city

Poetry·Georgia Marshall, age 9 — A joyful poem captures the moment of escape from city to meadow, culminating in a spontaneous marriage proposal during a 'violet break' in nature.

Poetry·Karinne Ulrey, age 10 — Night falls on a city where stoplights reflect off water, distant conversations drift on the breeze, and a lone car crosses a scarlet bridge.

Poetry·Karinne Ulrey, age 10 — Night falls on a city where stoplights reflect off water, distant conversations drift through air, and a lone car crosses a scarlet bridge.

Story·Melina Ahmad, age 11 — Two six-year-old best friends spend a perfect day together at a street fair, unaware that boxes in one girl's apartment signal an impending move to California.

Poetry·Atlas William Iacobucci, age 9 — A surreal dream sequence where thunder and chaos transform New York City, ending with whale-like creatures becoming morning doves in the restored calm.

Poetry·Dusty Gibbon, age 12 — A young poet captures New York City at night through vivid sensory images—scraggly trees, moonlight on curtains, flickering streetlamps—ending with the city caught in 'the tangled thicket of past importance.'

Story·Una Dorr, age 11 — A boy terrified of heights must overcome his fear when his cat gets trapped on a crumbling 20th-floor balcony that locks behind him.

Story·Ella Glodek, age 11 — A girl befriends a blind harmonica player outside a store, giving him her candy money daily until one day he vanishes, leaving her changed.

Story·Justin Le Veness, age 11 — An eight-year-old boy faces his fear when his father dares him to go outside during Hurricane Matthew, discovering both the storm's power and his father's protective nature.

Poetry·Genevieve Gray Fink, age 9 — A drive with grandmother from countryside to town traces the fading of a mauve sunrise and warm breeze into cold morning and indifferent crowds.