all the pieces
they add up—to desires, deep yearnings of belongings that are not mine to have
they hover, slap me with icy fingers,
each time I look in the mirror
so I follow the clouds, eyes exhaling hunger—an empty vessel, I sweep the sky strapping myself to each cloud
an empty embrace of pieces I will not possess
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.
Illustration by Deema Alawa The Little Girl and Her Ghost by Celeste Bloom She was seven years old the first time goosebumps prickled her skin
Illustration by Jill Kimura The Back Alley of The Subconscious by Celeste Bloom when you’re homesick, you can close your eyes and hear the whispers