i am getting older
my hips have grown wider than the great oak trees i used to climb
my face has grown longer
my sweet baby cheeks are hollowing out
and the men of oakland have begun to allow their eyes to linger, for just a moment too long

Welcome to elementia, a magazine edited and designed by teenagers in the Kansas City metro area and published by Johnson County Library. elementia takes on a new theme each year; this year’s submissions were inspired by Humanity.

My feet bounced as I waited in the dimly lit examination room. The dark curtains blocked out any hints of sunlight, the only light source being the single fluorescent lamp standing in the center of the room.

Oftentimes, it’s said that people make a home, not the place.