Poems by Diamante "Dimo" Ortiz

When we wash ashore 

There’s a see-saw of emotions that erupts from my bathtub 

Undiscovered oceans are draining 

Epsom salt lullabies 

Wade into my eardrums 

As my Mother’s prayers still ring 

Like seagulls crying into the sky 

I remain as steadfast as a coral reef 

Who has seen it all

Bloodstream pulsates like waves 

And I’m exhausted by this ocean in my chest 

I’m inhaling every time a loved one leaves 

And when they leave 

Their words slither on my skin like dead algae 

I caught these waves 

I’m mad 

But I won’t tell you 

I’ll let this transform us 

So when we wash ashore in this new world 

That doesn’t rest on mercy and punishment 

I can finally let you sail away 

Let the grief wash over us and call it resurrection 

I’m finding something holy in myself now 

I’m a disciple of women 

scorned from seeing love 

falling into love 

like spilled cocktails on my lap 

I’m tired 

No that is not for sympathy 

Just for the realization that there still should be a world better than this 

I’m not my trauma 

I’m my truth 

So when we wash ashore in this new world 

That doesn’t rest on mercy and punishment 

I can finally let you sail away 

Let the grief wash over us

Drumming up the waves in this bathtub

My heart as big as the ocean

Call it resurrection, call it a reminder…

Grief is the midwife / of your capacity to be immensely grateful for being/born, being alive, / being hopeful.

North Star

“Dedicated to. my dear friend, Daury.”

Blasting through all galaxies, charting new paths for others

that still think they are only a speck of dust on one planet.

I’m enamored with knowing you are gracefully guiding us

through our strength, never in competition.

But only proving things get better when you continue to learn and dream over time.

Thank you for still being the rising tide that raises all the boats… 

Knowing if I’m ahead, then you are the lighthouse guiding me back

to magic, love, and most importantly, hope.

The most devastating part of this supernova is seeing the death of a star

but knowing your shimmering lights still fall on everyone you’ve touched.

Until the next world and the next set of stars

I’ll see you again my friend.