A Good Little Girls Zine

Container Pop

Pop, pop, pop

The kernels push the lid aside,

Pop, pop, popping

Bursting to the top, like greedy animals, they push each other out of the way so they can be seen, heard, loved.

And I?

I am to contain them all in the too small, too tight container

like a magician, I try it all: distract with videos, sternly lecture, play pointed games that force reflection, self awareness…

And still, pop, pop, pop

They go,

Burst

Push

Seek

And I am to contain the uncontainable.

Exhausted from pushing the kernels back in, i finally stopped.

Let them spill. Let them free.

They jump, overflow, dive onto the table like soldiers in the military and I observe unflinching,

For corn must pop.

Not to be contained.

Picture of Sonia Chintha

Sonia Chintha

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.

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