Behind her
A mountain of ashes rise
Tall, venomous
Encompasses a year’s worth of darkness
that took residence in her bloodstream
and infected every inch of her body
The rubble of desires now gray dust
Behind her.
While now
she saunters delicately into still waters–
Knows what’s ahead won’t be perfect,
but goes anyway
courageously
seeking the next piece to photograph and keep as her own.
Sonia Chintha is an Indian American writer who lives in the Washington DC area. She blogs, writes poetry, and fiction. She is also an English teacher who believes that our experiences teach us more than any test. She is the founder and co-editor of Good Little Girls.
We only talk in brief text messages, can go months upon months in silence, I do not know where you live even, no address, no
Each time the seasons change It rises above sea level Waiting to be released Waiting to flood and force A reboot Each time the seasons
The blame—it stacks high, an unyielding tower of sharp pieces of stone. You assemble and build and construct… So focused on this up surd structure
Illustration by Deema Alawa General Tso’s Recipe: A Self Portait by Celeste Bloom Instructions: Let the knife carve along the ribs of the carcass etch