I practice dying when I can
I let myself die a bit when a show ends
I've let food die on the counter
I've let whole days die around me while I laid in bed
I let my potted plants die

When my twin died,
I let my plans for the future die with her

I've let all the leaves on trees die
In fact
In the winter
I've watched everything die
And done nothing

Mary Alice Holmes was born and raised in Columbus Ohio. She attended The Ohio State University where she studied philosophy. She moved to Madison Wisconsin to pursue a career in hospital IT. She writes poetry primarily on the topics of grief, death, mental health, and the natural world. In addition to poetry, she does a variety of art including glass mosaics and doodling mini-comics. She lives with her partner Alex and their dog Winnie.