The Forest Maria Beben We tasted the achelike a familiar cocktail,one we hopedto never drink again.We took a branchthat posed a dangerand added more kindling,looking around for anything that would burn.We gathered and addeduntil the branch became a forestand we couldn’t see throughto the other side.We felt betrayedand confusedand didn’t understand how we got there.We stood on opposite ends of this forestand felt the weightof a growing terror.
But at the exact momentwhen we reached for a box of matchesto burn it all down,we remembered that trees have branchesand began to climb.From the top,in the clear, crisp air,we could seethat the forest wasn’t a forest at alljust a few treesthat we could help each othernavigate through.So we climbed back downand cleared the weedsand made a pathand together,celebrated the trees for what they werebefore walking out the other side —Together.

More from Maria Beben ↓

• @em_beewriting on Instagram
• @mbeben on Substack
• Her first poetry book, A Trail of Lost Buttons, is available on Amazon and Etsy.
• She is currently preparing her second poetry book for publication.

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