childhood
Writing
Metaphysical
By Katie ChungI have tried to paint this beautifully
in swirling pastels of childhood
like Vaseline over a camera lens
hazes of slow-motion imagery
if it’s naive to believe in changing the world
then I am still a fool
a child’s helpless grasp on hope
in a woman’s intuition
All-American Adolescence
By Riley StraitTomorrow, I will worry about the future.
But today, I wallow in the past.
Tomorrow, I will be 16 and trying to remember
if the derivative of arcsin is one over
square-root-of-one-minus-u-squared
or square-root-of-u-squared-minus-one.
Spaghetti Boyfriend
By Emma AndersonYou were my
Spaghetti boyfriend
Blonde
Full of spaghetti
That’s all I really
Know about you
You were my
Only friend
Bright
Full of potential
It’s strange how I don’t
Remember you
Just a Driveway
By Jillian DunlayLaughter chirps through my ears
A forever perfect
Harmony
In this imperfect world
Sunshine frames the chalk lines
Every colorful streak
A reflection of my friends
A reflection of myself
Ode to Green Twist Ties
By Audrey BeckmanAt the grocery store
In the days of our youth
The green twist ties were the best part.
So easily entertained were we
With these simple pliable toys
Laughing and forming new shapes.
The War Between Kids and Adults
By Ian O’BrienAs our war rages on, I’m caught in a crossfire.
One side shrieks its anthem of misguided hope.
The other, facing reality’s certain dread head on.
While I, a teenager caught in the midst of battle, seek refuge.
I Was a Kid
By Annie BarryI was sitting in my private school, around age 8
The religion teacher said, everyone sit in a circle
Don’t speak
Close your eyes
Raise your hand when you hear God speaking to you
One by one each child raised their hand
I sat