Editor in Chief Giselle Hughes
Managing Editor Andy Guo
PR Director Natalie Miller
Art Editor Zetong Bian
Co-Art Editor Clara Jane Gómez
Photography Editor Zoey Berkow
Fiction Editor
Co-Literary Editor
Staff
Wyatt Herman Simon Ashkin
Evan Li
Yawen Bai
Claire Wen
Chad Geng
Eddie Daoud
Zoey Berkow '25
Alexis Ewing '25
Jadden Peterson '24
Linus Mekhaya '25
Kendall Ridley '24
Tatum Lynn '25
Kenadi Crawford '24
Christopher Langston '25
Donovan Ozuna Simpson '24
Zetong Bian '25
Juliana Peretti '25
Sebastian Schroth '27
Megan Bucholtz '25
Hailey Roth '24
Cami Alperin '24
Tatum Lynn '25
Felix Feng '27
Payton Jones '25
Eddie Daoud '25
Simon Ashkin '26
Sadie Ravitch '25
Natalie Miller '25
Israel Gates '24
Cameron Spinner 24'
Rafaella Effio 24
Claire Wen '24
Yawen Bai '24
Olivia Raucher '27
Giselle Hughes '25
I cannot fly
But like a butterfly, I flit and wander and soar
Emerging from my cocoon,
I have transformed from a girl into a strong, powerful woman, My graceful body moves swiftly like the stormy wind
My journey is just beginning, but my wings can be crushed just as easily as a butterfly
A tornado of Self-Doubt emerges, Isolation striking me like a sword, Judgment crashing onto me like waves
I could fly away in an instant, however, I stand Strong.
I remember the simple days of one-dimensional issues
I played only Treble clef
Fighting nature, fighting my longing for “freedom”
Freedom from responsibility, from reality
Musicality was individuality to me, it was my own property, my sole journey I sung in Treble clef
The strings ringing and chords singing was never truly the point
The point was the work, rolling the rock up Sisyphus’s hill, my soul’s journey
But waves of joy, ebbing and flowing, came and went I strummed in Treble clef
As time rolled forward, I stumbled in its wake
Time was frozen, yet it felt like being chained to a comet
Before I knew it I played in Bass clef
The people around me, my village, called for more, called for my soul
Treble clef was no longer enough, my music, my voice, my chords
They were no longer enough
Apathy, discontentment, and disillusionment were inevitable
As my world expanded, so did my emotions
The ebbing and the flowing stopped being subtle
Cascading and forming into monstrous typhoons, ready to desecrate my psychic shores
But my rhythm, my soul
It changed with the world around it
Those same people, that same village which demanded so much from me
They were my greatest boon, they held me up when I fell
The pushing, the pulling, it made my stronger, taller, and prepared for the storm
But what is a storm to a mountain, to a god
What is a petty argument or a minor loss to an eternal engraving in my soul
My Bass and my Treble were steadfast, providing shelter and purpose
Emptiness could never manifest, the void never emptied, not truly
The work, rolling the boulder up the hill, that’s the makeup of my soul
Flowing my way through the river of song
Letting my fingers weave over frets before thought has even coalesced
Better than heaven, better than the shore where the sea is fickle
Coming and going as it pleases, ebbing and flowing.
Being on the outside, Understand that I am always Looking in Living and loving life In my own world
Enjoying watching you have fun, but Determined to make it inside
Our world is the same Uses the same time and space Trapped out while you are in
Try my best to readjust Remake connections
Apologize and right the wrong People, shocked when it was you People don’t know you like me Enjoy it while it lasts
Do not expect me not to fight
I will not stay down No, I will stand back up
Do not pretend you don’t know me, spread Rumors that aren’t true, Ambush me when I least expect Meticulously plot every detail All of that, just for me?
Get a life!
Logos 13
Chola Donovan Ozuna Simpson '24
I tried to touch the mist of the sea again. I tried to fly into the morning wind again. I tried to do something, but I was lost in the deep.
The morning wake used to comfort me, But now the violent sea has collapsed all on me. Am I just falling to eternity? Or have my dreams relapsed on me?
When the morning calls, I can no longer hear it. When the birds come out to wake up me, I can no longer see it.
Am I just broken? Or am I just lost?
I woke up in the wake again, dragged behind a breaking wave that never ends. The crest was far in front of me, but I just could not reach it. So I tried to swim forward, but the crest was out of reach. I kept getting pulled away, stuck in the riptide of life.
No longer getting anywhere, I was stuck. Stuck in life’s negligence, a place where I couldn’t hide. Yet, I chose to dive right into the wake.
Holding my breath tight, I chose to fight for a new tomorrow. A tomorrow where I could clear my mind. And Say that all is fine. And finally, break through those crashing waves of mine.
I kept going down. Down into the caverns of my soul, which I once called home, But now it was drowned inside.
I woke up in the deep again. Someone I once called my friend, but then life collapsed. I met my friend again, in the depths of my soul. I met my past again.
Let me go, Let me reach the other side, Let me be free of my mind.
Embracing it close, the deep lit up. Purifying the abyss, submerging the water deep into the ground.
Turning turmoil into life. Turning my sea into a shore.
The raging waters above now broke. The once angry sea now smiled back at me. Before disappearing into the air. Is this it? Have I made it home? Have I woken up? Or was this all a dre–…
Common gaze stalls darkness residingrestless eyes break sleep, panic consumescradled in the arms of an unruly master -
All brace hold against the scornful riseAll fall down to Newton’s guiseAll wake up amid the breaking tides.
Lost inside earth’s abyssal shakingLocation undefined -
Embraced by summer’s cold-coated duskTrapped upon man’s moving islandMans’ trapped thoughts in braceful panicConfusion plagues through melted minds.
Radio calls shatter apartLimits must be pushed to survivePoseidon must falter his passionDire rage must fall to compassionLet man’s prayers be heard.
Rocking souls in isolationBeckoned swelling consumes their mindsDark sets in relapsing holdCold breaks last will’s focusBreathe out the panic and breathe dawn’s hope.
* ••• --- ••• * A quiet ticking echoes through the blue. Across the expanse, a message is sent.
A cry for help, a call for someone to hear.
A hard-fought battle between Man and Storm ends with a letter to quell the war.
The ticking echoes slowly, The clock of time grows restless. The turbulence grows and grows endlessly. Night closes in. Man’s carcass caves. A message is sent.
I often wonder who I may be,
Do I have a secret talent?
A skill unknown to me?
Perhaps my soul is gallant,
Or maybe it's reserved, Could it possibly be both?
Is that yet to be observed?
Am I different from those who walk among the halls?
Or am I more similar than I thought, To those I hear through the walls?
Walking down a desert road, I see children covered in sweat and smiles, with nothing but a ball made of strings. Everything was perfect for them. But here I see convoluted entertainment. I see hours spent scrolling to find empty fulfillment. Happiness here is not like the ball made of strings.
In my summers in Jordan, I find appreciation in the sand, I find knowledge in the air. I am playing with a ball made of strings. But here, I am in a loop of desire and it is parallel to my satisfaction.
I find it contradictory, how the glowing screens and loud cities seem to dim the brightness of experiences. I find it contradictory how satisfaction can be lost in abundance. I see that contentment has somehow been lost in our collective advancement.
As I reflect on my time in Jordan, I find that pure joy is not conditional on material but it is found within ourselves. Happiness doesn't require complexity and abundance, it is found in authenticity and connection. My lessons from the desert teach me to discover the joy in simplicity. They are moments that remind me to appreciate the essentials of life.
.
These lessons have had such a profound impact on who I am, I recall them often through daily events. When I drive on I-495 I get reminded of the desert by the pungent smell of diesel, and it brings a warm peace to my mind.
All the glamor and all the lights are meaningless to me now. I am straightforward in what brings me true peace. I find joy in simple moments and I cherish the ones in the past.
May we all learn to be like the little boys on the desert road, finding our own ball of string, our own way of simple happiness.
What does " challenge" mean? Research shows that challenging yourself is very important for mental health. I still remember the situation I faced 8 months ago: I had no friends and was confused about everything everyday. I was not good at challenging myself before I came to America. To be honest, I was not a person with lots of friends before I came here. At the beginning of the year, (I had) no confidence and I didn't know how to challenge myself at all. However, with the help of the counselor, I have become more confident and I know how to challenge myself now.
Life is like a book. For me, the first chapter is my old life. The second chapter starts on August 20, 2023, the first day I was in America. I still remember the first day here. Everything was new for me, (I was) very scared. I still remember the first day in school. All of my classmates are from other countries, speaking English, playing different sports. We even eat different foods. Everything is new for me: new country, new law, new languages, new people and new environment. I have no idea about how to make friends here. I try to talk with others at first, but I have no idea how to talk with new people from different cultural backgrounds. I try to talk about things like how the day is going and some other simple topics, but people speak really fast and when they use slang, I cannot understand what they are talking about. Sometimes they talk about sports; but only few people play baseball and football in China, so I don't even know the rules of these two sports.
Finally, I gave up. I start to refuse all the opportunities to finish my lunch with others, I start to refuse all the opportunities of playing with others. I give up making friends. When I talked with others, I had no idea about how to express myself, and that makes me very sad.
If my whole high school life is just like climbing a mountain, the way to the peak starts at that time. Finally, the mental health counselor noticed that. She meets me every Monday at lunch time and we talk a lot. We discussed a lot about the situation I faced and analyzed why that happened. She encouraged me to be more outgoing and to challenge myself. She also made a plan with me to let me be more confident step by step. Suddenly realized; why don’t I challenge myself? There is nothing I can lose.
I began to practice my English speaking skills. One of the most efficient ways to practice is to talk with others. At first, I felt very nervous because I was worried that they wouldn't understand me and laugh at me. But soon I found that my friends are very kind and friendly and wouldn't laugh at me. I also tried my best to make new friends by joining the model UN club because I am very interested in politics and history. By signing up for many activities such as model competition and SGA activities (morning show host), I challenged myself,. Although sometimes I can get really nervous when I am facing the camera, I try my best to overcome that.
I even decided to sign up to run for SGA representitive. I was very worried about it because this is my first time giving a speech in English, I prepared a lot for this and was ready.I practiced a lot before I gave the speech, and asked for other peoples experiences before the speech. Finally, the day I was supposed to give the speech was here.
During the speech, my legs were shaking and my palms were sweaty. Despite my nervousness, I got elected.
Time passed really fast. 8 months just like a second. Everything changed in these 8 months. when I challenged myself, I changed. I had more opportunities to make my life more interesting and convenient. My English improved a lot and I made many new friends. Challenge yourself, it will make you stronger and better your future After challenging myself, I can confidently say that all of those things happened for me, and more.
All of my life I put everything I had into everything I do From something little as making baked goods to picking my classes or performing in sports.
But I've learned that it is ok to not have everything perfect Things will going happen that are out of your control and that you can't stop and that's ok
Go with the flow even if its a flow that you don't recognize
Learn to let things be and accept them for how they are
At the end of the day, everything is going to work out
Holding it all in
Outnumbered
Why?
Constantly hiding
Raise my hand, put it down
Always being told no
What if I mess up?
Will everyone laugh.
Wait.
Remember who you are: Kind, Confident, Bold
Raise my hand, keep it up
If you are told no, make them say yes
Don’t second guess
Take that chance
Take a breathe Count down
3, inhale, hold, exhale
Say it, You are strong, You are powerful, You are okay being yourself
I remember from an early age my teachers asking for help moving tables in the classroom. I remember, from all the hands raised, my teacher only picked the boys every time. I remember being told the boys were the strong ones. In middle school, I remember guys picking on girls in my friend group. And when they expressed their discomfort, the response was always echoes of “Oh, he just likes you.”
In high school, my friends and I were introduced to the word “girlhood.” I looked up the hashtag of girlhood on social media. The videos started with friend groups all crowded around one mirror in a bathroom doing each other's makeup or edits of girls doing makeup and hair. But, as I swiped further along, the videos morphed from makeup and clothes to strong women giving speeches of admiration and pride after winning Oscars and awards, women speaking and fighting for rights in politics, women represented in sports, and more. The wave of “girlhood” grew my junior summer when the new Barbie movie came out. I grew up watching Barbie movies with my mom and sister. They just seemed like fun cartoons back then. But now I see they showed me and other girls how to believe in ourselves, careers we could want to pursue, and of course friendship.
I saw the new Barbie movie when it came out twice in theaters. The first time was with my parents. While America Ferrara was delivering her speech, I turned to my mom. She was crying, along with many others in that theater. No matter what people thought about that movie, that speech stuck with me: “You're supposed to stay pretty for men, but not so pretty that
you tempt them too much or that you threaten other women because you're supposed to be a part of the sisterhood". This specific quote stood out to me because of just how true it is. How do you tell a young girl she can’t wear a tank top because her shoulders will distract the boys? Why is it never on the boys to simply not get distracted?
Dictionary.com defines girlhood as “the state or time of being a girl” and boyhood as “the state or period of being a boy.” The only significant difference between the two is what follows the definition. There is a quote below the definition of boyhood that reads, “Boyhood is a happy time of life”. There are no words below the definition of girlhood. Girlhood is definitely not a blank nor simply a happy time of life. It is, however, far too complex and meaningful to be reduced to a single phrase or example. For me, it is the feelings of a normal woman truly getting to LIVE her life.
Can you hear it?
Tip your ear Gently, Towards the ocean.
When I was young, They were my lullabies. Now, I fear they are My nightmares.
But they sound pretty. Like, a flower field ablaze. I wonder if, When an orchard catches fire, It smells sweet.
Oh, but the ocean. It is my favorite music. Hauntingly beautiful, Like stealing a secret.
When I am deep in the ocean, In those tropic waters, I become one with them. My ancestors, Brown bodies, Dark blood, Mixing with salty water, Bones resting in the depths Of damp sands. My people. My family. My sirens.
The Logos Literary Art Magazine staff are grateful to the students of Bullis School who committed to producing a high quality literary and art publication. Logos represents the creative minds here at Bullis and we are grateful to be a part of the artistic expression of words and images. Thank you to all the readers who will enjoy this magazine.
We would like to the thank the staff of the English and Art Departments for their tireless energy and dedication. We would also like to thank Ms. Adams, Ms. Shi-Kahn, and Ms. Thompson for consistently steering us in the right direction.
And last but not least, we would like to thank Mrs. Arphelia Cabell for her guidance, tenacity, and most importantly, thank you for guiding us toward becoming professionals!
