Mai Santillan

Mai Santillan (she/they) is a multilingual poet born and raised in Cagayan de Oro City. She is currently based in Davao City and is working as a copywriter for a sales and marketing firm. Twice, she has outed herself as a bisexual to her family. But they just brushed it off as ‘just a phase.’

  • Dance

    I’ve always envied those brave soulswho find the courage to dancewith anybody, to any song, or any beat.  But I am not like them. There are certain songs I only dance to and not well enough, really.I look like a marionette flailing my arms in the airAnd sidestepping and hopping To the tune of Eraserheads.

  • To Mother

    The poet dedicates this to her own mother, Lea Belen Santillan. The first poem she has ever written for her. Under the tangerine sky           I frantically wore            my yellow tsinelas            from an afternoon             of bato lata             and Slipper X I dusted myself offand waved farewellto my playmatesas their motherswiped sweat off their faceswith Good Morning towels I wonderwhy Mother never            fetched…