lyrical prose

Story·Eddie Mansius, age 11 — A boy escapes to his backyard creek where trees arch overhead and sunlight dances through leaves, finding solace in nature's protective embrace.

Story·Emina S. Sonnad, age 12 — A girl takes her dachshund for a run on an unseasonably warm winter day, reveling in the frost-covered grass and their shared joy of movement.

Story·Claire Wilhelm-Safian, age 11 — A poet escapes his chaotic household at night to write in the barn, where the sounds of sleeping animals inspire verses that flow from his heart.

Story·Bonnie Leigh Cruser, age 13 — A thirteen-year-old girl wakes before dawn to ride her pony bareback through woods and fields, finding renewal in their secret morning gallop.

Poetry·Cayley Ziak, age 12 — A tree and stars converse at night, each envying the other's life until they recognize their own unique purposes and blessings.

Story·Zoe Kayton, age 12 — A girl dreams she's flying as a butterfly on Halloween night, then wakes to find she's wearing the same costume in real life.

Poetry·Kelly Dai, age 12 — Thirteen sensory vignettes capture autumn through taste, sound, sight, and feeling, from gingersnaps to geese flying south to the mountain's sigh.

Poetry·Nicholas Wilsdorf, age 12 — A boy waits in line at a shaved ice stand, observing others' pleasure before experiencing his own first taste of Gushing Grape.

Story·Emmy J. X. Wong, age 11 — A girl searches for the perfect hospital gift for her grandmother and finds swan boat tickets from their beloved Boston Garden walks, along with a cherished book.

Story·Aviva Leshaw, age 13 — A girl arrives home from school to an empty house and contemplates how the world continues moving while she stands still in her quiet kitchen.