the girl who became a cactus
i've been in southern california so long
i've become a cactus
the santa ana winds howl around me
desert grit roots me in place
there's a layer of dust on my crocodile skin
i've been in southern california so long
the hawk cuts an arc in the sky and agrees
i've become a cactus
the santa ana winds howl around me
chasing the cars’ wild roar through the basin
desert grit roots me in place
of the water i came from—split my scales
to see the soft coconut flesh surviving
like a river under years and years of sun
Maria Bolaños (she/her) is the General Editor for Marías at Sampaguitas. She is a Filipina-American poet and book reviewer and is committed to building spaces to nurture and showcase Filipinxao literature as well as Black, Indigenous, and POC literature. Her most recent poetry focuses on Fil-Am diaspora culture, and on retelling Philippine myths. Her writing has been featured in Touchstone, Antigone, Chopsticks Alley, and the International Examiner, among others. Outside of her work with this magazine, she has also recently begun working with a labor rights nonprofit organization. Maria lives on the stolen Gabrielino/Tongva land, Tovaangar. You can follow her poetry, essays, and book reviews on her Instagram, @mariabeewrites. If you wish to use prefixes, please use Ms.