Hi, I'm Maura
Just a writer obsessed with exploring darker subjects and the more difficult aspects of the human condition
Words to shine light on the dark underbelly
ResentmentsThe midnight comes, the silence breathes
I felt the stinging winter wind
I took a moment for myself
Then, there I was
Entranced by my memoriesI laid to rest underneath trees
The hops soured my hot breath
Then, I disappeared
Begrudgingly accompanied
By the words of enemiesThe daytime breaks, the moon concedes
The air hung still and smelling sweet
I took a moment for myself
Then, there I was
Grieving with my memoriesThe sun is sharp, my mind’s edge dull
For now, that stale feeling recedes
But those thoughts never truly leave
I took a minute to myself
Then, I was gone
Swallowed by my memories
First published December 2024 by The Word’s Faire
Eleven Years LaterTucked behind your low, darkened eyes
I recognize a guilt too sordid to share
When inside my fever dreams, you belie
A raw truth you decided I could not bearI fruitlessly hoped for sweetened peace of mind
And you attempted to provide that, you did
But every time I meet your eyes, I still find
All of the vile realities you hidSour memories I relive in downtime
Each grueling midnight held captive by thought
By mistakes I made when the guilt was mine
Discrediting my pain when clearly distraughtSo just as a dog may bark late in the night
And storms that steal lives hold no ill will
I cannot resist holding onto my spite
Even if your remorse is sincerely instilled
First published January 2025 by Cathexis Northwest Press
The Problem With Asking For HelpI know you so often worry about me
It casts a grey shadow
Across your face
It’s been getting tougher
The water getting deep
At night, it’s so hot
I can hardly sleepEvery apartment I tour turns me down
They all seem to want
Six figures, at least
But I make too much
To get Section 8
So, in my sedan
I will continue to sleep“Is there anything I can do to help you?”
Nothing that I haven’t
Already tried
No Gram, I haven’t yet
Hemmed those beige pants
I’m a bit distracted
A bit preoccupiedYes, I have recently talked with dad
He just called to ask
For money for dabs
Of course I said no
I can’t do that right now
She said “that is upsetting
I hope you figure it out”He said that since I’m a big girl now
I will make it through
By changing point of view
To be dry-eyedIn this time of stress
I should try to reframe
This all as a testI say I understand
You’re unable to help
Then in the same breath he asks
“How is your mental health?
First published December 2024 by The Word’s Faire
The First Floor SpiderThe frigid wind blew hard that November night
My bare feet chilled by the pearl ceramic floor
The TV sung loud, the shower water was hot
When in the corner of my eye, I spot it
A small black spider making his way to the doorMy first thought was to pity how he got there
The far cry my hotel room was from his home
That I couldn’t kill him simply for being
My shower could wait until he’s back outsideBack to where he belongs, back to where he can roam
I grabbed a tissue and coaxed him to get on
He scurried away at first but soon crawled up
As I gingerly held it, he scaled the sides
Did he worry that he was going to die?
Had he done this before, been inside someone’s cup?I opened the hallway door and shook him off
And onto the whimsical carpet he fell
But what if someone else walks down that hallway
And crushes him unknowingly as he sits
For far too long I thought, for far too long I dwelled
First published December 2024 by The Word’s Faire
A Likely Culprit
Jealousy that erodes us all
Desert stone kissed by the rains above
Steady and certain, unfettered
Accosted by raring winds in voyage
In land unmarred by human deterrents
Now the stone is a beautiful, hollow arch
Now the stone is a statuesque pillar
Wondrous and reviled, transformed
And love eroded by jealousy
Is nothing like once remembered
First published February 2025 by The Closed Eye Open
If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to contact me below!
I’m Maura Aradia Furtado and I write. A lot. As an emerging writer with no higher education, the idea of sharing my work was intimidating at first. I began submitting my poetry to literary magazines beginning in November 2024, and I was accepted for my first publication in December 2024. I’ve had forward momentum since and I couldn’t be happier that I’m writing as much as I am!
My work focuses on subjects that are deeply moving, curious, and/or personal to me; no topic or intrusive thought is untouchable. Alongside writing, I hope to begin my own literary magazine that showcases other unrestrained and raw voices. Some of my favorite writers and biggest inspirations include Sylvia Plath, Charles Bukowski, Hunter S. Thompson, Dorothy Parker, Ottessa Moshfegh, and Townes van Zandt (which doubles as a music recommendation).
Stay tuned on here for new work and follow me on Bluesky for updates on upcoming releases. Links to my original publications can be found on my LinkTree whenever available.
• My first flash fiction piece will be featured by Flash Phantoms in the beginning of April. Stay tuned for a quick, unsettling story!
Are you looking for the opinion and feedback of a fellow poet?
Then look no further! I’ll provide you with thoughtful and actionable feedback regarding the meter, language, flow, overall structure, and rhyme schemes (if applicable) of your work, as well as a list of where I believe your work may be a good fit.
I offer critiques for poetry of all types, but for the most useful feedback, I prefer:• confessional poetry
• narrative poetry
• free verse
• light verse
• prose poetry
• any kind of rhyming poetry
• poetry with darker and heavier themes/subject matter
Submissions must be a PDF or Doc/Docx file only. My feedback turnaround time is up to 1 week for 3 pages of poetry, up to 2 weeks for 10 pages of poetry, up to 1 month for 11-39 pages of poetry, and up to 2 months for 40-60 pages of poetry. Submissions exceeding 60 pages are not accepted at this time. The length of feedback depends widely on the length and variation in your submission. To get the most well-rounded feedback, I recommend submitting at least 3 poems that vary from each other.
The rate is $25 for three pages of poetry. For 4-10 pages of poetry, the rate is $60. For each additional page of poetry from that point, it will cost an extra $5 per page. A submission of 40+ pages in length will be considered a manuscript and cost a flat fee of $200 with a maximum of 60 pages.
If you’re interested, please contact me below to coordinate or email me at [email protected]
Please note that I cannot guarantee the success of your work after a critique; this is just my professional opinion formed by my own influences and experiences as a published poet. As you know, opinions can differ from poet to poet, literate magazine to literary magazine, and so on. This is not a claim to increase your acceptance rate as a poet, though I stride to do so to the best of my ability.