Amelia Martens

Everything You’ve Ever Bought Still Exists Somewhere on Earth

PUBLISHED IN FOLIO 2026: VOL. 41.

I watch another otter dive and turn in a blue
tiled pool, pulling up right before the corner,

the reel repeats silent in my hands, again.
This is what I can do now.

The geography we traverse driving home,
Halloween, not breathing

flipped directly into Christmas, a multi-
layering of inflation and inflatable:

two Santas hang out on our neighbor’s
front porch, like they’re ready to hand out

candy, and some small whisp of wisdom
grown stale from the last century.

We are in a maxing out our minimalist
era, collecting free furniture as long

as it’s made of actual wood and
can slide sideways through the doorframe.

There is so much I am not saying,
vapors escape and occupy my periphery

they cut across intersections
jaywalk during meetings

their arms full of anxiety
weighed down, they wave

the receipts; they have kept
track, like the ocean, of everything.

The otter reappears, whips into a circle
barrel rolls amidst mass graves and alarm.

It’s a nightmare; we’re fine, every
thing in our cart is on sale.

𐫱𐫱𐫱

Amelia Martens is the author of The Spoons in the Grass are There To Dig a Moat (Sarabande Books), and four poetry chapbooks. Her work has been supported by the Kentucky Foundation for Women, and the Kentucky Arts Council. She is married to the poet Britton Shurley; they have two smart/beautiful/brave daughters and a ridiculous dog.