Friday, January 6, 2022: Two poems by Maria A. Arana

hungry fire… young woman

 

hungry fire

quiet mist

dangerous goddess

come heave elaborate words

to a young woman

stabbed beauty

playing a game of fright

sick of the storm

running across the sea

 

© 2023 Maria A. Arana

 

you watch me from your window

 

forgetting I am smoke

whose embers

still burn

all that touch

my image

can you see the change

and want the same space

© 2023 Maria A. Arana

 Maria A. Arana is a teacher, writer, poet, and editor. Her poetry has been published in various journals including Spectrum, The Gonzo Press, and The Kleksograph. You can find her at https://twitter.com/m_a_Arana and https://aranaeditingservices.com

Tuesday, July 26, 2022: Maria Arana's poem "I Am an Elephant"

 

I Am an Elephant

 

I cry for the departed

when I cross their slain

carcasses on the road

of our ancestors

 

I trumpet loud

octagons in the sky

so the offspring

find a way out from loss

 

I stomp on broken soil

in happy thoughts

for our land is small

and our heart is strong

 

I wave for hours

until my voice is heard

and my skin is taut

in the abyss of men

© 2022 Maria A. Arana

Maria A. Arana is a teacher, writer, poet, and editor. Her poetry has been published in various journals including Spectrum, The Gonzo Press, and fevers of the mind. You can find her at https://twitter.com/m_a_Arana and https://aranaeditingservices.com

Tuesday, May 17, 2022: Maria A. Arana's poem "Climate Change for Starters"

        SoCal Fire 2020 © 2022 marie c lecrivain

Climate Change for Starters

 

he said, we’d be dead by 2030

they said, AI would be independent thinkers and movers by 2045

she said, to not eat animals, try the nuts instead

but nobody tried cleaning up after themselves

 

money talked the big talk

and leaders did the walk

so many options to help the earth

so little time to try the energy

 

when there were too many people unaware

maybe ignorance was once the issue

the internet’s swallowing us—

mindful slaves to an improper utopia

 

he said, war would come

they said, there’s no stopping it

she said, to tame the bees, they’re already dying

and the earth spins further into misery

 

further into itself

exposing the bones we buried

do you think earth will wait for you?

earth has waited long enough…

 

time to die

 

(note: AI = artificial intelligence)

© 2022 Maria A. Arana

Maria A. Arana is a teacher, writer, poet, and editor. Her poetry has been published in various journals including Spectrum, The Gonzo Press, and The Kleksograph. You can find her at https://twitter.com/m_a_Arana and https://aranaeditingservices.com

Monday, March 30, 2020: National Women's Month: Maria Arana's poem "Bury the Tears"

Bury the Tears

the ones you swore

I gave you

the ones that burned

your cheeks and pursed your lips

bury them

until not a single drop pours out

I’m not worth

all that anguish

I’m not worth

all that sorrow

bury them deep

deep inside

a black box

to match your black heart

then, I’d never hurt you

like you claim I did

and maybe

forever will be better

as we watch

the world’s sunset in flames

© 2020 Maria Arana

Bio: Maria A. Arana is a teacher, writer, and poet. Her poetry has been published in various journals including Spectrum, The Pangolin Review, Nature Writing, and Cholla Needles Magazine. You can find her at https://twitter.com/m_a_Arana