loneliness

Story·Charlotte Merrick, age 12 — A lonely commuter observes fleeting human connections on the M31 bus, finding meaning in strangers' brief interactions while questioning their own isolation.

Story·Emily Grant, age 13 — A girl watches wild horses from behind a rock, naming each one and calling them her 'silent friends' who don't know she exists.

Poetry·Sarah Welch, age 11 — A child lies awake in a too-big bed at grandma's house, noticing the dripping faucet and crack of light until sleep finally comes.

Story·Jenna Fields, age 12 — A bucking bronco narrates his life from birth to rodeo legend, revealing the fierce determination and isolation that define his existence as 'the fighter.'

Poetry·Caroline Thompson, age 12 — A young person addresses someone who left without explanation, cycling through questions, pleas, and the haunting memory of their whispered apology.

Story·Montanna Harling, age 13 — A lonely girl who spends afternoons in the forest rescues a drowning kitten from the river and finds the friend she's been missing.

Poetry·Daniel Fawcett, age 12 — A young person reflects on feeling different and alone despite family love, finding solace in writing and stories while navigating an uncertain world.

Story·Ellanora Lerner, age 12 — A volunteer meal deliverer meets an elderly man who asks her to write about his deceased son so he'll be remembered, then receives the son's funeral tape after the father...