Juliette II, JC Alfier, 2023. Collage.
STALAGMITES
MARIA DIMANSHTEIN
To console myself in the dark
I recite my poems.
You haven’t texted me. Ashamed.
But I let the tears
out
because the stalagmites
have no more room to grow. I was advised
to keep them away from salt
and bathe them in a sea of kindness –
or else. All I have nearby are lavender oil
and valerian tea.
I check out the kitchen
and in the fridge discover
a quart of melted ice cream. It tastes very good
but the rest of it can’t be saved.
Back in bed
I feel the stalagmites
scraping the roof of my cave.
Maria Dimanshtein is an explorer of poetry in its written and visual forms. Her work has appeared in Gold Wake Live Journal, Live Mag! and Love, You (Urban Ivy Press). She is the author of Expect the Be(a)st, a full-length collection of poetry and drawings that was a 2018 finalist with Gold Wake Press. Maria has exhibited her art across the country; it can also be seen at www.MariaDimanshtein.com. Born and raised in Latvia, she is currently based in Chicago and Brooklyn.