This poem is an ekphrasis on this image of the Southern Ring Nebula taken by the James Webb Space Telescope: https://webbtelescope.org/contents/media/images/2022/033/01G70BGTSYBHS69T7K3N3ASSEB Rusty eye sailing on Argo’s Vela, peering down upon Earth from the heavens, watching Romans trade silk and spice across continents. The web finally peers back. The sky iris has deformed through time. The…

Trapped in a body I cannot flee My mind yearning to be free The teeth of age ingest the fragments of my mind The loss I cannot feel The joys that pass me by Magic spirals in the air Hummingbird flight paths on a dare Mourning doves “I love you, I love you” And dilute…

When everyone talks about being in love, they never really know how to describe it. My mom always said when you know, you just know. That used to infuriate me. I wanted the answer to be straightforward, simple. More importantly, how could I know something that I had never felt before? With time I thought…

It was another lovely, snowy day in the city of Wisteria; my mind thought as I closed my eyes to take a deep breath in to feel the crisp, cold air freshens my lungs. Then open my eyes back up to the angelic sky; I have always wondered how light rains of snow could be…

Trigger Warning: self-harm, depression, suicide I think it’s safe to say the past two years have been complete chaos. Between Covid-19, social division, and unrest throughout society, it has made some people question if God is even real. When I started high school in 2017, I struggled with anxiety, depression, and some pretty dark thoughts….

It was a warm, quiet summer morning.  It was early, the daylight was just starting to break through the trees.  As I was trying to open my eyes, I felt…off.  It’s first thing in the morning, I probably just need to go to the bathroom, I thought.  As I stood up out of bed, a…

The moon shone high beyond the storm clouds as I made my way down the dirt road, lit only by my headlights. It wasn’t a pleasant drive, but I did enjoy how quiet it was. The locals tended to avoid it, so there wasn’t much need to pay attention. The neighbors warned me off over…

Long ago, there was a great being. Indeed, a being which possessed four legs with soft padded paws on the end of the legs, a long tail, two raised ears, and it was also covered in fur. It existed alone. It had thoughts, but nothing that one in existence nowadays would consider “deep thoughts” because…

“Dear God, this had better be important.” The phone was already ringing, and Liz had just gotten home from a long day of school followed by her after-school job at the local pizza parlor. It was a Friday night, so the patrons at the restaurant had been particularly rambunctious that evening. She had slung more…

I’ve been watching these things pass by the glass for years, almost since I was born at least. They come and stare at me, watching with bored eyes. They mouth soundless dialogues back and forth to each other, some nodding, some gesticulating, or laughing, or crying–some even speak at me. I say “at”, because that’s…

It’s high noon in the wild west. Dust is blowing in the breeze and the sun is pounding down. A tumbleweed bounces across the sand. The sound of a dog barking in the distance breaks the silence of the day. Standing in the sun is a cowboy. Brown high-top boots with old black worn pants…

Oh brother, You’re a boy with his own funeral song to sing While young, given a gift of grief Broken morals and disbelief, Reckon you’re unable to control the evil within, Filling your heart with songs of hate. Deprived and left in misery while songbirds mourn your pain Believing God has forgotten your name One…

There is a creature that lurks around, It stabs people with the pains of knifes. The creature will show up unexpectedly, Leaving people with feelings of disparity. Families will beg and plead, But they will not succeed. It can appear in many ways, It swallows people like a black hole. The creature holds no sympathy,…

Summer rain plunges, Earth’s quaint figure swells slowly, Drinking it’s last drop. Biography: I came to Aims in the summer of 2022 to fulfill part of my credits for my Associate in Arts. I am graduating this spring from Front Range Community College and then transferring to Colorado State University for a bachelor’s degree in…

The boy eats Hearts, He’ll take it in and make you crumble into dust. Don’t be surprised if he spits you out. He likes throwing his tongue in the lines on your cheeks, blood as a neighbor he sees so often he smiles.

My parents warned me about drugs but never about the ones with messy hair and a contagious smile. They warned me about addictions but never about how you’ll crave them every day. They warned me to stay away from harm but never against those who could hurt me the most. They warned me not to…