Elegy for Ana Mendieta

By Rachel Smith

– after seeing Untitled (Volcano Series #2)

.

It begins with

a single silhouette

.

white coffin ghost in

a handmade volcano

.

vaginal and then,

frame by frame, erupting.

.

Before her husband

killed her, she gave up

.

drinking. She said

women’s art isn’t respected

.

until they’re old so

I have to live

.

a long life, but Ana only got

to three years past Jesus

.

before she was thrown

from a thirtieth floor window

.

the year she was married.

She had a Times obituary

.

last year, a too-late

solo at the Whitney.

.

I wish I could think of her

there, light-lined face lit

.

by cloud flash of camera.

But I can’t help it,

.

I always imagine

that final frame

.

silhouette born

of impact, face buried

.

brown body

unseen