My mother died while still carrying me in her womb–
I was born all of twenty-six.
if mythology is any indication, only monsters grow up overnight.
And so I was for a while–
an oft-shapeshifting, teary-eyed, fire-breathing dragon.
While all births are painful,
not all of them bring forth joy.

Vishaal writes short stories and poems, mostly about memories. Some of his work has appeared or is forthcoming in ARTS by the People, Five on the Fifth, Ghudsavar, Kitaab, Hakara, Panorama, The Perch Journal, The Kelp Journal, Vermilion, The Rush, Open Minds Quarterly, The Rainbow Poems, Antonym Mag, Good Printed Things and Metonym Journal. One of his poems was recently nominated for the Best of the Net 2026 Anthology.