Snapshots

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Sophia Silva

 

I kissed a boy under the table in kindergarten, someone told on us and we got sent to the

Principal’s

I failed a grammar test, and vowed to never get a bad grade again

Running around the field, we pretended seeds were weapons and waged savage wars

Falling onto the pavement during kickball filled me with pride

I wouldn’t wear jeans unless a special occasion, the material feeling wrong on my skin

I got contacts and felt seen for the first time

I started writing fan fiction with my friends, bugging them to update

Playing tag in the hallways, avoiding one’s touch and teacher’s punishment

A track prodigy taken under the wing of the Thompson twins, bound for fame

Something had to give in order to stay afloat, I dropped gymnastics off at an island and sailed

away

Crying during physics became the norm, but afterwards I got to eat lunch so it was okay

I wrote and read a speech in front of my graduating class, receiving many compliments and pats on the back from faculty and parents

I fell in love, then off the face of the earth, disappearing into romantic chaos

I resurfaced years later, crawling out of the grave I dug myself, shaking with shame

Continuing to crash and burn, I feel like Icarus

Dreaming of the future, remembering the past, I try to piece together a coherent present okay

enough to reside in

 

 

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Sophia Silva is a first generation college student majoring in journalism and media studies and minoring in creative writing. Sophia is expected to graduate in May 2023 and lives in Toms River, New Jersey. Writing has played a major role in her life as a means of expression. More than a coping mechanism, it has served as a way for her to connect deeply with herself, others, and life.