3 poems by DENISE BENAVIDES
T H R O W T H E W O M E N
B A C K I N T O T H E O C E A N
i want to rename her
something blue
like the night
she was forced into
i want to rename her
something life-form
like rib, or muscle—
i want to rename her
something like sleeping,
or breathing
wear her like
blood work and vein
anything but
a stomach
hollow enough
to carry a family
of secrets
i want to tell her
this place is where you trace
your hand back
where you go blind
imagining scissors
i want to tell her, mother
this is no place to store
a body
i want to tell her, mother
you and i
are something
water born
worthy
of preservation
do you hear me?
L O V E H E R , L E A V E H E R
shame killed my mother
first.
it was an allegory of deaths—
one
after the other
the bodies
becoming
a rebirthing
from the wastes
yet, i must grieve
each woman
honestly
in a desperate attempt
to say:
come back,
try your natural self
first.
T H I S H O U S E I S E M P T Y N O W
i am sure this is the poem
i will write after you have left
our bed is a small
and empty birdcage
in the mouth of a snake
the blood we shared and left
in the cupboard
thickens
and the drains keep reaching
for handfuls of your hair
the animals we raised
skinned and hung themselves today
and the hinges on the door
have forgotten your name
but each nail howls
at the thought of it—
the chimney, riddled with worry
has broken all of its front teeth
the ghost in the hallway
speaks ill of our blame game
desperate for affection
the windows stay open
i stay open
i want to wail with the old grief
you stashed under the sink
i want to wail, i want you back
with me
your love—the only thing
i refuse to keep
For first generation Xicana poet, Denise Benavides, writing has become a haven for growth, for understanding, and immortalizing life’s humanness. Currently living in Oakland, CA as an emerging poet and performer, her work has been published in FatCity Review, Ground Protest Poetry, The Far East: Everything As It Is, The Acorn Review, El Tecolote 40th Anniversary Anthology celebrating Latino voices, and as of late, a zine published by Third Women Press.
She has also been invited to perform at historically LGBTQ and Latino spaces, including La Pocha Nostra Workshops at Galeria De La Raza, The Latino Spoken Word and Poetry Festival ¿Donde Esta Mi Gente?, Voz Sin Tinta, SF Queer Open Mic, and most recently hosting and performing at SOMArts Cultural Center for the opening exhibition: Today is The Shadow of Tomorrow, an exhibition with over 175 artists celebrating Dia De Los Muertos. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing and is currently working on her upcoming collection of poetry titled: Riot Girl.
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