nail clippings | Teen Ink

nail clippings MAG

April 12, 2022
By riya_kharode PLATINUM, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
riya_kharode PLATINUM, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
22 articles 0 photos 0 comments

Favorite Quote:
"though I may be going down, I'm taking flame over burning out" -sara bareilles, uncharted


back then


you would take

my little hands

in yours

twice as big


slowly

you would press

the cold metal 

of the nail clipper

against 

my warm

sweaty

hand


fast asleep

you would take care

that you wouldn’t

wake me


my wide eyes 

slightly open


my thick brown lashes 

fluttering subtly


our fingers entwined


the touch

of your hands

would melt away

my fear


now


no one holds my hand


or watches me sleep


and though

my nails

are perfectly

painted

and filed


there is no one

to

repair the cuts

with

band-aids and turmeric


why

can’t children

stay children

forever?


The author's comments:

When I was younger, I was scared of getting my nails cut, so my parents would do it for me while I was asleep. This piece is a combination of that memory and general nostalgia and bittersweetness about growing up.


Similar Articles

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 0 comments.