just a little word ‘bout the damned

the damned stands before her ʻāina,
repressed tears embellish her limpid eyes
as she overlooks the lavender, melancholy skies,
acknowledging those before her
with a silent prayer and nod.

winds swim around her,
the trees serve as companions,
and the distant chants of spirits grow closer to her despondent heart
as seconds speed by.

she sits on the sand,
watching the intricate waves clash against the rocks –
(i remember clashing like that with...
“embrace the little things, my girl,”)

a tear skips down her cheek
and she’s hasty to wipe it away,
as if someone’s there to judge.

poor soul,
sitting on the ashes of her damned spirit,
contaminating the ʻāina.

(everything i do –
i do it wrong
i deserve to –
become an ancestor)

–

​

the damned
retrieves a shovel
from pa’s tool room.

she returns to the
spot –
the spot of self,
the spot of ola.

–

​

6 feet deep
sand grave.

she throws the beaten shovel aside,
then grabs the matches.

slowly, she descends into the grave.
(“goodbye, my dearest ola.”)

​

–

​

the damned takes a final glance
at the lavender, melancholy skies,
cherishing the moments she had during this ola.

aesthetic of her ola – death.
        the end.
        for the damned.

she lights the ahi,
and smiles,
relishing in her final moments,
before being welcomed by mother earth
to her new ʻāina,
just across the alaula.

the end.

Mia Soto (AKA M.S. Blues) is an 18 year old writer, editor, mentor, stoner, and advocate from San Jose, California. Through her work, her objective is to raise awareness to issues that society tends to neglect, as well as represent her Mexican, Polynesian, Indigenous, and Queer communities. She’s one of the most decorated figures in the literary magazine community, having been published over 130 times and serving on multiple staff boards. She’s currently an editor for the following magazines; The Amazine, Adolescence Magazine, The Elysian Chronicles, Hyacinthus Zine, Chromatic Stars Review, Low Hanging Fruit, Sister Time, DICED Online Magazine, and The Mixtape Review. She’s also a poetry/prose reviewer for The Cawnpore Magazine. In addition, she’s the co Editor-in-Chief of The Beaulieu Gazette and Sorry! Zine, as well as the Assistant Editor-in-Chief for Voices of Asylum. Lastly, she is the Founder & Editor-in-Chief of The Infinite Blues Review. You can interact with her on Instagram @m.s.blues_