A Mystical Forest Home

O brazen huntress! With a substantial duty to fulfill, Sitting quietly, sharp, and ready. With her homeland to protect, She holds her blade steady. With golden locks glistening in the morning sun, She senses a peaceful day awaiting already.

O beloved protector! With whom the forest relies on, Greeted by an unexpected guest. With yellow eyes as dense as smog, Piercing through the murky forest from the west, And thus emerges the spiky green beast, A friend who knows the huntress best.

O fearless warrior! Examining her quiet surroundings, Watching her familiar friend’s fond gaze. Its dense yellow eyes follow a quick winged creature, As it lands on her soft hand and stays.

And so, she watches this creature of her land, Admiring its complex beauty in all its ways.

O curious explorer! A reflection of the earth from which she came, Studying the birds who fly across her land, Noticing the freedom of their gentle flight. She wonders if there is anything they cannot withstand. How amazing they must feel with eternal freedom, When the grand world is within reach of their hand.

O fierce knight! Withholding greater knowledge than her own creator, Perpetually alone with her thoughts, For she has no regular company but her blade. And with all the protection and safety it brought, She has learned from her sword’s ways of wisdom, And with its wisdom, through only necessary death it fought.

O wise recluse! Sitting gracefully with friends, Eyes closing in on her dense forest home. The land whispers a familiar tune, Telling her she is not alone. Though everyone may seem so far, She has proven she can make it on her own.

Masks

Women are always masked. Women are constantly piled with work and tasks. In the night they shine bright.

In the day, freedom is what they lack, but women always see the light.

All the masks have different faces.

Not one of them the same, they are all running different races. Will this stop them from going places?

Or will this spark a fighting flame, ignite confidence in their faces?

Women are underestimated and treated cruelly

They are not ones to be messed with, and one day will rule. Women know how strong they are.

But that mindset for some men is rather far.

We have fought for our rights and gained what we want. We have gone on an equality hunt.

We have won the battle, but not the war.

We have equality, but we fight for more.

Women’s masks can be a cover of their strength, And the equality race is not a short length.

We can all receive this if we fight hard enough.

Women are strong and worthy, and we all know, even if this fight may be rough.

Sydney Seidel ‘25