Turning the corner

By Valerie Martinez

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All these empty promises—dreams
            of pregnancies begun and disappearing,
                        a meeting I must attend
                                    but cannot locate,

the work I must attest to. Clearly,
            I am lost. Impotence this late in life,
                        six petals of ten spent, a litter
                                    on the tile floor. When

can I forget? I turn the corner
            of a hallway, dream house,
                        remember it’s my
                                    second trimester.

My briefcase sprouts blue mold
            and a river of marigolds
                        chases me until
                                    I’m submerged

in impassable yellow. Even my newborn
            resembles these familiar haunts.
                        The house I know
                                                I know.

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Valerie Martínez’s books of poetry include Count; Each and Her; World to World (University of Arizona Press); And They Called It Horizon (Sunstone Press); and Absence, Luminescent (Four Way Books). Her poems have been published widely in journals, magazines, and anthologies including The Best American Poetry; American Poetry: Next Generation; Touching the Fire: Fifteen Poets of Today’s Latino Renaissance; Renaming Ecstasy: Latino Writings on the Sacred; Parnassus; Puerto del Sol; and Poetry.

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• 12/11 / Poetry Reading and Conversation with visiting poet-in-residence Lesley Wheeler & local poet Haya Pomrenze / The BBar at The Betsy-South Beach, Miami Beach, FL / Live and Live-Streamed on Instagram Live/Facebook Live at @swwimmiami / 7-8:30 pm EST / Free

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