the power of imagination

Poetry·Neel Rangan, age 9 — A young poet imagines a distant land where theatrical beings act out our dreams, created by God so humans could experience wonder during sleep.

Poetry·Tatiana Rebecca Shrayer, age 9 — A father and daughter venture into the woods to craft a bow and arrows, transforming branches into instruments that sing and shoot arrows toward stars that scamper like foxes.

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·Sophia Dahlin — A teacher introduces experimental poetry written by multilingual students in Shanghai, created through unconventional writing prompts designed to spark wild imagination.

Poetry·Emilei Lu, age 11 — A young writer describes preparing for the journey into imagination like bundling up for winter, knowing she might not find her way back.

Poetry·Angelina Lu, age 11 — A dreamlike poem where nothing and noone inhabit a valley of inverted colors and upside-down trees, until someone and everyone arrive to paint the sky with love.

Poetry·Gilbert Huang, age 9 — An alien's confused observations of human life, mixing up body parts and behaviors based on misunderstood information from 'a piece of paper.'

Poetry·Gilbert Huang, age 9 — A young writer explains how the tooth fairy works, from the fairy's tiny wings to the exchange of clean teeth for money under pillows.

Story·Sophia Gallegos, age 13 — A girl dreams of descending through ocean layers to encounter a mysterious jellyfish, then wakes to ordinary life while harboring her grandfather's secret journal of undiscovered sea creatures.

Poetry·Deeba Kord, age 10 — A child runs barefoot along a muddy riverbank to a flower meadow, picks blooms, wades in the water, then wakes from what might be a dream.