Etc. Magazine 2024

...2024

Etc Magazine Publication Team

Alexa Brown

Heather Jones

Senior Editors

Mason Utset, Maddy Reda

ETC Staff

Adrianna Caliendo

Violet Williamson

Moderator

Cindy Bannon

Abigail Hwang

Natalie Zamirowski

Etc. is Notre Dame High School’s annual art and literary magazine. The publication is a showcase for the creative talents of Notre Dame students and includes poetry, prose, artwork, and photography.

The staff of Etc. would like to thank the students who submitted their art and literary works. We extend special thanks to Mr. Ken Jennings and Ms. Michele Martinez for their support of the Arts at Notre Dame as well as Mrs. MacIsaac and Mrs. Duff for their keen eyes in helping us edit.

Etc. wishes the Class of 2024 all the best in their future endeavors.

The Scent of Nature Mason Utset 4

Story of a Tree Angie Siguencia 4

The Soldier Heather Jones 5

The Shield Kylie McCabe 5

My Sister and I Kylie McCabe 5

Brotherhood of Love Andy Zigbuo 6

The Lonely Bush Isabella Lenzo 6

Floating Flowers Isabella Lenzo 6

Secrets of Nature Dominic Spoto 7

The Murmurs of Birds Ava Sulkowski 7

Untitled Kaleigh Wheeler 7

Amica (Italian Poem) Anonymous 7

Friend (English Translation) Anonymous 7

Sweet Melody Andy Zigbuo 8

A Glimpse Isabella Odina 8

The Heart Beat She Gave Andy Zigbuo 9

How to Be Violet Williamson 10

Starved for Water Kylie McCabe 11

Refraction Violet Williamson 11

Untitled Violet Williamson 12

The Cathedral Natalie Zamirowski 13

Uomo Nella la Luna (Italian Poem) Rachel Mann 14 Man in the Moon

(English Translation) Rachel Mann 14

The Midnight Train Natalie Zamirowski 15

Painted Sky Ashlyn Soltysiak 16

Art Contents

4

Elena Abreu 5

6

6

Cookies Elena Abreu 6

Teapot Elana Ruppersberger 7

Eggs Cameron Beetel 7 Ceramic Teapot Simone Pintinalli 7

Hands Are Tied Right Now Kylie McCabe 8 Silence Between Songs Gabriela Pasqualone 8

Elena Abreu 8

Ava Stazzone 9 2 Girls and Yarn Ella McColgan 9

with Mask Lina Yang 9

Vase Jenny Begley 9 Gilded Maddy Reda 10

Natalia Rodriguez-Ibanez 10

Stages of Life Isabella Vilarelle 10

Home to Another One Gabriela Pasqualone 10

Secretary Elena Abreu 10 Inner Beauty Isabella Carrero 11 Icarus Kylic McCabe 11 Ink Elena Abreu 11 Girl in Space Lina Yang 11

Imagination-School Shana Ignacio 12 The View Elena Abreu 12

A Cinderella Retelling Shana Ignacio 12 All About Me Katelynn Kelley 12

When Can I be Enough Lina Yang 12

Almonds Prunis Dulcis Shana Ignacio 13 Autumn Nights Isla Christall 13

I Remain

Jake Reinstein 16

Aurora Borealis Ava Sulkowski 16

Just Once

Untitled (Italian Poem) Nicholas Merlino 24

Untitled (English Translation) Nicholas Merlino 24

Right where he left her Natalie Zamirowski 25

Isabella Odina 17

Brielle Jimenez 17 the house

Before Destruction Andy Zigbuo 18

Destruction

Andy Zigbuo 18

In the Meadow Dominic Spoto 18

In the Shadows Dominic Spoto 18

Senza Titolo (Italian Poem)

Untitled (English Translation)

Nature

Delanie Meszaros 19

Delanie Meszaros 19

Kaleigh Wheeler 19

To Be Wrong Mary Kerwick 19 (A Korean Poem) Abigail Hwang 20

You and I (English Translation) Abigail Hwang 20

Accepting Me Brielle Jimenez 21

The Mistreated Grass Angie Siguencia 21

Soar Around the World

Senza Titolo (Italian Poem)

Marzyciel (Polish Poem) Olivia Pomin 26

The Dreamer (English Translation) Olivia Pomin 26

Monde De Musique (French Poem) Isabella Odina 27

World of Music (English Translation) Isabella Odina 27

LA RECETTE POUR UN SLAM Honors French 3 Class (Recipe for a Slam) Fall Semester 28

Cielo Stellato (Italian Poem) Madalena Creo 29

Starry Sky (English Translation) Madalena Creo 29 Tsunami Ashlyn Soltysiak 29

Strength

Riley Winkler 22

Jason Bridge 22

Untitled (English Translation) Jason Bridge 22

Beginning Andy Zigbuo 22

Una Luce Nella Notte (Italian Poem) James Falcone 23

A Light Through the Night

(English Translation) James Falcone 23

Humans and Nature

Jake Reinstein 23

Autunno (Italian Poem) William Napier 24

Fall (English Translation) William Napier 24

Good Night

Katelynn Kelley 14

House with Path Katherine Hering 14

Leap of Fate

Ella McColgan 15

Effects of Social Media Ava Stazzone 15

Pink Skies Willow Paterson 16

Rolling in the Deep Gabriela Pasqualone 16

Prison Break Mason Utset 16

Reflection

Mason Utset 17

Stay Warm Elena Abreu

The Scent of Nature

Mason Utset

Floral notes filling the air, Delicate as its owner, a flower so rare, The lavender bushes prepping their smell, Soon to be released into the air to dwell,

A cold breeze, so dull to care, But hidden within, holds a fragrance that one must be aware,

The scent of nature builds the beauty, Of a world that must be protected–that is our duty.

Story of a Tree

Angie Siguencia

Once a tiny seed, buried in the earth, A tree began its journey, its extraordinary birth. With each passing day, it grew with might, Stretching its branches, reaching for the light.

But as time passed by, the tree began to grey, Its branches grew brittle, its trunk started to decay.

And when its final days approached, with strength, The tree fought but was unable to continue its length.

Utset

Toxic Masculinity

Sarah Colon

A Look Into the Future

Elena Abreu

Caballero

Mason Utset

The Soldier

Heather Jones

Life is beautiful

Old and New

For when one’s scarred

What’s revealed is true

I know a tree

It stands tall and proud

With a short stump And marks so loud

For the tree has been in battle

To Hell and back

Yet no one would have known If it wasn’t for the crack

The Shield

Kylie McCabe

Some try to tear my shield away, While others leave it there to stay,

My bark protects me, Keeps me unseen.

If I shed my bark I will be bare, Forcing me to be aware.

I’d rather stay in my comfort zone, Safe and alone.

My Sister and I

Kylie McCabe

I am scared that I am too rough That others will be afraid to touch me because I am too tough

I envy my sister, for she is soft Even carrying a floral waft

She is gentle, fragile and young

Although I should be happy for her, it still stung

She is never forgotten, never knowing pain Yet, I am left to rely on the rain

My sister, the flower is magnificent And I, the tree will remain indifferent

Artist Elena Abreu

Fading

Kylie McCabe

Deep Sea Guardian

Mason Utset

California Chatter Maddy Reda

Brotherhood of Love

Prayed that the kindness he spread will carry on through all

All that we felt with his sweet country noise

Noise which we heard on the field he stood

Sun which he put us under to be hard working men

To a man who I never met but his love and kindness I feel:

The Lonely Bush

Isabella Lenzo

I look up high

And I start to cry

I see kids swinging from the tree’s branches

And through its leaves, the wind dances

People gather around the tree

But they never come over to me

I am a little smaller

The trees are much taller

But my branches are perfectly fine

And I have my own unique design

My leaves are a pretty shade of dark green

But still, I remain unseen

Maybe one day they will see

That I am just as good as a tree

Floating Flowers

Isabella Lenzo

Flowers floating in the air

In the field over there

They sway with the breeze

Underneath huge oak trees

A sea of bright pink

They all drift together in sync

From left to right

They create the most beautiful sight

A few petals run away with the breeze

And float in the sky, high near the trees

But the flowers that stay

Float back and forth all day

Christmas Cookies

Elena Abreu

Self-Portrait

Elizabeth Socha

Secrets of Nature

Dominic Spoto

The wind whispers secrets, unseen but felt Caressing us with its playful dance It carries stories from lands afar

Whistling through trees, oh the stories it tells Invisible yet mighty, nature’s unseen hand

The Murmurs of Birds

Ava Sulkowski

Tweet, tweet, tweet comes the feathered creatures from the north Chirp, chirp, chirp replies the beak-mouthed animals from the south Tweet tweet, chirp chirp, the conversation goes on Hearing the murmurs from every direction Tweet tweet tweet, nearly ten birds sing

Going back and forth to one another without missing a beat Chirp, chirp, chirp, a different hum continues One after the other, chirping surrounds the silence Tweet tweet, chirp chirp, communicating with one another throughout nature’s skies

Untitled

Kaleigh Wheeler

Like statues, reaching for the sky, A tree’s branches are held high Leaves whispering secrets with the sound of the wind’s breeze. Offering shade to whoever needs.

Shades of green, Painting a beautiful scene.

Dancing with a sway, Breathing in life in every way.

Amica (Italian Poem)

Amica

Bella simpatica

Premurosa amorevole sorprendente Sempre lì per me

Friend (English Translation)

Friend

Beautiful friendly

Caring loving amazing

Always there for me

Ceramic Teapot Elana Ruppersberger

Ceramic Eggs Cameron Beetel

Ceramic Teapot Simone Pintinalli 7

Sweet Melody

Andy Zigbuo

You could say that we were destined to be Holding hands

Saying prolific words of sweet melodies

But one broken key can misdirect the course of that sweet melody

One disastrous action can leave a homily in disarray

But OUR Story doesn’t end there

Oh no no no

A connection was made

Memories were made

And so those once broken keys

May be fixed

To play a sweet melody

A Glimpse

Isabella Odina

I caught a glimpse in your eyes that reminded me of who you once were

I was mesmerized by it

Hypnotized by the nostalgia it emits

But I snapped out of my daze

Once I remembered who you are these days

My Hands Are Tied Right Now

Kylie McCabe

Silence Between Songs

Gabriela Pasqualone

Nurse Elena Abreu

The Heart Beat She Gave

Andy Zigbuo

Beep Beep Beep Flat

She went just like that

All her life she meet their needs

Disgraceful children with greed and pride

Left her there when she died

Cold and dry her hand it was

A loving mother that’s who she was

A greedy son that’s who I was

The best mother that’s who I loved

Girl with Mask

Lina Yang

Blue Vase

Jenny Begley

Motherhood

Ava Stazzone

2 Girls and Yarn

Ella McColgan

SelFISHness

How to Be

Violet Williamson

What should I wear today?

How should I go about my day? Tell me, For I cannot think for myself, I don’t have a clue what to say. Tell me, For I fear I amount to nothing, Not an ounce of anything, Lost, like a ship at sea, Angry and thrashing, Fighting my own maker. Tell me, How to speak, How to write, How to love, How to be.

Natalia Rodriguez-lbanez

Stages of Life

Isabella Vilarelle

Gilded Maddy Reda

Home to Another One

Gabriela Pasqualone

Secretary Elena Abreu

Icarus Kylie McCabe

Starved for Water

Kylie McCabe

My brothers skin starts to shed

As leaves start to fall from his head

He looks yellow and frail

Oh, how I hope he will prevail

But he does not and continues to fall A death so sad, my mother starts to bawl

The tears keep me alive and standing

Unlike my brother, the tree, notwithstanding

Refraction

To see myself, So clearly reflected within you, I collapse at the sight, Why mirror to mirror? (What caused this?) Not face to face?

(Who caused this?)

If I still exist within you, There was no reason, Other than the danger, Of having two stars too close,

Williamson

The gravity too strong, One engulfing the other, Never to come out the other side, Shining the same again.

Glitter and light distracts, Shine and sheen of glass, Glaze of your gaze, I did not see the Great Beyond, Beyond the obvious, We were oblivious.

Violet

Ink Elena Abreu

Girl in Space Lina Yang

Inner Beauty

Isabella Carrero

Imagination/School

WHEN CAN I BE ENOUGH WHEN CAN I BE ENOUGH

Untitled

Violet Williamson

Nothing’s new, A summer of change, Came and flew, I lost you.

Nothing’s new, Months I grew, All to feel the same, As I did before you,

Nothing’s new, Through you, I felt renewed.

Nothing’s new, Through you, I grew consumed.

Shana Ignacio

The View

Elena Abreu

Lina Yang

All About Me

Katelynn Kelley

A Cinderella Retelling

Shana Ignacio

When I was twelve, I broke my mother’s biggest rule.

The Cathedral

I left in the middle of the afternoon, saying I was going on one of my usual walks around our neighborhood. I had no intention of walking through my neighborhood. I was more interested in the woods beyond it. More interested in what was in those woods.

The town I grew up in was haunted by a series of riots that happened twenty years before I was born. If you went to any of the libraries or researched my town’s history, you wouldn’t find any mention of these riots. And if you asked anyone who’d been here then, you wouldn’t get much more information.

Most people don’t like to talk about the riots because it’s too shameful. Or maybe it reminds them of a time when we let a few most likely false rumors kill three men and destroy the most beautiful cathedral in the state, whose ruins lay about a half-mile into the woods beyond the neighborhood I grew up in.

When I was in elementary school, my classmates would dare each other to run to the fence of the cemetery and back. No one ever did, though. We were all too afraid of the stories our parents had told us about the abandoned cathedral to go anywhere near it. I guess that was our parents’ intention when telling us those stories. Most of them were tales of caution, warning us not to go near the

property because it was haunted by the bishop who had died when the cathedral had been burned during the riots. The stories of what would happen to children if he found them on the property ranged, yet they were all equally terrifying to us as children.

But the stories only kept us away for so long before we decided not to believe them. That day came for me when I was twelve. I’d made up my mind: I was going to touch one of the cathedral’s stone walls, even if it killed me.

So I filled a backpack with food, water, a flashlight, and a jacket before setting off into the woods. It didn’t take me long to find the fence surrounding the small cemetery. I wasn’t quite stupid enough to walk through it, so I took the longer way around. My heart was racing with the excitement of exploration.

My breath caught in my chest as my eyes fell on the abandoned cathedral. Moss and weeds had covered most of the walls. I could see the remnants of scorch marks on the stone. Some of the panes of the stained-glass windows were missing or broken. The bell from the belltower was long gone, rumored to have been destroyed in the riots. I was transfixed by the beauty of something so ruined.

At that moment I knew I’d be back, and I was right. For the next six years, I visited the cathedral nearly every week.

Almonds Prunis Dulcis

Shana Ignacio

Autumn Nights

Isla Christall

Natalie Zamirowski

Penso a te

Spero tu veda me

come è andata finire che siamo così fortunata

Io sono nella tua mani

Forse questa non sara’ per sempre

Ma io sono grata per l’opportunità

Guardo la luna

Sdraiati accanto

Guardo stupefatto la stella più brillante

Guardo la luna

Penso a te

Spero tu veda me

Man in the Moon (English Translation)

Rachel Mann

Who would have guessed our loving was written in the stars

Planets aligned for just a minute

You pulled me closer to your heart

Looking at the moon

Lying next to you

Staring at the brightest star

Looking at the moon

Thinking about you

I hope you see me too

How did we end up so lucky, I’m in your hands

Maybe this won’t last forever but I’m thankful for the chance

Looking at the moon

Lying next to you

Staring at the brightest star

Looking at the moon

Thinking about you

I hope you see me too

Good Night

Katelynn Kelley

The Midnight Train

Natalie Zamirowski

The train station is desolate. There’s only one other person here, and he’s asleep on one of the benches. I look up at the board of arriving and departing trains. A non-stop to San Francisco arrives in five minutes. I glance at my watch; it’s nearly midnight. Perfect. I buy a ticket at the office then stand on the platform, waiting. A train barrels down the tracks, paying no heed to the station and one person it passes. The breeze the train creates jostles my hair, causing it to fly into my face. I frantically push it out of my eyes. Another train is coming, but this one slows to a stop. The conductor climbs out. “You the only one?” He looks upset or maybe just disappointed. I decide that he’s regretting his career choice and wishing he went into one of the sciences. Maybe biochemistry. Or organic chem. Definitely some form of chemistry. “Sadly.” I mutter under my breath. I push past Mr. Conductor

to get on the train. I’m not in the mood to waste too much time. The train’s car is the complete opposite of the station: crowded and stuffy from all the people. Most are businessmen or women, returning home from a long week at work. I find an open seat towards the back of the car. After I place my suitcase on the rack above my seat, I pull out my book and pretend I’m not listening to everyone else’s conversations. Some are interesting and others not so much.

The landscape blurs together into one darkly-colored blob as the train accelerates. Everything outside of this train car is an insignificant mirage of shapes and shadows. It’s like a montage you’d see in a dramatic movie. I feel like I’m in a dramatic movie. Only I’m not so sure I’m the main character, even in my own story.

Effects of Social Media

Ava Stazzone

Leap of Fate

Ella McColgan

Painted Sky

Ashlyn Soltysiak

The sky danced with color

Baby pink

Roaring orange

Fierce red

As the sun sets

The sky is filled with breathtaking pigmentation

As I relax on the handmade quilt

Given to me by my mother

I see her looking down on me

In the painted sky

I Remain

Jake Reinstein

I am beautiful, I am a flower.

I sashay in the wind with my petals glistening in the light. A vocal point in a field of emptiness, As I remain.

My friend and family have been all picked one by one, But I remain.

A fate of a flower is meant to be an honorable one, One in which you are cherished, admired, and loved, But I remain.

So I will die a slow painful death as the fall winds roll in, I will wilt, fall and die, Because I remain.

As no one ever wanted me. Because I am ugly, I am a flower.

Aurora Borealis

Ava Sulkowski

The sky as dark as coal

All but a few stars in the sky

Colors then appear, in vibrant swirls

Bright sights protruding from above

Teals, greens, blues, and purples manifest together

The scenery gives an image of simplicity yet elegance

Swirls amongst the great upward sea of darkness

The lively streaks illuminate what’s behind it

Whether it be houses, mountains, or planes

The phenomenon brings light and gloss everywhere it shines

Pink Skies Willow Paterson

Rolling in the Deep Gabriela Pasqualone

Prison Break Mason Utset

Just Once

Brielle Jimenez

Just once I would like to be the poem not the poet

I want to be their one and only the girl that makes them shine like the sun glistens off the bright blue ocean

I want to be the twinkle to their star And the wind to their hurricane

I want real love

Not just a romanticized piece of art

the house

isabella odina

i live in a house without any lights the windows have cracked the furniture is untidy the door has been left wide open but i see no need to fix it all

i am content with my house although it’s unkempt it’s a small price to pay in return for some peace

Mason Utset

Rainbow Fish Madeline Adams

Strength Karleigh Iraca

Stay Warm Elena Abreu

Before Destruction

Andy Zigbuo

Where dreams once thrived, Before the chaos, when nature was truly beautiful, There played a song harmonious and bright, A tapestry of life, painted in pure delight. Forests with trees that reached towards the sky, Oh, what a paradise, before the fall, When humanity failed to heed the call In their shelters they hide

But oh no it was too late

Destruction

Andy Zigbuo

Where shadows spread, The destruction of nature

There echoes a cry of desperate plea, For healing hands to set the Earth free.

Once vibrant meadows, now battered and scarred, Machines roar loudly, tearing through the land, Leaving behind devastation, where life was once grand. For even in destruction’s relentless might, The seeds of new life yearn to ignite.

In the Meadow

Dominic Spoto

In the meadows embrace where wildflowers bloom

Colors burst forth, on this beautiful earth

Butterflies dance, their wings filled with hallucinations

Fragrance lingers, a sweet symphony in the air

As the sun sprinkles warmth upon this beautiful Earth

In the Shadows

Dominic Spoto

The forest’s shadows shade the ground A verdant tapestry of leaves

As bird chirps fill the air with sound And squirrels on trees dart around and around

Untitled Ava Stazzone

Untitled Ava Barone

If The World Was Ending Abigail Hwang

Senza Titolo (Italian poem)

Delanie Meszaros

Fiori

Colaranti, Bellissima

Fioritura, Fiorente, Germogliare

Petali, Bombi, Nevicare, Ghiaccio Nevicando, Congelamento, Slittino Freddo, Bianco

Inverno

Untitled (English Translation)

Delanie Meszaros

Flowers

Colorful, Beautiful

Blooming, Flowering, Growing Petals, Bumblebees, Snow, Ice Snowing, Freezing, Sledding

Cold, White Winter

The Best Parts of Me

Nature

Kaleigh Wheeler

As the darkness falls below the earth, a new painting is drawn.

A touch of the yellow, orange sun, rising up from the ground.

A new masterpiece is made with a variety of colors. Darkness going away, bringing on the new day.

God’s “Good morning” to nature.

Sounds of the birds chirping, Replying to God saying good morning back.

As He gives the sense of peace and comfort, bringing on the brand new day

To Be Wrong

Mary Kerwick

Tell me why you think this is fair

When all I did was tell you you were wrong

And why you talk to me like we’re still friends, But yet you’ve seen it all along

We don’t belong

We never did and never will so just move on

I wanted you but now you’re gone

And now I’m stuck here in the wrong.

I really thought this could go far, You put that thought into my head,

But now that thought is stuck while you slowly disappear

We don’t belong

We might have in another life

I can’t move on, I’ve seen that you have

I guess that’s good for you

But now all that is left is the feeling I am wrong

Sweet Escape

Ella McColgan

Sunny Days Isabella Carrero

Shana Ignacio

(A Korean Poem)

Abigail Hwang

You and I (English Translation)

Abigail Hwang

whenever we’re together, I am the happiest. whenever we’re together, my heart hurts. whenever we’re together… i cannot stop staring into your eyes. whenever we’re together, it’s just you and i.

Drawn Butter Sophia Komjati

Enemy or Energy

Ava Stazzone

Fisher of Men

Maddy Reda

Dunes of Time Mason Utset

Artists in their Elements Mason Utset

Accepting Me

Brielle Jimenez

My whole life I wanted to be someone else

I wanted to be the girl with shiny blonde hair and a tiny waist

The girl who’s smile lit up a room even when all the lights were off

I wanted to be like the girls born with bright blue eyes that glistened in the light

Eyes like waves that you would drown in and never find your way out

I’ve realized the hard way that spending all of my time trying to be someone so perfect was unrealistic

It was like trying to find the monsters under your bed as a kid that were simply Never there…

I know I will always want to be someone that I’m not but I hope that all of those versions are a little bit like me

The girl with the messy brown hair and the wood brown eyes

The girl with the chubby cheeks and the big thighs I accept myself with all of my flaws big or small

And whether not i would like to admit it

All of those versions are a little bit like me

Just a girl trying to get by

The Mistreated Grass

Angie Siguencia

With determination, it pushes through, all of the pain of shoes

It wished that one day they knew How long its roots took to show

Understanding that it has feelings too

And instead just take the clue

Of how to enjoy the view

So it can also continue to look brand new

The Cottage Elena Abreu

The Hitchhiker Christopher Cantarero

The Color Violet Gabriela Pasqualone

Soar Around the World

Riley Winkler

A quiet chirp

Breath of new life

Looking up into the clouds wandering in the sky

Royal blue wings widen

A leap of faith shall be taken

As the baby bird dances along the horizon

Soaring in the sweet air

Singing in a sense of serenity

Flying as high as the glowing, gold moon

Lowering through a field of pastel tulips

A burst of sweet heaven explodes in the beak

Traveling forever around the green globe

Worn feathers soon grow weary

Moving as slowly as a tiny turtle

Rests in a warm, woven nest

Life is lightning disappearing in a blink

Senza Titolo (Italian poem)

Jason Bridge

Onde che colpiscono la spiaggia

Le belle iniziano nel cielo scuro

Vibrante raggiante di luce

Untitled (English Translation)

Jason Bridge

Waves hitting the beach

Beautiful starts in the dark sky

Vibrant beaming with light

Beginning

Andy Zigbuo

A gentle spring breeze

Softly kisses cherry blooms

Pink petals dance free

Nature’s artistry on show

Pure bliss, a fleeting moment

Silence fills the air,

Now what’s left, Peaceful thoughts rise, Birds singing their melody while the wind howls to the song

New Beginnings

Flamingo

Maddie Adams

Focus Katelynn Kelley

Honey Bees Shana Ignacio

Una luce nella notte

(Italian Poem)

James Falcone

In una ricchezza affascinante

proiettando una luce dolce opaca

sopra una vasta tela davvero un bellissimo spettacolo

Stare da solo

una grande sfera di luce argentata

La luna

Tutto da solo

Perso nella notte

A light through the night (English Translation)

James Falcone

In a charming richness casting a dull sweet light up above a vast canvas truly a beautiful sight

Standing alone a grand orb of silvery light.

The moon

All by itself

Lost to the night

Humans and Nature

Jake Reinstein

The humans and I have both existed for as long as I can remember.

But as long as I’ve known, they’ve tried to replicate me. They erect large towering poles with fabric attached to replicate my trees.

They fill the air with gaseous smells to replicate my beautiful flower aromas. They build these colossal metal bulky planes to replicate the might and agility of my birds. Why do they try to replicate the unreplicable, Why do they destroy what I create, Why can’t we just coexist?

The Star, Karleigh Iraca

Round and Round We Go

Maddy Reda

Till We Meet Again, Mason Utset

Orange You Glad I Didn’t Break Your Heart

To What’s Beyond,

Autunno (A poem in Italiam)

William Napier

Freddo scuola

Apprendimento giocare Raccolta

Ringraziamento dare regali Natale

pattinaggio slittino sci bianco freddo

Inverno

Fall (English Translation)

William Napier

Cold School

Learning playing picking

Thanksgiving giving Christmas gifts

skating sledding skiing

cold white

winter

Untitled (A poem in Italian)

Nicholas Merlino

Neve divertimento sole

Pattinaggio in slitta accogliente

Ghiacciolo di neve in letargo

Untitled (English Translation)

Nicholas Merlino

Fun snow sole

Skating in a cozy sleigh

Icicle of snow in hibernation

Kylie McCabe

Untitled Lucas Chuderewicz

Vulnerable, Gabriela Pasqualone

Ella McColgan

Right where he left her

Natalie Zamirowski

It’s ten minutes until I have to close the restaurant, and a woman is still sitting at the table in the back corner. While most of the other patrons have left and their tables have been cleared, she’s been sitting there, unmoving, for the past hour and a half. She’s frozen as everyone else moves around her. If she stays there for much longer, dust will start to collect on her hair.

A glass had fallen and cracked on the table. Red wine stains the white tablecloth. It isn’t salvageable by this point, and I’ll throw it out or give it to my sister for fabric later. There’s a bowl of pasta that must be cold by now sitting in front of the woman, untouched. A half-finished dish lies on the table across from her.

I take a moment to let my gaze trail over her. It’s difficult to see her clearly in the dim light of the flickering candle at the center of the table. I can just make out her profile. Eyes are staring at the wall in front of her. Her blood-red lips are parted as if she’s going to say something. Her light brown hair is elegantly pinned up. Tears leave trails of mascara as they fall down her cheeks. Her legs are crossed beneath her midnight blue evening dress. Matching heels peek out from beneath the hem. She looks heartbroken. It’s a sad sight to see: someone so beautiful and devastated. It’s almost haunting; it makes you want to know what happened.

This must have something to do with the man who was sitting across from her and had stormed off more than an hour ago.

He’d been well-dressed in a tailored gray suit, looking like he’d just come from work at a high-paying job. The woman on his arm, as he

walked in, was just as gorgeous. Together, they were so stunning I almost couldn’t look at them. But I’d shown them to their reserved table in the far corner anyway.

The man offhandedly mentioned it was their third anniversary, and he pulled out the woman’s chair for her before demanding a bottle of one of our best red wines. Apparently, his personality didn’t quite match his looks. So, I left them with a warm loaf of bread and a forced smile. Later, I returned with their wine and took their orders. He asked for the veal chop, and she ordered a pasta dish with peppers and sausage. They seemed to be getting along well enough while I was with them. As soon as I retreated away to the front of the restaurant to help new consumers, the couple in the back corner started arguing quietly with each other.

They were sitting in uncomfortable silence when I returned to their table with the food sometime later. They started to eat their food with smiles I could tell weren’t genuine.

I stood, watching them from the front of the restaurant. The man and woman’s argument grew louder and more disruptive. His utensils clattered onto his plate as they fell out of his grasp. He yelled something I couldn’t make out before standing abruptly. The woman, who was crying by now, reached her hand out to him, knocking over her glass of wine. That’s going to be hard to get out of the tablecloth, I thought. But she couldn’t stop him from leaving. His movements were jerky as he threw a few hundred dollar bills on the table. “Keep the change,” he said, walking past me. The door slammed shut behind him.

Road to Nowhere

Maddy Reda

Covering Mouth

Lina Yang

The Dreamer

Olivia Pomin

Upon an island kissed by the sun’s golden lips

A dreamer resides

In a spot where time gently slips

Their gaze turns to the horizon

Which looks back with a gentle glow

The ocean whispers

Secrets only dreamers know

The days unfold

Like petals in bloom

Gentle breezes carry tales

From distant shores

A symphony of whispers

From deep within the island’s core

Through emerald jungles

The dreamer threads

The leaves and branches

Sharing stories unread

Waterfalls sing lullabies

And tropical melodies echo through

In this sanctuary

Imagination runs wild

Stars paint the sky

A tapestry

Where wishes and fantasies unfold

The island’s heart beats

In rhythm with the dreamer’s own

Through this world

Untouched and unexplored

The dreamer wanders

And whispers

Have I found the place

The place the mind calls home

Marzyciel (A Polish Poem)

Olivia Pomin

Na wyspie całowanej złotymi wargami słońca

Mieszka marzyciel

W miejscu, gdzie czas delikatnie się ślizga

Ich wzrok kieruje się ku horyzontowi

Który spogląda wstecz z delikatnym blaskiem

Ocean szepcze

Sekrety, które znają tylko marzyciele

Dni się rozwijają

Jak kwitnące płatki

Delikatny wietrzyk niesie ze sobą opowieści

Z odległych brzegów

Symfonia szeptów

Z głębi rdzenia wyspy

Przez szmaragdowe dżungle

Wątki marzycieli

Liście i gałęzie

Udostępniają nieprzeczytane historie

Wodospady śpiewają kołysanki

A tropikalne melodie odbijają się echem

W tym sanktuarium

Wyobraźnia szaleje

Gwiazdy malują niebo

Gobelin

Gdzie rozwijają się pragnienia i fantazje

Serce wyspy bije

W rytmie marzyciela

Przez ten świat

Nietknięty i niezbadany

Marzyciel wędruje

I szepcze

Czy znalazłem to miejsce

Miejsce, które umysł nazywa domem

Untitled Sabrina Leiggi

Peony Sophia Monato

Prism Mason

Utset

World of Music

In moments of sadness

I put on my headphones

In an infinite world Of music

Monde De Musique

Isabella Odina

Dans les moments de tristesse De stress De colère

Je mets mes écouteurs Pour me perdre

Dans un monde infini De musique

Mixed-Media

Sophia Komjati

Mixed-Media

Sabrina Leiggi

Multimedia

Katherine Hering

sometimes you learn

LA RECETTE POUR UN SLAM

(Recipe for a Slam)

Written by the Honors French 3 classFall Semester 2023

Ce slam est pour la famille

Ce slam est ma caféine

Ce slam est ma vie

Ce slam est pour la cuisine

La nourriture est comme la mer

Parce que le choix est vaste

Les recettes sont comme un accent

Tout le monde est différent, surtout ma famille

Ma famille est la recette pour la vie

L’intimité est la recette pour ma famille

Ma famille est une soupe où ma mère est le bouillon

Mon père est la viande

J’ai fini mes penne à la vodka

Comme mon oncle a fini la bouteille de Coca

Il a bouffé tout mon Chick-Fil-A !

J’aime mon poulet !

Quand je vois qu’il est mangé

Je suis toujours très troublé

Je représente les Amériques

Je voyage en avion et mange le pain du ciel

J’ajoute du miel.

Au café à Paris, j’ écoute un mec qui dit “Le poulet est brûlé !”

Je fais attention et commande des poissons et du bouillon.

Au café culturel, le menu est petit

Il n’a rien à faire dans la poubelle

Les options sur le menu l’enchantent comme une demoiselle

Il y a beaucoup de choses qu’il a choisies

La cannelle, un croissant d’hôtel, la soupe d’Hongrie

La nourriture, c’est l’amour de ma vie.

La nourriture unit les gens. C’est un partage.

J’aime Oktoberfest parce que c’est très culturel.

En Italie, France et Chili, nous mangeons ensemble !

La culture est mon aventure

La nourriture est ma nature

Sometimes

Ella McColgan

Untitled

Sophia Monato

Rainbow Porcupine

Kelsey Kramer

Jenny Begley

Origami

Anonymous

I feel like a mental contortionist

Always catering to others

The only problem though, I can only fold in so many ways

Before I rip like a sheet of paper.

So please,

Let me rest,

Take care of myself,

Unwind from these knots I’m in, Because I’m a person too, And I deserve to be happy.

Cielo Stellato (Italian Poem)

Madalena Creo

Nel cielo stellato,

Un sogno colorato.

Amore e felicità, La vita è poesia.

Tsunami

Ashlyn Soltysiak

Undisturbed waves floating back and forth

Clouds trembling with fear

Waves turn into giant skyscrapers

Hitting the beach

Turning with rage

The sky turns to a dark hue of gray

Sending chills down the spines of the seaweed

Tickling the bottom of the shore

The wind whistling

Dusting sand across my feet

Running fast

Away from this natural disaster

Is it a disaster?

Or is it a beauty?

The tsunami swipes me up

I am the tsunami

Starry Sky(English Translation)

Madalena Creo

In the starry sky, A colorful dream.

Love and happiness, Life is poetry.

October Katherine Hering

Crotalus Atrox

Matthew Ryba

The Strength of a Still Rock

Angie Siguencia

There lies a humble rock With a mystery story to unlock Smooth or rugged, each texture reveals That through seasons and ages, it stood the test, A symbol of strength, nature’s enduring crest. Even when it was most distressed, It managed to pull its weight In carrying its most beloved trait.

Two Green Turfs

Jake Moog

Two turfs both the same

Yet different in many ways

Two turfs parallel to each other

Two turfs separate from each other

With white lines contrasting what is in and what is not

Two turfs both eagerly waiting for students to run on them

Two turfs both eagerly waiting for students to win on them

Two turfs the same but different

Faragaria Ananassa Liz Halloran

The Ladder Down Maddy Reda

Twin Flames

Maddy Reda

Harvest Jiya Parasher

Yellow Jacket and the Butterfly

Kerith Watson

In a field of flowers so colorful and wide

A yellow jacket and butterfly are free to glide

With the yellow jacket, so aggressive and tough

The other insects, wouldn’t dare get rough

And the Butterfly, so gentle and graceful It makes the other insects oh so playful

Let the Yellow Jacket and Butterfly

Remind us of nature’s life, in the sky

Museum of Lost Toys

Abigail Hwang

museum of lost toys welcome to the museum of lost toys a realm where shadows weave with forgotten joys we collect anyone and anything in our haven where lost souls dance and sing boys and girls all alike waltz through our doors with much delight pick a shelf any shelf! one that will help adorn thyself your purpose lies here with all of us lost things, there’s nothing to fear enjoy your stay, for as long as it takes there’s no reason to panic, your head will remain in its place keep your chin up stay strong and rise above for in this haven that we keep you’ll be allowed to peacefully sleep welcome to the museum of lost toys don’t forget, we tip with coins

The Magnificent Tree

Isabella Lenzo

She grasps the dirt tightly

Strong and mighty

Her roots reach deep

Into the earth they creep

Her trunk a deep shade of brown

And perfectly round

Thick branches reach out

With bright green leaves throughout

Stretching tall into the sky

Reaching the highest high

Untitled Lou-Victoria Martens

Peigler Buck Moth

Isabella Carrero

Blue Pitcher Katherine Hering

Fate Anonymous

Sometimes determinism sounds nice, Because then, there is nothing I can do. Condemned to a set path, a set outcome. Because if it’s not, then it’s my fault. The anguish, self-induced; The privilege of free will, granted; The illusion of fate, gone.

Correre (Italian Poem)

Stella Bove

Correre è divertente Eppure faticoso

Correre è passione

Run (English Translaiton)

Stella Bove

Running is fun

Yet tiring

Running is passion

Anxiety

Isabella Vilarelle

Frame Story

Maddy Reda

Listening at Door

Ella McColgan

3 Friends

Lina Yang

Felis Catu Lina Yang

Savannah Grasslands

Elena Abreu

Exquisite Mountain Range Willow Paterson

Don’t Wear Animals

Olive Foley

A Feeling of Spring

Ava Sulkowski

One morning in May I prance out of my garage

A feeling of spring awakens

Suddenly the air feels warm upon touching my skin

And a sun shines from above glistening off its rays

Yellow powder lightly covers every car

And the emerald greens of trees appear brighter than ever

Growing from the ground, purple pansies start to appear

And opal magnolias begin protruding from the trees

A feeling of spring awakens

The air so fresh, so light

A feeling of spring is a feeling like no other

The Sound of Nature

Ashlyn Soltysiak

As they sit on the perch

The birds laugh and sing

At the people passing by

Judging each other

Birds do not live with this judgment

Birds live free

As a community

Loving one another

Unlike the people passing

Watching the birds

In jealousy of what they have

Citrus Sinensis Madison Fajardo

Churros Felipe Samuel

Coca Cola Anna Guido

Fingers

Lou-Victoria Martens

Maine Coon Willow Paterson

A Rabbit’s Twilight

Riley Winkler

Feeling the tall grass brush against his fur

Jumping through the cornfield

Hoping as high as the stars

As the vibrant daisies waved their hands hello

Tasting the crunchy sweetness of a fresh carrot

Rolling around in the wet, soft mud

As the clear lake swallows him in

Deep orange and pink hues reflect

Looking out at the peak of the shining golden sun

Laying along the lake, reminiscing about the day

The Grass Beneath Us

Jake Reinstein

The grass beneath us is so coarse but yet so soft.

From when we were young and foolish playing on it,

To when we placed a blanket and stared at the stars on it,

To when we ate and talked above it.

The grass was always beneath us, watching us grow old.

As we fell it caught us,

As we jumped it grounded us.

But one day the grass won’t be beneath us,

One day we will be the ones beneath the grass

Wonderment Abigail Hwang

Untitled Juliana Peregrin

Wire Tree Patricia Nazario-Lugo

Back Cover Art: Burning Inspiration

Kylie McCabe

Cover Art: Urban Knights Mason Utset