by Snehal Amembal

I always sought solace in three fourths 
You, my fussy toddler would play havoc with my nerves
Me, second-guessing, hoping you’d eat
A bowl of porridge 
A plateful of rice 
A slice of fruit 
An almost round chapatti 
You eating one fourth of anything was never good enough, no
I always aimed at three fourths
Because it reassured me you’d eaten reasonably well 
That as your mother I wasn’t in fact failing

So three fourths invariably became a yardstick of performance 
A self-set goal, which I wanted to achieve 
But what I forgot was this:
What if you had an affinity
towards half, one fourth 
or worse the deceptive two thirds? 
It was something I never considered.
Blinded by the magnetic power of three fourths I carried on
Oblivious, unaware, almost ignorant 
as I tried to please 
a mere fraction 

Snehal Amembal is a full-time mum. Between changing nappies and tolerating tantrums, she writes. Her work primarily focuses on her journey through motherhood. She has an infectious laugh and a very loud mind. She is also a Young Onset Parkinson’s Disease warrior and creates awareness of the condition through her writing. You can find her on Instagram: @momtherhustler

Marisa S White is best known for seamlessly stitching multiple photographs together, weaving her own personal narrative through surrealistic and fantastical imagery. Marisa has received numerous accolades for her art, has exhibited across the US and in Europe, and is collected internationally. Her work was recently featured at the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, California. She currently resides in Colorado with her husband of 10+ years, whom she fondly refers to as Captain Awesome, and their two fur babies.