The Girl Who Dreamt with a Pencil

I started with a pencil.

Maybe the eraser
reminded me
that it was okay to correct.

Or perhaps
the sharpener
taught me
to be pointed
and bold sometimes.

Then the pen
took me through
cuts and scratches,

and even
to blacking out.

That’s how I learned—

it’s okay
to be mistaken.

Now I am on a keypad,

with my deletes
and autocorrect,

still the same girl

who dreamt

with a pencil.

–Dr Amritha