Where is My Long Sword by Sonia Chintha
Edited by Parivash Fahim Goff & Andrea Nevin
air in, fill the body
pause,
hold
release slow, metered breaths
baby it is time
pick up that long sword,
time to…
straighten spine, level feet,
slow
inhale
charge
again and again
in the shadow of hope,
one foot in front of the other
disruptive, boisterous
speak loud, louder,
louder
this was imminent,
but, we have trained for it
air in, fill up
pause,
hold
release
slow,
slow,
slow
baby it’s time
time to—join forces,
Reinforce
Hold up
Stand for
this land,
that is built on resistance
come together now
gather your swords,
to fix these holes,
ensure power is in the right hands
so our rights
are held up
air in, fill up
pause,
hold
release
slow,
pick up your sword,
use it
every day
cause baby the time’s here
no more waiting,
for us to band together.
Sonia Chintha
Sonia Chintha is an Indian American writer, editor, artist. She cooks, colors, and designs floral arrangements to zen her out. She is an antiracist educator and activist. Her two french bulldogs are how she makes up for the physical affection she did not receive as a child.