Michelle Brittan Rosado
Postpartum Ars Poetica II: Leave
watery reflections in profile—mother,
infant, stroller—appear & disappear
walking alongside the windowed
storefronts at the mall—interrupted
by plaster & columns—like dreaming
then waking—these intervals to measure
the days & nights—apparitions—we cross
stripes in the floor made by
skylights—once shadow—a flash of light
Author’s note: The poems in this series all use the image of a window as their starting point, some in the title itself and others more peripherally. I’ve been thinking of this symbol a lot lately — as a portal for wonder in childhood, an aperture to others’ lives during the pandemic, a view of the world outside after giving birth and spending those early days indoors. These poems may not have come into existence without the invitation to contribute to The Fresno 15, and I am endlessly grateful to the MFA program for my years there and the deep sense of community I’ve carried with me since graduating in 2011. Thank you for reading and for supporting the Larry Levis Memorial Scholarship.
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