My jaw has shifted, face now square-ish instead of round
The sporadic silver strands that used to shock people when noticed, now frame my hairline
Breasts once small cones that barely needed a bra, now large womanly teardrops–
Hips wider, chin hairs starting to gray even
Age
My age
gently emerges and with each shift I notice a woman,
who–despite all the “musts” her culture and society handcuffed her with,
chooses to be herself
After all isn’t that the American Dream?
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 Sonia Chintha I They came for you like screaming red bulls, ravenous for the win. You held them off with picks and jabs
It used to be maybe twenty, A mad rush to get to the microwave and then, bathroom Shuffle food in and maybe a brief second
I hold you and you close to my heart warm warmth gooey love against my chest tiny faces, racing heartbeats button noses similar to mine
Spinach, cabbage, onion, grape tomatoes, quinoa, apple, and radish swish around our wooden salad bowl waiting for their glistening attire. Olive oil, balsamic vinegar, nutmeg,