The Muse amhs student literary magazine
⸺ 7.02 ⸺
muse \ ˈmyüz \ noun
a source of inspiration; a state of deep thought or dreamy abstraction
TABLE OF
CONTENTS COVER Elizabeth Joseph
Letter from the Editors 05
04 05
ART Sixth Element, Georgia Stolpman 13 Bizarre, Georgia Stolpman 27 Hypnosis, Georgia Stolpman 46-47 Aline Phan 49 Same but Different, Julia Baust 54 Fall, Beatrice Butcher 55 Irene Li 56 PHOTOGRAPHY Elizabeth Joseph 06 | 07 | 10 | 19 | 21 | 24 | 36 | 63 Ariadine Antonio 14 | 15 | 18 | 38 | 39 Enya Liu 16 | 40 Alexandra Wong 17 | 37 Siya Sathaye 20 | 44 | 45 White Bloom, Marissa Timm 30 Golden Orchids, Kevin Liu 30 Thi Nguyen 32 | 33 Lady, Georgia Stolpman 41 Holly Sundquist 48 Cast, Georgia Stolpman 53 Calm Among the Storm, Payton Vieira 57 Spring Bloom, Zach Valdez 60 MUSIC Sunshine, Dylan Williams 61
POETRY 06-07 Eternal Muse, Danielle Slaughter 08-09 Willow Tree, Benjamin Mui 11 Yesterday Is Not Today, Abby Adame 12 Me and My Broken Heart, Adea Nunes 20 Curtain Call, Ava Scott 22 For the Beach, Kristina McCann 23 Delicate, Alexandra Wong 25 Ode to My Guitar, Arnav Mishra 26 Ode to My Stars, Ryan Prabhu 28-29 Doubt, Benjamin Mui 31 People, Emma Vane 34-35 Lakeside Walk, Benjamin Mui 38 When Night Dies, Sierra Thomas 40 Juggling Boats, Lily Hyun 41 The Loss of a Soulmate, Rachel Hartnett 42 Come Build Tomorrow With Me, Ria Sudhir 43 Parentheses Are My Lifestyle, Lily Hyun 46 To Brie, Alexandra Wong 48 Hear Them, Jake Geruson 50 The Victims of the Atlanta Spa Shootings, Enya Liu 51 Cries of a Heartbroken Asian Girl, Enya Liu 52 Spring, Angela Sigala 58 Lost, Sienna Flores 59 Winter Ode, Aleena Whitney 62 Jamming, Jake Geruson SIX-WORD STORIES 14 Emilie-Anne Roxas 14 Siya Sathaye 14 Enya Liu 21 Sun Rise, Pascale Zanon JOKES 15 Connor Anderson 15 Kevin Liu
Dear Reader, Here is the second of the two issues published this school year during a pandemic. This edition reflects numerous changes from previous editions—a situation, we suppose, that aptly mirrors how we have experienced changes as the year draws to a close. In an effort to cultivate a more cohesive and easy-on-the-eyes reading experience, we solidified certain design elements. The very specific color palette is immediately obvious. Rich greens call to mind the vivacity of the forthcoming works and the hopefulness of an approaching summer. At the same time, tan and ash tones gently ground the material and convey the unflinching honesty of some of the more serious works. We also chose a new font after several years of using the same one and cut away some design choices to center your focus on the various creations. In the following pages, you will find stories of hope, of perseverance. This desire to push forward, to stumble repeatedly with our eyes fixated on the light above, is what makes us so wonderfully human. We make mistakes. We adapt. We learn. We move on. The previous year was full of uncertainty and panic as we scrambled to overturn our entire way of life to accommodate online environments and physical and emotional distancing from those we knew, holding our breath in anticipation for the day when we would wake up from this nightmare. Now, as life gradually starts to resemble some form of normalcy, with vaccinations, hybrid learning, and the opportunity to see loved ones in person, we are able to view past events in a new light and record our thoughts in the global language that is art. With this being said, you are now free to delve into the wild extensions of our collective minds, laid bare for the entire world to see. We now give you our raw emotions and unfiltered attempts at capturing aspects of the world around us. To quote Walt Whitman, “Pointing to another world will never stop vice among us; shedding light over this world can alone help us.”
04 05
Elizabeth Joseph ‘22
06 07
Eternal Muse Danielle Slaughter ‘21 Little do you know, you wrote this poem In a place in which you once called home. Every word of yours became just as much mine As you fostered me a melody that was oh so divine. So why is it me who writes and not you? Maybe you’re too afraid to admit what you do. Too scared to face your truth? Or haunted by a lost youth?
06 07
You wrote this poem, yet you have no clue. An enigma I constantly misconstrue, But the only muse captivating my mind Because our thoughts remain forever intertwined. It will never be you that tells your story, As shame and regret haunt that glory. I have no other choice but to embrace sincerity, For both of us to finally have prosperity. Your beautiful tune living eternally in each rhyme, A poem fostered from our limited time. So now you know, why I wrote this poem— Because each of our stories has always been broken.
Willow Tree Benjamin Mui ‘22 Let me take you down to the old willow tree Just past the wishing well on the edge of the sea Whose hanging vines sway gently in the wind It is here where my story to you shall begin Just a small boy splashing in the creek With a silly little grin and a cut on his cheek The old grumbling river bid him play And also warned of the monsters beyond the bay
08 09
Monsters that prowled silently at night With razor sharp claws and a terrible bite The boy was convinced that there was nothing out there But the monsters quickly reached him and caught him unaware Demons danced and played with his head And kept his eyes and thoughts open in bed He tossed and turned unable to sleep Monsters pierced his soul and all he did was weep So he set off down the snoring stream To get rid of the demons who haunted his dreams To make some sense of if he really belonged Because his entire life he felt like he was wronged That’s when he met the old willow tree Who felt sorry for the boy and answered his plea She bid him speak quietly into her ear Don’t worry I’m listening and no one else can hear The boy was shocked, frightened, and afraid Willow, are you real? he whispered underneath the shade My boy my boy I’m just as real as you I know it’s strange but you’re safe now, it’s true
Then the boy answered with a long sigh I feel so small and I’m much too shy To raise my voice and swim against the tide Because demons keep killing me from inside Old Willow stood silently, deep in thought And her once swaying vines had now stopped As the air stilled and the wind calmed While the boy waited for her to respond The monsters you speak of only exist to you Your fears, pains, and sufferings you’ve been through Learn to let go of the past that fills your mind And instead fill your heart with love and be kind. Love and be kind repeated the young boy He would find and do the things he enjoyed Grow anew and heal his emotional wounds So on a path of hope is where this story concludes I wish time could stop with your hand in mine The days will get harder but together we’ll be fine I truly feel that by your side is where I belong Whether it be laughing, crying, or singing a song The present is the start of our story of highs and lows Where we will be in the future, I certainly don’t know I could end up across the galaxy, stars and stars away But I promise that we will meet again someday Remember that this place will always be ours The open meadow full of colorful spring flowers Just pass the wishing well on the edge of the sea Us, our dreams, and the old willow tree
08 09
10 11
Elizabeth Joseph ‘22
Yesterday Is Not Today Abby Adame ‘21 What separates the day from the night? Is it when the sun peeks shyly through the blinds? When its rays lay softly against our face? Or is it when the faint distant moon dims? Will it whisper that the night is through? Is it when the hands of father time stroke twelve? Or when we shut our heavy eyes and begin to dream? Does time ever truly begin? Will time ever come to an end? What is today, what is yesterday? When will our eyes be opened to tomorrow...
10 11
Me and My Broken Heart Adea Nunes ‘23
12 13
As I sit here, reminiscing about the memories Thinking about what I wished could’ve lasted What I wished could’ve happened. How do I find a brand new day? I remember us, the way we used to be I promised myself not to fall for people like you. I guess you just wanted me around until you got bored and found someone else. I sit, trying to find the pieces, the pieces that were once whole. I’ve waited for answers, but they never came. I look at the clock, hoping to find a different reality. But I am lost without hope Sitting with all the pain And beginning to wonder, Will everything be okay again?
12 13
Sixth Element Georgia Stolpman ‘21
Six-Word Stories Emilie-Anne Roxas ‘21 Oh, and I could cry, laughing! Siya Sathaye 24’ Because life is simply not fair. Enya Liu ‘23 My heart beats and I’m thankful.
14 15
Ariadine Antonio ‘22
14 15
Jokes Connor Anderson ‘24 How excited was the gardener about spring? So excited he wet his plants. What’s a tree’s favorite drink? Root beer! Which month can’t make a decision? MAY-be. Kevin Liu ‘24 What do you say when you want a flower to drive faster? Floret.
16 17
Enya Liu ‘23
16 17
Alexandra Wong ‘22
18 19
Christa Ariadine Antonio ‘22
18 19
Elizabeth Joseph ‘22
Curtain Call Ava Scott ‘22
20 21
Pull the curtain, I can’t determine where my mind has wandered I wonder where my focus lies Can’t hold onto my disguise Attention split, we’re so close to losing it Can’t commit to commitments It’s overwhelming my performance is Underwhelming I’m burdened and Can’t pretend I don’t spend hours Stressing over an assessment I feel my rising resentment stir I’m stressed
Siya Sathaye ‘24
20 21
Elizabeth Joseph ‘22
Sun Rise
Pascale Zanon ‘23 animals stirred to greet beautiful sun
For the Beach
Kristina McCann ‘22 Today almost felt like the best day in the world Going to the beach is the best thing in the world That ice cold ocean water hitting against my skin Next to me sitting my best friend getting a brown tan The seagulls screaming at the top of their lungs The sun shining its huge smile
22 23
All these things make an extravagant beach day Then that feeling walking up the path The birds and flowers singing loudly Bright, bold, blissful was the sky Beach sunsets are as amazing as heaven Those long days coming to an end Showering off all the memories Sad! Upset! It all went away Will it be back? It's all a blur Crash Crash Crash
Delicate
Alexandra Wong ‘22 Shining skin with Rainbows of light Each small soul Would shine so bright Floating free and High and low A swan-wind Would come to blow Waves will seek Tides rise and fall And foamy whiteness Answers its call To touch one A popping galore A family a bubbles Lives no more
22 23
24 25
Elizabeth Joseph ‘22
Ode to My Guitar Arnav Mishra ‘22
The strings vibrate under my palm My calloused fingers press against the frets The tip of the red pick whispers gently across Releasing a melody enveloping me Today, it’s mellow like the gentle embrace of my mother Caressing my hair, brushing her lips across my forehead Lulling me into a sleep filled with soft yellows and greens A gentle breeze ruffling my shirt Filling me with a calm serenity And peace. The strings rock with power today I can’t feel my fingers as they move across the frets My red pick is clutched tight, the song is strong like my dad’s grip on my hand as he helped me up when I fell from my bike I’m strumming with purpose, I have somewhere to be Mountains to climb, rivers to cross, oceans to conquer No time to look back, to regret, to waver, to procrastinate I’m alive. Today the strings chirp like the flapping hummingbird My fingers are nimble, twinkling like fairy lights on the frets The faithful red pick is resting, her place taken by a multicolored triangle This song sounds exactly like my little sister recounting her day to me Long winded sentences, tumbling out like M&M’s when you’re in a rush for a sweet fix and the packet rips open An overdose of sweetness, sticky, but welcomed Pure. The strings, the pick, the rhythm, the tune My cerulean guitar, my ally, my confidant Always speaking when I am too tired, too happy, Too sad, too excited, too nervous to use my voice Sometimes it’s mellow, sometimes it’s powerful At times chirpy, and sometimes it sounds exactly like a sad, sorrow-filled heart trying to make it through the day But at all times, It’s me.
24 25
Ode to My Stars Ryan Prabhu ‘22 My eyes open, morning light fills the sky Despite a sunken heart of denial and disbelief Another day begins, yearning to move beyond my grief Right when the pain subsides, my mind brings me back to the day I never got to say goodbye The paranoia of that night grips my consciousness Life barely spared me a chance but took each of your bodies Falling to my
26 27
knees, praying to God, please, why me Lights flashed, I looked up, and could barely breathe Holding you both near, fear no longer lingers here A day which I will remember forever Thinking of the moments we will not have entirely together How to endure the depths of life without each of you A new reality yet determined to still pursue Emptiness builds its home in my heart However, I feel your arms around me pushing me to restart A day which I will remember forever Your values
“Bizarre” Georgia Stolpman ‘21
26 27
Doubt Benjamin Mui ‘22 This story starts with a boy Now this was just an ordinary boy Who’d laugh and play with his toys When it came to friends and being good He stayed quiet and shy because he should But he reached for the stars because he could And for that… I envy him
28 29
Even though with others he was shy In the end he would still try Fail and try and fail and try And he loved every second of it He would find the key of perfect fit A million tries and he still would not quit Open the door and the fire was lit So share the warmth he set out to do Spread the love between me and you Expanded the feeling beyond this world So that maybe Just maybe His own love would unfurl Love was spread in the form of laughter This was indeed the final factor A shield from the storm to see the rainbow right after Laughter; laughter; laughter He was no longer afraid of change No fear of being called strange For life nothing he would exchange He had finally found what life was about Running down what seemed like the right route… But then in came doubt
Doubt is a not feeling that you accept Doubt is not an action that you make and regret Doubt is smoke that prevents us from seeing Doubt is water that stops us from breathing It is in every thought that you own In every thought you’ve ever known Where was the boy who flew to fly higher Where was the boy who wanted to inspire The world around him to pursue their desires Who did things not because they were required Where was the boy who would search for the key The key to unlock the doors to set us free On our way to become who we were meant to be We are here and we are one family Doubt no longer plagues this boy So let’s all join hands in joy For this family none can destroy Banding together to try for try’s sake It is love we must give not take A bright new world we will make In the east the rising sun Although the day has only begun The change we’ve made Will never be undone I hope the rhymes did not see the message defeated This is not something recommended but needed I’m writing to you because you’re a friend This is not a claim that I need defend To know everything I will not pretend But if I know anything… Selfless love has no end.
28 29
White Bloom
30 31
Marissa Timm ‘24
Golden Orchids Kevin Liu ‘24
PEOPLE Emma Vane ’21 In the end we’re just people Split over theologies And different ideologies Absent of apologies Miserable on our own But finding conflict together And still we’re just people Similar in biologies Hoping for some type of peace Lost and begging on our knees When all we are is people Most people I like But the world has been changed By a few that are deranged That will cross any lines For a chunk of change That will pull on the brains Of the simple and sane But most people I like People helping people That gives me hope Because the world is walking On a thin tightrope Gusts of wind or storms Could make it fall But it will balance through it all Because of people helping people
30 31
32 33
Thi Nguyen ‘23
Thi Nguyen ‘23
Thi Nguyen ‘23
32 33
Lakeside Walk Benjamin Mui ‘22
34 35
The mumbling riverbed speaks softly He weaves and runs away As I step into the chilling water Feeling out the small, smooth pebbles Above the mountains stood tall and firm Rocky hide covered in snow How powerful they surround me Rolling along steep and stoney Amongst the age old trees The bumbling bees hovered around Searching for more sweet flowers In their little black and yellow suits
Croak goes the rude bullfrog Bloated belly making sounds loud as ever Everyone says “hello” differently after all No different was Mr. Frog Next came the tall, swaying reeds Cattails fluffing the wind They look more like corn dogs to me Wonder what they taste like grilled Sun setting but just above the hills Coating the sky in spectacular color Blazing orange and deep purple It’s time to go back Finally the lilies… oh Lily Just on the water's edge How pure your white flower floats “I’ll be seeing you again" Further along opens the azure lake Whose little waves form gentle peaks And grumble onto the shore Poking and prodding at my ankles
34 35
36 37
Elizabeth Joseph ‘22
36 37
Alexandra Wong ‘22
When Night Dies Sierra Thomas ‘22
It all starts with nighttime, The unlit scenery, sublime. As the darkness slowly lifts, And the clouds begin to shift,
38 39
Trickles of white light shine through the trees Breaking up the darkness, Even awakening the bees. As the sun starts its morning trip, And the dew drops begin to drip, The birds sing their morning song Their babies, and even the worms join along. The clouds display orange, pink, lavender, All colors I adore. It gets brighter, brighter, brighter, until it fades to blue once more.
38 39
Ariadine Antonio ‘22
Juggling Boats Lily Hyun ‘22 A dull stress clogs my stomach My nerves are slightly jarred One foot of mine is on each boat as they slowly pull apart
40 41 Enya Liu ‘23
Of course The choice is right or left and neither choice is right An endless struggle My legs slide wider as I await an indicating light The boats start to move faster now As they both turn a deaf ear to the distress they cannot hear; My moment of choice is near (The dark blue and my reflection Stare back at me in question Or is it expectation? Is it to threaten?) I stretch and strain And finally A conclusion makes me stop I open my mouth to speak But instead Fall down with a plop
The Loss of a Soulmate Rachel Hartnett ‘22
We will soon meet again. He left for college. His hand waved back and forth as if she would never see him again. His absence made her long for him like two lovers being torn apart. She missed his touch, his warmth, the feeling he gave her when they were together. Soon their conversations became shorter, and shorter, until they were gone forever. Tears in her eyes, she held the flowers tightly in her hands. If she lost them, she would lose herself. She placed them on his grave, mourning as if she had lost half of her heart. We will soon meet again.
Lady Georgia Stolpman ‘21
40 41
Come Build Tomorrow with Me Ria Sudhir ‘24 When today ends We will build tomorrow May it bring friends or foes We will build tomorrow When the world has burned Out of ashen ground We will grow When our hope is priced and sold Let voices ring bold Into history we go Our stories be told
42 43
When the walls crumble And today ends Brick by brick We will build tomorrow When hearts lament and cry Our minds weakened by lies Strike a match And lead the way Come forge tomorrow with me When the doors shut The lights out When fear runs down your back Hold my hand Let’s fly We rest among the stars Let the pain subdue The scars remain Memories of battles won And those yet to come When you are ready Run and jump on sun Harvest the light Let's build tomorrow
Parentheses Are My Lifestyle Lily Hyun ‘22 parentheses are my lifestyle my art style my talk style surround all of my thoughts-the ones I’m not sure if I should say (so all of them) sometimes for fear of judgement of my probably idiotic statement of my peculiar, poorly timed joke of my endlessly running mouth, of who I am and yet, I can’t contain these thoughts (except within the parentheses I suppose) because I want to be recognized and praised (for all the intention that goes into them) because they bubble up uncontrollably in my brain iching to spew out my mouth so I add I speak as if every word is an uninteresting afterthought-a small note that should be ignored if so desired (while my mood for the next 20 minutes may depend on your response) unfortunately, while Dickinson proclaims in dashes I whimper in parentheses my humble opinions hoping you will regard them as small insertions of nothingness and wanting to be applauded for their wittiness all the same, because parentheses are my lifestyle
42 43
44 45
Siya Sathaye ‘24
44 45
To Brie Alexandra Wong ‘22
46 47
Soft cheese Was not meant to brie As sweet as thee But when I chew As one would do I think of you
46 47
Hypnosis Georgia Stolpman ‘21
Hear Them
Jake Geruson ‘24 Birds tweet. Hear them? I do. (not phones, not tech): silence. They chirp among themselves, warning: prey then rest from the motion of cars, the commotion of leaf blowers, the notion of human confusion about
48 49
nest. Listen.
Holly Sundquist ‘22
48 49
Aline Phan ‘24
The Victims of the Atlanta Spa Shootings Enya Liu ‘23
50 51
The sparkling almond-shaped eyes saw no more The glossy dark hair was sprawled on the ground The hardworking hands would never labor again The beautiful beating heart was violently stilled
Cries of a Heartbroken Asian Girl Enya Liu ‘23 Why do you hit Why do you punch Why do you slice Why do you spit Why do you murder Why do you kill Why do such vulgar words come from your mouth When you saw us that day on the street Just because our DNA is not yours Just because our ancestors walked on different earth We were only strolling Only working Only living Only breathing Why is there such hatred in your heart What did we ever do to you When you saw us that day on the street
Ariadine Antonio ‘22
50 51
Spring Angela Sigala ‘22 The change of smell like no other Different flowers blooming It’s the favorite season of my mother Time feels like it’s zooming The clouds now hide While the sun now shines
52 53
Perfect weather to see a tide Rain slowly declines The time changes Less sleep feels so draining It’s all about finding your ranges Adjusting begins to feel more like training Spring is close The sign of mud everywhere is gross But soon enough spring is here
52 53
Cast Georgia Stolpman ‘21
54 55
Same but Different Julia Baust ‘23
54 55
Fall Beatrice Butcher ‘24
56 57
Irene Li ‘22
Calm Among the Storm Payton Vieira ‘21
56 57
Lost Sienna Flores ‘23 For a second there I almost lost myself In a state of perpetual abstraction I didn’t know who I was or where I was Who are these people that call me their child? I don’t even know anything about them! Walking to the bathroom unfamiliar in my own skin I peer to look at the girl in front of me—Who is she?
58 59
Who am I? Moreover, why am I living in her body? This doesn’t make sense!!! What am I even doing here? I could be anywhere but here So why do I feel so out of place? Dizzy from the thoughts flooding my head I go to sit in the dry, empty bathtub Legs pulled towards my chest and hands tightly clenched over my shins I begin to cry The vast introspection of my young mind was too much for someone like me to handle So I cried For the first time in my life I questioned the identity of my parents, myself, and my purpose in life The realization that I had been given life for a reason Instead gave me insight That night I fell asleep in the tub… And in the morning, woke up in my bed
Winter Ode Aleena Whitney ‘22 Winter, The summer chuckles at your cold For she does not realize cold brings cheer The summer laughs at the lifeless flowers But she does not see how beautiful you are The summer won’t laugh when the snow fights back When winter brings the holidays, And snowman making, snowball fighting ways Summer won’t have much to say For when summer retreats, Winter sheds tears of joy For when summer is no longer there, The natured smell fills the air While summer stays dormant Winter continues to soar For when winter comes again, Summer won’t laugh anymore
58 59
60 61
Spring Bloom Zach Valdez ‘22
60 61
Sunshine Dylan Williams ‘23
Jamming Jake Geruson ‘24
No one knew what was soon to become Of us, when the bug so small, Closed all things down. Its invisible Command: go home, or fall. At first we thought, “What fun, home school.” Read, write, and rhyme, mathematics too. But friends went “poof,” an experimental shoe That dropped, surprise, but true.
62 63
Zooming, zooming, that’s our generation’s jam. Pencils, iPads, books we grip in our hard-working hands. Zooming, zooming, it’s consuming Our youth, it’s marching on. Misery, now we know you well. “Hello, we’re fine online.” Foretell, a future of shutdowns: Just once, or all the time? What’s that, behind the camera? A child now not so small. Cooped up all year, this individual. Return: to school this fall. Zooming, zooming, that’s our generation’s jam. Pencils, iPads, books we grip in our hard-working hands. Zooming, zooming, it’s consuming Our youth, it’s marching on.
62 63
Elizabeth Joseph ‘22
Moderator Mr. Kevin Brazelton
Proofreader Mrs. Janelle Kroenung
Administrator Mr. Keith Mathews
Editors Ariadine Antonio Matthew Burrows Jessica Hsu Tiffanie Huang Elizabeth Joseph Brady Koong Arnav Mishra Stella Park Christa Rios Emilie Roxas Georgia Stolpman Ishir Vaidyanath Lauren Vu
Archbishop Mitty High School Literary Magazine
Mission Statement Thanks for reading this issue of The The Muse: AMHS Student Literary
Muse: AMHS Student Literary
Magazine is a collection of original,
Magazine! Our creative ventures can
creative content produced by students
have a profound impact on our
of Archbishop Mitty. The purpose of this
understanding of the world around us.
magazine is to support students'
It is our sincere hope that the content
creative expression, to allow students to
within this issue has inspired you to
share their words and experiences in an
think, write, and dream. Please on the
imaginative way, and to establish a
lookout for more issues in the future.
community of artists, writers, and
We hope to see you again as we publish
thinkers. By creating an outlet for
more fantastic work created by AMHS
student voices, The Muse hopes to
students.
foster a culture of self-expression and interconnection throughout the entire student body.
– The Editors