On Sundays

Creative Writing

3 May

Content warning: discussions of eating disorders.

On a Sunday, I peeled a pomegranate,

It wasn’t a special pomegranate, just the kind you find at farmer’s market,

And there were sardines in a tin can,

But I never got to eat them,

They lay on the counter for days until, eventually, the pomegranate started to rot, and the sardines went bad,

And I lay on the floor staring at the ceiling,

I was proud that I hadn’t touched them,

Their taste still lingered in my mouth; it wasn’t sweet like I remembered,

It was bitter and terrible,

I never went to the farmers market anymore,

I never bought sardines in tin cans anymore,

And always refused pomegranates.

And as I lay on the floor with the rotten pomegranates and sardines next to me,

I felt myself wither away, too.

If you are in a crisis situation or need immediate assistance:

000 Emergency
000
triplezero.gov.au
Available 24/7

If you are concerned about eating disorders or body image issues:

Butterfly National Helpline
1800 33 4673
butterfly.org.au
Available 7.30am-11.30pm, every day

If you need mental health support:

Kids Helpline
1800 55 1800
kidshelpline.com.au
Available 24/7 for 5-25 year olds

Lifeline
13 11 14
lifeline.org.au
Available 24/7

Shreya Pande

Unrealistic body standards still impact young people