Fort Bragg by Alicia Claire de Mello

They would push their broken housewares off the cliffs

and into the ocean until the ‘60s

A practice I don’t see the logic behind

because I know better than to think

the world is as small as me

And I know the ocean knows no difference

it’s not as sentient as I believe it is

but I’m a romantic

at least sometimes

and the ocean is kind enough to give back

Even after all we have given it are

bottles, windows, mirrors

and other facets of our disregard

once swallowed as something recognizable

only to be returned smaller and softer

But not always soft enough

because the v-shaped scar

I adopted on my knee

from a piece of glass at MacKerricher

is the only thing I kept from my childhood

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Alicia Claire de Mello (she/her)

Alicia Claire de Mello is a queer poet and writer born and raised in the Bay Area of California. Currently based in Los Angeles, her writing attempts to find a balance between explicit memories and metaphorical feelings. You can find her at @aliciaclairedemello on Instagram.