A small square frame
So simple yet important
It holds little pieces of paper
That are special memories
They matter oh so much
And are seen everywhere
On walls to desks
That have souvenirs
Frozen in time
—Hailey Andrew
COMIC CON
The cement ground is hard below our feet.
We walk; its chilled surface pressing against our shoes.
Crowds sway through a metal doorway.
The paint is old and chipped.
Carpet is everywhere in the hallways.
Swirls of colors dance together and stretch across the floor.
A scent wafts through the air and settles in our noses.
Many smells are contained into one.
There’re roasted nuts dipped in sugar.
It smells as sweet as it tastes.
The leather cuts in and smells like it’s old and cracked.
There’s another one that’s hard to name,
But it smells like the rows of booths
And cement columns and vast windows
That we see all around us when we’re in this place.
— Zadey Arciniega
The pages turn themselves
Into a magical world of adventure and peril.
The story of a knight, a princess and dragon.
Your mind goes astray as the pages flip.
And then the story is over, with what felt like a short life
—Zach Ariotti
TROLL FOLK
Oak wood splinters there fingers
Shouting playing the sound of old fathers words so true
Forward through the land
Horns and claws
To begin the movement of the old mans voice
—Reed Barnhill
My hand traces over the page
I feel a slithering sensation
With a seemingly smooth slide
I turn the page.
With one sound
Like the breeze flapping aimlessly
A new set of words appears in front of my eyes
Ready to read.
Will you go on?
It seems to ask
Silently begging for my attention.
It smells fresh, if a bit dry
As I turn the page
With a slithering sensation
And a breeze
—Braylon Borchert
THE POOL
Clorin smell
Wet and warm
Clean and blue
See through
Happy feeling
—Payton Boss
SLIME
Sometimes squishy, and sometimes crunchy.
sounds like a popping popcorn.
looks likes wet colorful pizza dough
mostly smells like glue, but can also smell like, creamy Oreo cream
And sour blue raspberry
—Sydney Butler
FORRESTS
Trees bearded with moss,
The sunlight shining through the green summer leaves,
The shadows prancing around me in the wind,
Roots scattered around the forest forest floor,
I can make out the setting sun in the horizon,
A fire going to bed after a long day of burning.
—Lilli Canflield
“Pitter, patter, pitter, patter,”
Says the rain as it slowly blankets the earth.
“Pitter, patter, pitter, patter.”
Its voice lowers to a whisper.
I step outside.
Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale.
The sweet scent of rain.
—Rose Canfield
THE OCEAN
The waves crashing into the beach sounds like a thunderstorm in the ocean. The salty breeze blows on your face. The big blue sea full of mysterious creatures goes on and on. the golden brown sand feels like a soft Pillow Under your feet. Dolphins jumping up and down leaping though the water.
—Frida Casanova-Miranda
NEW YORK
The busy streets teeming with people.
Some in a hurry, some not.
The tall buildings reaching up, up, up, up.
Filled with people.
Lady Liberty pierces the sky.
A monument watching over a city.
The city shines aglow with twinkling sparkling lights.
The stars all but gone.
—Tana Chapman
WATER
Flowing like the song of nature
The water washes the
Doubts, regrets, and the insecurities.
This flowing angel is as old as time.
This water is clear and pure
The waves calm and settle.
All around the sand makes a
Brilliant statement of the calmness
Around the water.
—Arya Cummings
Teen Wordsmiths 