the passage of time

Poetry·Theo Taplitz, age 10 — A boat journey brings memories of a grandfather as dolphins appear, blending present observation with past experiences on the water.

Poetry·Ella Biehn, age 12 — A child recalls dancing in autumn leaves before moving south, where a photograph preserves what geography has taken away.

Poetry·Gertie-Pearl Zwick-Schachter, age 12 — A drowsy afternoon in a garden becomes a meditation on the sensory pull between nature's beauty and the body's desire for rest.

Story·Luke Brolsma, age 13 — A thirteen-year-old watches younger kids playing Star Wars in a park, triggering memories of his own carefree childhood games with friends and his hero brother.

Poetry·Pearl Tulay, age 12 — Sisters collect shells and sea glass at the beach, but discover the treasures lose their magic when brought home, separated from ocean and memory.

Story·Jenna Fields, age 13 — After her grandfather shares memories of her late grandmother during a rainstorm, a girl discovers the meaning of finding sunshine even on cloudy days when he passes away two days...

Poetry·Meghan Waldron, age 13 — A summer evening unfolds through sensory details — grass brushing knees, bats circling overhead, bullfrogs calling goodnight as day turns to twilight.

Story·Lily Strauss, age 12 — Two girls repeatedly almost meet through various near-misses, until the narrator reveals their friendship would have diminished them both, making timing's failures a blessing.

Story·Ennya Papastoitsis, age 11 — A family's ritual of baking chocolate-chip cookies becomes a meditation on memory, tradition, and the passage from childhood tea parties to present-day conversations.

Poetry·Bethany Duff, age 11 — A meditation on wordless connection between living beings — running with dogs, dancing, holding babies — and how we lose this silent language as we grow older.