Expectations… Created by… Society A checklist of value Measuring… You and me We wake up every day With a job to do Suppress your emotions Don’t let them break through Have all the answers You’re the one they look to Ignoring our emotions… Has become nothing new I am society Who’s rules dictate If you…
Author: Review Advisor
Ni de Aquí, Ni de Allá by Martin Rios Banuelos (1st Place Winner)
It was a Sunday afternoon, and my parents were determined They packed their belongings and got my siblings ready Today was the day, their lives would change forever, knock, knock, knock The Coyote¹ was here “Is everyone ready”? Along the way they were encountered by The Cartel. “WE DEMAND ALL YOUR POSSESSIONS” … “What Possessions”?…
Change for the Better by Dylan Sargent (3rd Place Winner)
We must grow and improve, make positive change. We must learn from the past to broaden our range. Some of us are so set in our ways, open your ears and listen for a change. We can learn a lot from each other, a philosophy which shouldn’t be strange. By sharing our perspective and point…
Archived: The Devil Went Down to Albuquerque by Zoe Coats
The Devil went down to Albuquerque God knows why He went to the place Where dreams go to die He wore a hooded cloak To bask in his own tenebrosity He took some anger management To fix his animosity The road was long And the cucumber green In Albuquerque he found A bloody scene Most…
Archived: Ichorous Hamartia by Eliza Bratt
Who taught Icarus to run from home? To run to golden arms of unsettling perfection? To hold tight to something so beyond reach it would be his undoing? Did he know? That each second spent would slowly steal the color from his hair? That each kiss would leave a darkened sun-mark on his sand-pale skin?…
Archived: Chasing the Requiem by Erica Hansen
Disguised in animosity and briskly walking She boarded the ship The sea gently rocking She could smell adventure in the salty ocean air The constable eyed her strangely As she chewed on her hair She tried to control her breathing Which would have been easier if she hadn’t been grieving The entanglement, still fresh in…
Archived: The Space Between by Zoe Coats
Inhale. I could wax poetic About how time flies I’d write you a poem Stuffed with decadent lies Doubtless it would rhyme And mimic Dr. Seuss It would sound like a song And taste like an excuse But what would be the point? These words are a seeping syrup That varnishes each limb They…
Archived: Burning Cloth by Landon Shuey
A napkin? Or was it another word, probably lost to time Yet another piece of erased history, soon before its prime A candle blown out by the sleight of hand An ashen cloth carries itself across the land The spider caws, the crow weaves Soon to be whispered slowly upon unbroken dead leaves The candle…
Archived: Dew Drops on a Misty Morning by Eliza Bratt
Biography: I’ve always been inspired by the world around me: by the beauty in a simple sunset, the power in a rainstorm, the ethereal wonder in a perfect view. I aim to capture the beauty of the world in the few ways I know how. I’m inspired by the wonderful people around me and…
Archived: Misty Mountain by Hannah Tofflemoyer
Biography: My artwork takes a critical look at the beauty and wonder of the world that many of us don’t get to see. As a future photojournalist, I am constantly looking for different ways to document the world around me. I take photographs that call attention to moments in time that are often overlooked….
Archived: Psychedelic Sensibility by Alexis Winnett
Biography: When I think of creating art, I think of creating something that is unique and not of this world. When I was younger, I used art, craft, and creativity to create a world that only I knew the ins and outs of. Different characters, worlds, and creations helped me through the difficult times,…
Archived: Nameless by Zoe Coats
Her fingers were cold as frost-bitten glass. They twitched nervously in her lap, which was absurd because she had nothing to be nervous about. The doctor ushered her toward a chair, “Ms. Oswald, you might want to sit down for this.” She arched an eyebrow, “Just spit it out, young man. I don’t need to…
Archived: Little Red: Rider of the Hood by Zoe Coats
They called her ‘Little Red: Rider of the Hood.’ She was the leader of the Riders, the most fearsome gang in Cantum City. No one really knew what she looked like, but everyone said she wore a red cloak to hide her badly scarred face. No one entered or left the Hood without Little Red…
Archived: String by Bernadette Ledbetter
The man on the moon Gave us something to do. With a string and a ring We went to find Ping For his future wife was calling. With the strings attached We pulled them together Waiting to see what would happen. When they saw one another They embraced and they sang For they were always…
Archived: Summer by Bernadette Ledbetter
Outside was so bright and sunny Golden rays dripping like honey Birds flew high in the sky Childish fingers clinging to the memories He grinned from ear to ear, “Summer is so warm and yummy.”
Archived: Vylona by Elizabeth Richards
She smelled like herbs and sunlight. Like failed attempts at gardening and healing salves. She sounded like lullabies and the forest. Like warnings and black bears. She looked like impulsive decisions and brash words. Like soft spoken, begrudging apologies and life-risking loyalty. She felt like warm hugs and carefully bandaged wounds. Like anger veiled by…
Archived: Sweet Tooth, or Stomach Ache by Lillie Irene Hernandez
Your lips are burnt sugar, glazed with vanilla the texture of whipped syrup. Your cheeks are like pieces of silk draped over a crooked wireframe. Your eyes are like pools of stolen moonlight, only they hide rigid daggers beneath them. Your tongue is contracted to a script, only so effortlessly written that my heart dances…
Archived: The Tailor Patched by Zoe Coats
A woman of rhyme without reason Was Miss Melanie Bleu She wore their scorn well— The woman who was taboo. He’d left her at the altar With naught but a festering feast; To another who stays gold His heart was only leased. To the tailor she went a-calling She’d dress fit for a queen Her…
Archived: Paint Me Back to Life by Eliza Bratt
She’s different now. I used to see her in chaos The bustle of people on the street The laugh of a child in the theater The bark of a dog in a winter park The hum of a car outside my window. Now I find her in silence In every frostbitten morning In every sunrise…
Archived: To-Do List by Elizabeth Dorst
It’s nice when I can count the worries on my hand I look at my list (my digits) and I know where I stand Then I can start to check them off one by one, Using a knife I cut my worries from my hand (very fun) I’m left with a beautiful perfect red stump,…
Archived: Cry, O Young One by Elizabeth Dorst
Sweet sap fills the air he sees, Through the thick mist and trees, He sees the bear-man, strong and tall, The little tenderfoot drools, He wants it all. But alas, his small feet are weak, He can’t express his love, His spirit is meek, He runs away when the bear-man is near, From shyness and…
Archived: Letter from an Ex-Gifted Kid by Elizabeth Richards
Please stop calling me smart. I don’t like it, and it’s not a compliment. Every time those words leave your mouth, I want to peel my skin off, Open up my skull and show you What those words have done to me. The scars on my self-love, The minuscule paperweight I call my self-worth, (The…
Archived: The Shopkeeper by Adison Linder
Bio: Ever since I can remember, I’ve been driven to create, whether it be art, poems, or stories. To me, creating something is a way to get people to think about the world differently, whether it be through a particularly good painting or a thought-provoking novel. It lets us put the stories and images we…
Archived: Strangers on a Plane by Elizabeth Richards
Jake leaned back against the plane seat, groaning as he ran his hands through his hair. Forgot my earbuds for the…eighth time now? How much worse can this day get? You really shouldn’t ask questions like that, because fate adores irony™, and yes, it can get worse. Want to know how it can get worse?…
Archived: Conflagration by Elizabeth Richards
Day Break When daybreak comes, I am afraid. I am afraid because no matter how hard I try, I cannot fathom seeing the damage done in the sunlight. During the night I steer clear of windows, for that is the only way that I have any light that I do not wish for. In the…
Archived: Little Shop Horrors by Adison Linder
Her hopes of getting a few moments of relative peace and quiet to contemplate whether waking up tomorrow would even be worth it were dashed when the man plopped down next to her. Resentment flared in her gut, churning her already soured stomach, as she felt the telltale vibrations of some inconsiderate civilian selecting—of all…
Archived: Quicksand by Katlynn Stecklein
Stepping out into the sand, I gaze The ocean never looked so clear So full of life and unexplored The ocean’s vastness looks so mesmerizing The blue filled with promise and happiness I see friends and family and laughter The sounds harmony lightens my heart I feel as though I am floating with the waves…
Archived: The Night Walkers by Zoe Coats
Bio: I love to play around with all different varieties of creativity. I enjoy painting, drawing, crafting, and writing. Creativity is very freeing, and you can break all the rules because rules are nonexistent. My other favorite pastime is reading. I am a big lover of stories, and I get much of my inspiration from…