The familiar surface sinks heavy in my lungs
a vapor of old grimy thoughts, infects my body, convincing me that
I am
not enough,
can’t do this,
will always,
can’t break the cycle
Even though
each day I prove it wrong.
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 Jill Kimura Written by Sonia Chintha Edited by Andrea Nevin & Parivash Fahim Goff There is a pinkish-purple mark on the outside where
The first time I saw the words “ms. chintha is a bitch” inked on to walls, I was 29 years old. I had been teaching for a mere four years, but felt so veteran already because I had stopped crying when fights happened in or near my classroom among students. Up until my fourth year, I blamed myself for not creating a safe enough space for my students and that’s why they began fighting.
One year ago, a post I wrote during NaBloPoMo got me in trouble with a loved one. It upset this person bad enough that I