Editor's Note.

Welcome to the 5th edition of the Literary Harrovian! In this edition, we explored the theme of “Life and Loss” - inspired by the word “eshajōri” - exposing the emotions of the heart, mind, and soul through one of life’s most profound and pervasive encounters

The liminal space between life and loss is one we spend sleepless nights trying to navigate. Many that have come before us have spent their lives trying to make sense of it all - something that seems so simple yet so hard to grasp. Each individual that has lived, that is living, and that will live, will have seminal moments in which they discover what it means to be alive and what it means to diedefined by their own dispositions, idiosyncrasies, and beliefs.

Each piece in this collection is an invitation to reflect on the bittersweet nature of existence, regardless of it being the loss of a loved one, the loss of identity, or the loss of innocence, our encounters with despair and heartache have the capacity to change us in both beautiful and terrifying ways. Characterised by both sorrow and joy, our journeys prevail through misery, introspection, and healing.

It is our hope that these stories will inspire you to reflect upon your own journeys of life and loss, and for eshajōri to bring understanding and inspiration to all our readers. Lastly, we want to thank all members and contributors of the Literary Harrovian for your incredibly devoted and hard work in putting together this edition.

Enjoy reading!

Prinda and Jessica

In a climate where we encounter loss so frequently and diversely, it is almost impossible to compile every individual experience of loss into one single edition Here’s to trying

Humanity knows loss well: we feel it in our bones when beloved things come to an end and surrender to it when it unexpectedly hits us where it hurts most Everybody loses to something at least once in their lifetime Whilst the popular portrayal of loss in mainstream media is of an overwhelming force greater than life itself, loss can sometimes take a different form in a lingering numbness that seeps subtly into our daily lives It is an essential part of the human experience: to love, to lose, and to do it all over again.

With this edition, we aim to depict life and loss in all its raw, multifaceted glory. Writers approach this theme from various different angles - In Catherine Hu’s thought-provoking essay Skulls, stoicism and existential dread, she contemplates the mortality of man; Ashley Tam explores the complexities of extramarital relationships in her poem when we fall asleep:, successfully illustrating the feeling of losing a loved one (“i fall asleep // and i lose you before i wake again”). Several submissions highlight the transient nature of life, as summarised wonderfully in Maia Lui-Schwille’s poem - Nothing Gold Can Stay. Every piece is packed with heart-wrenching emotion and hand-delivered to you, the reader.

Of course, this could only be made possible with the help and support of the Literary Harrovian team. I would like to give special thanks to my fellow Senior Editors, Jessica and Prinda, for dedicating your time to the creation of this edition. I love you guys :D Thank you for partaking in this tumultuous journey with me.

Happy reading, Nicole

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