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t the catalystthe catylist the catylis The Catalyst Literary Arts Magazine May 2022 // Issue 2
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Contents 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
“Little Red Bridge” by Ryan Germany “Eavesdropping” by Anonymous “Gravity” by Maverick Savage “Perception” by Grace Lefferts “Forgive Me For I Have Sinned” by Meredith Boykin “Nature’s Misconstrued” by Cassidy Cole “Jellyfish” by Garrett Van Dyk “Racing Thoughts” by Anonymous “Mercy” by Hannah Link “The City That Never Notices” by Anna Carpenter “Nattah Nam” by Anna Carpenter “Wings of Music” by Alex Davis “Low Poly Animal” by Samantha Porter “Life Imitates Art” by Madi Poston “A Dove’s Journey” by Alyson Hammond “Under Pressure” by Olivia Fowler “Under Pressure” by Olivia Fowler “To You, E.S.” by Emma Wieland “Glimpse” by Samantha Porter “All Eyes On Me” by Luke Mays “Untitled” by Hanna DeBarr “In Debt” by Maverick Savage “Waterfalling” by Ava Bathurst “A Thought” by Cassidy Cole “Particles” by Henry Tsukahara “Fire” by Jack Johnson “Music of the Streets” by Ava Bathurst “Corals of Life” by Ryan Germany
The Catalyst literary arts magazine May 2022 Issue 2
Aledo high school 1000 Bailey Ranch Road Aledo TX 76008 aledo.catalyst@gmail.com
“Little Red Bridge” Ryan Germany
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EAVESDROPPING It’s as though I’m floating behind my own body. I’m aware of all my surroundings, buy oddly, I am unable to think for myself. My feelings have been boxed up on the highest shelf. I jump and I plead with the Box of Life, I want it, just for a moment, to roll my own dice. Take my own chances, silence my thoughts. But it stares and laughs, that stubborn Box. Life goes on whether I want it to or not. My body leaves me behind, as I am an unwanted thought. I yell and cry, I don’t want to die, But I’m eavesdropping in on my own life. Someone is living it but I don’t know who. I look in the mirror and see not one face, but two. The first is a fake, an act, a facade. The second is myself, now isn’t that odd? The real me is boxed and hidden. The one that shows go by a script that is written. Who writes this role I play? Who decides what I’ll be today? I wish I could say it’s me, but it’s not. For I am still stuck in that stupid little Box.
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04 “Eavesdropping” Anonymous
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“Gravity” Maverick Savage
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Perception noitpecreP Perception noitpecreP Perception noitpecreP c Perception 06 “Perception” Grace Lefferts
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“Forgive Me For I Have Sinned” Meredith Boykin
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Nature s misconstrueD Bugs: Nature’s most despised. Insecta, Arachnida, Chilopoda: All names for creatures ever so deplored. The beetle, the spider, the cicada and roach, Their presence unwanted and form grotesque––x But how are these creatures any less beautiful Than Nature’s other designs? The lion, the wolf, the fox and macaw, Their presence favored and beauty praised–– But are these creatures any more majestic Than the wretched creatures below? Are their colors any more vibrant Than the hues of the Orchid Mantis? And are their wings any more elegant Than the elytra of the Atlas Beetle? Mammalia, Reptilia, Amphibia: All names for creatures no more beautiful Than Nature’s misconstrued.
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08 “Nature’s Misconstrued” Cassidy Cole
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“Jellyfish” Garrett Van Dyk
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alone in my room, my thoughts racing. i call out in silence, for help, i am chasing a cure for this terrible problem i'm facing. i circle and circle my room, i am pacing. i curl in a ball, my hands encasing my head as i long for a warm embracing but i am alone so i sit here effacing who i am as a person, with fear i'm disgracing my family and friends, now i need all their gracing i rock back and forth as I search for a basing of my problem, which makes all my thoughts. go. racing.
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10 “Racing Thoughts” Anonymous
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r a c i n g r a c i n g r a c i n g racing
thoughts thoughts “Mercy” Hannah Link
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The city That NEVER NOTICES Busy streets, filled with people. Deafening horns, as frequent as the Bark of a beagle. Everyday the same Individuals go through their sequence. People speeding by, never noticing The unremembered and left behind. Strays, destined to be wandering forever As people of every kind paid them no mind. Some have caused their own wandering. Making choices that smash Their bright futures that will forever be unknown. Others have lost their minds To thoughts of better lives. Struggling to find the kind souls Who might save them from themselves. So many drifting people, In the City that Never Sleeps. So many forgotten faces, Sitting on the city corners. In the City that Never Notices
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12 “The City That Never Notices” Anna Carpenter
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“Nattah Nam” Anna Carpenter
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WINGS of
MUSIC
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14 “Wings of Music” Alex Davis
“Low Poly Animal” Samantha Porter
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16 “Life Imitates Art” Madi Poston
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A Dove s journey From the beginning of my senior year I have asked myself who am I really? Am I someone who likes to volunteer? Or do I just laugh at something silly? I am one who observes my surroundings This helps with my understanding of life. Music is the root to all of my groundings Maybe one day I will become a wife. Until then I have yet to meet myself Being a senior has opened my eyes. Like the truth in a lost book on the shelf Senior year has exposed all of the lies! I found myself once I learned how to love Now my soul knows peace and grace like a dove. “A Dove’s Journey” Alyson Hammond
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18“Under Presssure” Olivia Fowler
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“Under Pressure” Olivia Fowler
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To You,i E.S. Color Page
You. You’re the reason I’m still here. The reason I know these clouds will disappear, the reason I know I have nothing to fear. I have you. And to say “I have you” is so simple. So elegant. That’s the beauty of it, really, because friendship should be such a peaceful reality. And you give it that beautiful bliss, that unwavering certainty, that makes it so comforting to sit and just. Be. So, while I have you, I know nothing can phase me powerfully enough that I can’t pull through. And, while I have you, I’ll always have that angel on my shoulder telling me just how much I can really do.
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20“To You, E.S.” Emma Wieland
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S. Color Page “Glimpse” Samantha Porter
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eyes on me Color Page “Untitled” Hanna DeBarr
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“Waterfalling” Ava Bathurst
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It was a thought A thought subtle, A thought cunous That occurred one day: A droplet to the dirt below; A bead from the clouds above. It was a thought Unnoticed by the earth, Unnoticed by the sky, Unnoticed by the force which took it. But then one thought Became two, Became plural; Two droplets to the dirt below; Two droplets from the clouds above. Then one thought Became three, Became four, Became many That would sink to the seeds beneath. One thought Grew a puddle, Grew a pool That derived from that day: A pool to the dirt below; A pool from the clouds above; A pool that sank, That fed The seeds beneath.
a Thought It was an action.
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26 “A Thought” Cassidy Cole
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“Particles” Henry Tsukahara
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People ask why she is a fire in my eye if they only saw the passion that burns And all they do to ignite the world She is the ember that flies through the wind The light that shines through the dark The warmth I need every night You are my fire
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Music of
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of the streets “Music of the Streets” Ava Bathurst
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30 “Corals of Life” Ryan Germany
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ColoPhon the cata the catalyst
Staff: Kenley Germany Belle Cunningham Faith Emmitte Ava Bathurst
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Adviser: Emily Pyeatt Arnold, CJE Representative: Jill Chittum, MJE Special Thanks: Estee Diaz Linda Greenwood Elmi Martinez Melba Poppe Printing: Walsworth Publishing Brookfield and Marceline, MO 300 copies Equipment: Computers: 33 iMacs Programs: Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator Fonts: FranklinGothic URW Surfing Capital : Recognition: TAJE Fall Fiesta First Place Best in Show The Catalyst is a two-signature literary arts magazine created to feature student art in all areas. Like a chemical catalyst, our magazine was founded last year on the principle of vitalizing the innovation behind local fine arts. This second issue not only reiterates the intentions behind its predecessor, but amplifies the creativity in each piece through the use of bold colors and type.
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