Free
of your blame
I stand—
on my two feet.
Free
of the cloudy past
like an oak in a storm
I am firmly grounded.
Free
of your expectations
Free
of my expectations
I sail on—
through deep waters
It’s a first
I agree
It’s right
It’s me
Me; now
Free of you
Free of me
I can begin—
anew.
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.
Friday afternoon after an intense Pilates class, I walked over to Nickell’s & Scheffler for a quick snack. They had just finished preparing chili and
I resist. Each month. Same day. I know it’s coming. I know the fix. I know how to be comfortable. Still, I resist the comfort.
Illustration by Deema Alawa Brown girl, fragile by Sonia Chintha I swim in the clear soup of your fragility A backstroke that inevitably feels like
Stand, greet, smile, shake, sit ask, chat, laugh, connect, advise suggest, nod, bye bye.