007: Global Filipino Literary Award for Poetry, for a poetry book published in 2005 ("Trill & Mordent", WordTech Editions, 2005),
  • 2007: James Hearst Poetry Prize, North American Review
  • 2007: Semifinalist, 2007 Blue Lynx Prize, Eastern Washington University Press
  • 2007: Semifinalist, 2007 Paumanok Poetry Prize, Paumanok Poetry Prize
  • 2007: Semifinalist, Crab Orchard Review Open Poetry Competition, for the manuscript "Juan Luna’s Revolver", Crab Orchard Review Open Poetry Competition
  • 2007: Winner, 49th Parallel Award for Poetry, Bellingham Review (May 2007)
  • 2006: Finalist, Muriel Craft Bailey Poetry Prize, Comstock Review
  • 2006: Richard Peterson Poetry Prize, Crab Orchard Review
  • 2006: Semifinalist, Rattle Poetry Prize ; 11 finalist + 16 semifinalist poems were selected (or .9%) from a pool of 3,000+ poems , Rattle Poetry Prize
  • 2006: Stephen Dunn Award in Poetry, University of Southern Maine
  • 2005: Calatagan Award for the book "Trill & Mordent", Philippine American Writers and Artists Association, Inc.
  • 2005: Finalist, George Bogin Memorial Award for Poetry, The Poetry Society of America, selected by Joy Harjo
  • 2004: Finalist, Crab Orchard Open Competition in Poetry, Crab Orchard Review and Southern Illinois University Press
  • 2004: Fugue Poetry Prize, FUGUE Literary Journal award competition in poetry, selected by Ellen Bryant Voigt
  • 2003: Finalist, Dorset Prize in Poetry, Tupelo Press
  • 2003: Finalist, Larry Levis Editors Prize for Poetry, The Missouri Review
  • 2003: Partial Fellowship to the Summer Literary Seminars (SLS) in St. Petersburg, Russia, Summer Literary Seminars (SLS)
  • 2003: Pushcart Prize Nomination for poetry, for “Tree of Watchfulness” , Pushcart Prize
  • 2003: Special Mention, The Pushcart Prize Anthology: Best of the Small Presses, for the short story “Wedding Night”, The North American Review
  • 2002: First Runner-up, New Letters Award for Poetry, selected by Maxine Kumin, New Letters Award for Poetry
  • 2001: Fiction Fellowship/Independent Artist Award, Virginia Commission for the Arts
  • 2000: Philippines Free Press Literary Award for Poetry, Philippines Free Press
  • 1999: Centennial Award/Kababaihang Makasaysayan [Historic Women], Philippine Centennial Commission
  • 1999: Finalist, National Book Award for Poetry, for "Songs for the Beginning of the Millennium", Philippines,
  • 1999: Finalist, Rainer Maria Rilke International Poetry Competition, Rainer Maria Rilke International Poetry Competition
  • 1998: George Kent Prize for Poetry, Poetry journal (Chicago)
  • 1998: Illinois Arts Council Award for Poetry, Illinois Arts Council
  • 1998: National Book Award for "Blood Sacrifice", Philippines,
  • 1998: Philippines Free Press Literary Award for Poetry, Philippines Free Press
  • 1997: First Prize, English Poetry Category, Palanca Awards for Literature
  • 1997: Leo Benesa Award for Art Criticism, Art Association of the Philippines
  • 1996: First Prize, English Essay category, Palanca Awards for Literature
  • 1996: Palanca Awards for Literature - Hall of Fame Distinction , Palanca Awards for Literature
  • 1996: Philippines Free Press Literary Award for Poetry, Philippines Free Press
  • 1995: Charles Goodnow Endowed Award for Poetry, Chicago Bar Association
  • 1995: Filipino American Hall of Fame, Chicago,
  • 1995: National Book Award for Poetry, for "Encanto", Philippines,
  • 1995: Second Prize, English Poetry category, Palanca Awards for Literature
  • 1994: First and Second Prizes, English Poetry category, Palanca Awards for Literature
  • 1994: Grand Prize, English Essay category, Palanca Awards for Literature
  • 1994: Honorable Mention, English Poetry category, Philippines Free Press Literary awards
  • 1994: Outstanding Alumni/Professional Award in Humanities, University of the Philippines Alumni Association
  • 1994: Semifinalist, John and Grace Nuveen International Scholar Award, University of Illinois at Chicago
  • 1993: Charles Goodnow Endowed Award for Poetry, Chicago Bar Association
  • 1993: Grand Prize, English Essay category, Palanca Awards for Literature
  • 1993: National Book Award for "Cartography", Philippines,
  • 1993: Third Prize, the first Procyon Prize for Poetry, Procyon Prize for Poetry
  • 1993: University of the Philippines President’s Outstanding Publications Award,
  • 1991: Third Prize, English Short Story category, Palanca Awards for Literature
  • 1990: National Book Award for "Cordillera Tales", Philippines,
  • 1988: Black Warrior Literary Award, University of Alabama and Black Warrior Review
  • 1988: Third Prize, English Poetry category, Palanca Awards for Literature
  • 1986: Third Prize, English Poetry category, Palanca Awards for Literature, Palanca Awards
  • 1984: First Prize, English Poetry category, Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Award for Literature , Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Award