Poetry

Julia Marcus, 13Culver City, CA My Room Julia Marcus, 13 Four faded white walls, two open windows, two closed doors, three paintings, one whiteboard, and just one human being. That would be me. Me sinking into the cushions of the couch, me curled on my left side in my bed, me sprawled out across the floor. Staring at the three pictures on the wall, or the various little items pinned to the corkboard, or rereading a book from the bookshelf, or scribbling something with an Expo marker. This is where I have spent most of the past five months. And where I have lived for four or five years. Where I have come for solace and where I have celebrated small victories. It is a place embedded with my personality and could show anyone with a single glance around the room who this person named me is. What I am. And most importantly, where I am.

Luca Butler, 12Austin, TX Invasion Luca Butler, 12 It began from some bats They say It will pass with time They say Stay indoors Dont go outside They say In China it began Some panic ahead No one knew It would come to this They ran They hid But soon it spread Everywhere there’s panic Not knowimg what to do There’s nowhere to hide There’s nowhere to It is everywhere People are sick Some are dying Hospitals overwhelmed People not knowing what to do Presidents in lockdown No friend for reasurance No visits from your grandma Grocery stores getting mobbed No food left for us Homeless in troube No going out of town Schools cancelled Doors shutting People turning on each other At the time when we need each other most of all And here I am Right in the middle Worried for my family Worried for my school And most of all Worried for Me

April Yu, 12East Brunswick, NJ Perfect For Me April Yu, 13 Slivers of moonlight Leaking in through the glass Pictures framed on the walls Frozen in memories past Stars freckled across The milky indigo sky A breeze lilting in the air A gale, a gust, a sigh Black cherries and freesia april the enclosed space Here I am, in my bedroom Forever my favorite place On paper, it sounds so cliché But gazing at my rug of cotton The beauty of this place Can never be forgotten Glowing, faceted jewels Illuminated by strands of LED Dresses hanging on my closet door Organza, velvet, and ivory It’s far from perfect Full of tokens and knick-knacks Items from garage and yard sales Some of this, some of that My sister and I went on a shopping spree Bargaining, couponing, laughing Running around all day Giggling and photographing We got gowns, books, and succulents Most of it was impractical But it brightened my room up so much more In the end, it was rather tactical My room used to be bare White walls, a bed, and a desk Articles of clothing clumped around Oh, what a mess! Then my baubles came along Lighting up the room Odds and ends here and there The place was in full bloom I’ll never cease to soar with pride When I look around and see The beauty of this resplendent room: Unequivocally perfect for me.