I abandon my anthem
I blame cacophony
I confess fable
A fabulous gramophone

I preface the symphony
A losing bridge

How does the wind speak to all the lost whispers?

We lower our voices

Upon prayer
Upon spectacle
Upon pleasure

I want to take apart each atlas
To build a map of silence

Of

between breaths

To capture
To fracture
To magnify

How long does it take to remember?

How long does it take to forget?

How to love
How to hurt
How to still

Carry an echo

In its first leap across the cave

Natasha Mijares is an artist, writer, curator, and educator. Her debut collection of poetry, violent wave, is forthcoming. She received her MFA in Writing from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She has exhibited at various international and national galleries. Her work has appeared in Gravity of the Thing, Hypertext Review, Calamity, Vinyl Poetry, and more.

Hypertext Magazine and Studio (HMS) publishes original, brave, and striking narratives of historically marginalized, emerging, and established writers online and in print. HMS empowers Chicago-area adults by teaching writing workshops that spark curiosity, empower creative expression, and promote self-advocacy. By welcoming a diversity of voices and communities, HMS celebrates the transformative power of story and inclusion.

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