tonal control

Story·Eliana Vitti — A red hen stops laying eggs to prevent them from being stolen, leading to her selection for the farmer's New Year's Eve dinner.

Poetry·Rainer Pasca, age 14 — A surreal moment in a forest where the speaker's mind becomes a predatory creature that devours a bird without greeting or ceremony.

Poetry·Galen Halasz, age 13 — A young writer confronts human hypocrisy and self-righteousness, building to the admission that we're all guilty of the stupidity we see in others.

Story·Kyler Min, age 8 — On planet Kepler-22b, students compete for honors status while their alien parents work light-years away, until a boy discovers the dark truth behind 'organic' education.

Story·Valentine Wulf, age 12 — A teenage inventor's basement startup becomes a global corporation that destroys the environment and exploits workers while maintaining public support through clever marketing and the slogan 'for the greater good.'

Poetry·Peter Satterthwaite, age 13 — A peaceful pond scene transforms when a dead swan is discovered, prompting questions about death, grief, and the aggressive mourning behavior of its companions.