time

Story·Rachael Ding, age 13 — A girl grows from child to grandmother, repeatedly passing an old woman who rakes leaves through the seasons, only recognizing her absence when it's too late.

Poetry·Tara Prakash, age 12 — Time's passage traced through family moments — a brother's kite, grandfather's lined face, babies' bright eyes — questioning permanence while accepting change's necessity.

Poetry·Analise Braddock, age 8 — A young poet reflects on the passage of time, the uniqueness of each day, and the mysterious nature of space in simple, contemplative lines.

Poetry·Rhône Galchen, age 11 — A solitary figure contemplates a metaphorical mountain that blocks their path, yearning for waves of change while trapped between states of black and white.

Poetry·Grace Jiang, age 11 — A seed becomes a rose that grows tall as a dog, then withers each winter and returns, cycling through seasons year after year.

Poetry·Patrick Lusa, age 11 — A counting poem tracks a day's progression from winter owls at 2 a.m. through summer heat, using numbers to structure observations of daily life.

Story·Sabrina Guo, age 12 — A girl observes her cat's nightly ritual of staring at a grandfather clock, finding in the cat's simple presence a lesson about time and certainty.

Poetry·Yutia Li, age 9 — A playful cosmic origin story traces from a tiny speck's explosion through the Big Bang to Earth's formation and the first single-celled life.

Story·Elisabeth Baer, age 10 — A magical clock that regulates emotions is thrown away by its bitter owner, journeys through the ocean depths, meets the empress of the sea, and finds a new home with...

Poetry·Sara Chebili, age 13 — A grandson builds a chair beside an avocado tree he planted, hoping to help his grandmother with memory loss remember their shared moments by the shore.