Into the Dirt

It was always about drinking the sun
and taking deep breaths and now it’s
Not letting the maggots get to you

I hike great lengths to evade the views
To get into the dirt
And away from all the I,
To devour oxygen and get close to worms
(The ones who will savor me when I’m old and lifeless)
I say: I am not a meal yet,
I am only touched by the sun...
But every time I look into a pool of
Glacial runoff I see
Every melted face
Past & future —

It was always about growing and now it’s
How to stop dying



- Mikaela Bartyzel



Raised and residing in the Pacific Northwest, Mikaela is an avid hiker with a fierce love for the wilderness. When she is not on mountain escapades or working as a designer, she’s exploring expression through words and movement. She enjoys partaking in writing workshops and participating in the circus arts.