Beach Eulogy

Violet Mitchell

I took a walk
on the bare beach 
and apologized.

I let the ocean
chew on the sand
under my heels

and sink me
down and down
and I said I’m sorry.

She whispered
a wave. It was cold
but I let her paint

my ankles
in the blood
of shells

and fishbones.
I let goosebumps
carpet me. I let

her bury me
low until her
eyelashes were at

my stretch marks,
my thighs. We
are earth together,

I told her.
I leave toe ponds
for her, and leave my

fat gray heart
next to the skel-
etons she let me make.

 

Violet Mitchell is a Denver-based writer and artist. She earned a Bachelor of Applied Science in cognitive literary studies and is completing an MFA degree in creative writing, both from Regis University. Her work has been published in Heavy Feather Review, The Blue Route, Sixfold, Word for/ Word, ANGLES, Furrow, and several other journals. She received the Robert A. O’Sullivan, S.J. Memorial Award for Excellence in Writing in 2019.

css.php