Equinox - Spring 2023

EQUINOX

EQUINOX

SENIOR EDITORS

Lilah Groff

Editor

Vivienne Stoller

Staff

Jack Campagna

Isolda Corena

Leo Simmons

Senna Lieber

Faculty Advisor

Mrs Alexander

Head of School

Mr. Knauer

of Middle School

Dr. Byrne

1.……………………………

Simmons

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Hollow………….…..………...……….…..………………….9

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Raindrops……….….…….……………..…...……39

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Groff

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That Hill

by Amity Doyle

As I was walking

In my little purple button down coat

I looked down at my shoes

And felt my hair remove itself from behind my ears

And fall down in streams against my face and against the air

I heard the birds chirping songs of life

The world felt wide, and the pathway was tight

Through the walls of green brambles

Brown, dying tangles of vines twisted from the start

I kicked the ground and felt the overwhelming friction

I looked at the fading pen marks and magic marker lines across my hands

Words on each finger, reassurance

And I walked up that hill.

by Leo Simmons

Dinner music

by Aoife Lazzaro

T h i s t a b l e :

T h e

A l w a y s

N o i s e

Of growling from

H U N G R Y

S t o m a c h s :

Hangry voices and lots of laughter

and siblings sniffing the air for Food in all

V O C A B U L A R I E S Of

HOT BURNING

SIZZLING appetizers

With different

R E C I P E S

A s p l a t e s

B

CRASH

N G

A s s u a l t i n g my e a r s

While I just want a meal.

W i t h

T h e

A l w a y s

N o i s e

O f

T h i s t a b l e :

Dinner Music

Shape Shifter

by Isolda Corena

People say that monsters are scary creatures that hide under your bed. But if you really think hard enough it’s possible That a monster could be right in front of you

All along

Sometimes those monsters don’t look Like they’re evil and scary But You have to look deep enough into their soul To find out The Truth about Them.

by Leo Simmons

Love

by Lilah Groff

Love

1 syllable

4 letters

100 different meanings

Used countlessly throughout the day

But all in the wrong reasons

Is it a feeling or a saying?

Do you say it when you ' re sad or when you get mad?

A quick “I love you ” isn’t the meaning

But how do we distinguish this feeling?

Say it when you mean it, not when you see it

Do you love them platonically or ironically?

Some people use this saying freely

But I look deeper into this meaning

I won’t say it when I don’t mean it

I won’t hide it when I want to show it.

Love is 1 word

1 syllable\

4 letters

Used frequently

In 100 different interpretations

I think I’ve figured out the meaning

Of this strange feeling

But I’ll let you decide.

by Leo Simmons

What’s in Barbie’s Closet

by Sophia Kimmel and Sofia Solares

Rows and rows of glimmering clothes, Dripping in diamonds and gold, Past careers unfold as I take a stroll.

Florals and stripes

In maxis and minis

The crème de la crème brands remind me of Fairytale journeys in France.

Closet, the name of my perfectly pink robot

Made by my hot boyfriend Ken, Bringing me gazpacho and sherbert

While I watch Chealsea stealing my clothes.

Clothing being thrown in every which way

Creating an array,

Glitters and sparkles dancing around The closet follows behind.

Blush

Flamingo

Bubble gum

Rose

Ballet slipper

Rose gold

Fussia

Magenta

And more pink blinding my eyes.

What’s in My Mind

by Peikang Hu

Annoying things, like school. Phones, Fascinating, held in my hand. But airpods too. A student for being diligent. Social Media, varying, tedious. A way to relax

Temporarily. Besides entertainment, or fun, School work makes me feel obliged to start to do things. English teachers, the best class Spring comes, tennis comes. My favorite season. Robotics is gone

Fading like a piece of withered leaves. Good and bad aspects about that decision. A student’s normal life and thoughts, nothing special.

by Leo Simmons

by Leo Simmons

Lake

by Neel Mistri

To a joyful duck

It is just a simple place

To leisurely swim

To an elephant

It is barely just a pond

Cool on a hot day

To a small cricket

It is like the deep blue sea

One step could kill you

Arcade

by Henry Leibowitz

The beeping of machines, the sound of kids having fun. As they win their games, you can hear the excitement of them celebrating with their peers. It's like a dog aer meeting its owner, the ka-ching aer the tickets pour out as fast as a sugar rushed coyote

Those prizes, lined up, neater than the king themselves. That feeling that the arcade is complete, that my mind has spread. My 25 cents through the slot, taken away for a chance of luck.

BOOM, 4 clowns down, as a ball makes a headshot. The ball gets a 50 as it goes up the tamp, faster than a bullet. Spinning the wheel, fingers crossed, hoping to hit the jackpot!

Bang, a ding as you hit the 1000, then it moves to the JACKPOT!

Scoring those points, not letting the ball go down. Ding, ding, ding, the ball hits the 100 and then the 1000!

Memes and NFts

by Sullivan Wieting

And the memes They spread the Viral laughter

And the NFTS Flow with overinvested Money for something not Real at all

And memes, but twice DNA of the soul

Technology

by Daniel Kiame

And social media ruins your life

And Chat GPT this was generated by chat gpt

And the Chromebooks they are inferior

Ding On The Door

By Sophia Kimmel

Ding on the door. Wow!

I see the Takis, milkshakes, and sodas, all calling to me. I grab a basket and begin to fill.

Bacon

by Jake Lichenstein

O, Dracula

In his dark cave. We took him out To daylight, His skin

Started sizzling

In the Sun. It was extraordinary, He looked like bacon

Getting cooked on the stove.

by Leo Simmons

by Leo Simmons

Sweet Angel

by Isolda Corena, Senna Lieber, and Melanie Perez

Sweet angel, Bone white, Thin ice, Dark night,

A February frost coating her wings, “Forever faithful” as she sings, Flying over a violet hush

She is in no rush.

Sponge

By Lilah Groff

I’m kind of like a sponge

Fill me up with secrets But with a little push I could break out in pieces

I soak up all the news And spread it out plain and thin No matter the thickness or thinness

Transparency or opaqueness

I’ll take care of anything you throw at me But I won’t promise I won’t spill

by Leo Simmons

About History

By Jordan Sheppe

Learning things like the Civil War. The tactics used during the fights

The times in-between. Like the Great Depression. I look Forward to learning about our World’s past. Walking down the Hall full of joy. So many ways to Learn.

The way you can go so Far back in time and still find Things like leaders, outcomes, And where the battles took place.

Fascinating.

Understanding events that Took place back that shapes Out how the world works today.

Developing the ability to avoid Mistakes and create better paths

For our society.

The importance Of history

In our own lives.

What’s My Favorite Sport?

By Sarah Fisher

It makes me happy like sunshine on a warm day. Feelings like love and fun. Ball in my hand, dribble down the court, shoot, score. A way to get out of your head.

Makes you feel alive.

Being off the court and wanting to be on. The loud noise. The big crowd. The feel of a swish. No other thoughts consume me.

It’s just me and the ball.

Nothing to fear. Think over. Remember.

It’s a way out.

The ability to live and let live.

It’s like a world within a world, or maybe just mine.

by Senna Lieber

White Willow Tree by

Sydney Boothe

O-voluminous was the Yeti, up in the mountains. He went to Target and he started smiling when he saw all the coolers. His fur was flowing in the wind like a white willow Tree.

What’s in My Room

By Neel Mistri

A bookshelf, full of past anecdotes. Like a wooden boat and a wooden car. A box of archaic art supplies, along with less archaic art. A few shelves filled with books of stories that happened, did not, or neither. Books that just sit there… much like me on an ancient chair with leather peeling off, in front of a desk constructed from instructions. A drawer, a pocket dimension for knick-knacks, pencils and… my wallet?!

A lamp which illuminates my life here, next to a window, by Leo Simmons my daily weather reporter. A closet showing how many things I’ve grown out of and gone through. And my bed, a clutter that’s a dime a dozen that always catches my fall.

What do I love about Summer?

by Zoey Berman

The beginning, like it's gonna last forever. Swimming, tanning, bikinis. Freckles and light hair. The sound of waves hitting the shore, And the smell of the sea.

Getting off the bus at camp, Seeing my friends, jumping in the lake. Looking up at the bright fireworks on the 4th of July. Traveling, swimming with my friends, Waterparks and Six Flags. Acai bowls, smoothies, Ice cream every day. It feels like it just began, But just like that, It's over.

Black Sheep

by Sophia Thilo

How grand Was Cerberus

In his hellish domain. I lead him To a simple dog park He cowered. He appeared As the black sheep

Amongst the regulars.

by Lilah Groff

Moving by Sunflower Burk

Standing on that ant-ridden brick path

Staring through the windows

Trying to get a view of the rooms that lie inside

It all suddenly feels so real

The boxes

Removing more and more by the day

All the mild annoyances

I’ve gotten used to them

Leaving grows closer and closer by the second

I want to say a proper goodbye

But how?

by Leo Simmons

by Lilah Groff

My Street Music

by Isolda Corena

My street: The always noise of h o n k i n g cars voices all around slamming of doors loud music playing from the kids next door.

T h u m p i n g of the basketballs on the pavement.

N e i g h b o r h o o d of SLAM CLUNK HONK BARK

Houses combine into the never ending noise. This is the music of my street.

Flower by Madison Boothe

O-vicious the dragon looked in his haunted forest. When he went to the river he got stuck when he was trying to get water. Red and orange flames spilled out of his scaly mouth. He looked like the only flower in the yellow field.

by Leo Simmons

Hair Tie

by Katya Stephens

There's one on my wrist and I slip it up and down my hand. I take it off.

I twist it around, make it into a bow. Take it apart. Slide it back on my wrist. A girl.

Her hair is long and messy, like she's been in the wind, or was running somewhere. She's a blonde, a brunette, a redhead, blue haired.

She says “ could I borrow it?”

I slide it off and give it to her.

There now is an indent on my wrist from where it was. I try to remember where the simple black circle is from. If I never buy them, how do I always have one?

I now remember that I just gave her what was given to me. That I was the girl with long messy hair too. And I feel a sense of kinship with the girl that gave me the fabric band, and the girl I gave it too.

I wonder how far it will travel; will it make it to places I've never been, but hope to go to? Will it get to the bustling streets of Tokyo? To the street light littered streets of Paris?

Will it make it back to me?

The Core of the Problem

by Sophie Frankel

One day, as Amelia and her little brother, Avery were walking home from school, they felt a shaking. Amelia scooped Avery up and ran for cover in the nearest house. However, as she approached the house, the ground opened up in front of her and the house fell into a seemingly endless hole. As she and Avery watched in horror, a giant striped worm emerged from the pit. It opened its gaping mouth, and swallowed Amelia whole. Her last words were, “AVERY, RUN!” As Avery ran, he heard his sister’s screams echoing behind him, but he didn’t dare look back, for fear that he would suffer the same fate.

He kept running until he reached home. His parents came running out, and he panted breathlessly, “Mom, Dad, Amelia was just eaten by a giant worm!” His parents stared at him, and then they told him to “Go pack your bags. We’re leaving in an hour. We’re in mortal danger if we stay.” Avery, though wrought with grief over the loss of his beloved sister, did as his parents said, and packed only his most treasured possessions.

As his father packed the car, Avery went back to where he last saw his sister, perhaps holding out a hope that she somehow survived. All he saw, however, was a shoe and her backpack. Sadly, he turned away and began to walk home, when he heard a faint voice. “Avery, help me!” He whirled around, but saw nobody. “Who’s there?” he shouted. “Avery, it's me, Amelia. Help me!”, was the reply. “Where are you?” he called out. The only answer was silence.

As he and his parents drove slowly away, suddenly, they stopped. In the middle of the road, lay a body. They all got out, and Avery saw something shocking. It was Amelia! He rushed over and checked for a pulse. It was very faint, but his sister was alive! He shouted to his parents, “It’s Amelia! And she’s alive! We have to get her to a hospital!” He carried his sister to the car and set her carefully in the backseat, buckling her seatbelt.

When they arrived at the emergency room, his father carried Amelia to the hospital room. As the doctors hurriedly worked to save her, Avery fell asleep. When he woke up, it was morning, and his parents were crying at Amelia’s bedside. He hurried over, and saw that his sister was awake! He was overjoyed. He had been so afraid that she was gone forever. He and his family returned home, and lived happily. For a few months…

by Leo Simmons

The Hamptons

By: Mallon Gilligan

Pedaling as fast as we can, Feeling the wind going through every hair on our heads, Being the only people on the road,

Hearing the waves crashing down, Running as fast as we can, Jumping into the open blue sea,

Climbing up and up, again and again, seeing the big pile of cold sand, Pushing each other off and getting the wind knocked out of you!

Farther Below

by Robert Lawrence-Comerford

The end has come, expecting to be set free. But you are not ready for this hey fee. Farther below you will forever remain, Only mental, no physical pain. And yet this existence is worse than hell, where you are no one will tell.

Worse than any evil person on earth your choices lead you here since your birth. The mental pain is much worse than above, no company here, no happiness, no love. A place for people worse than bad and slowly here you will be driven mad.

Please, Enjoy your stay.

by Lilah Groff

Summer

By Theo Leyva

Glistening waters

The waves crashing on the docks

Wearing away wood

The hot summer warmth

The seagulls scavenge and screech

They look for our food

The sun is setting

Warm colors are in the sky

Day is sadly over

by Jack Campagna

The End of Summer

by Karen Dey

Excerpt

Beep, Beep, Beep went my alarm. I groaned and put my face in my pillow. The sun shined into my room and my curtains swayed in the light wind from the opened window. Something you should know about me is that I am not a morning person, and I mean NOT a morning person. It normally takes four alarms before I get out of bed. I sat up and rubbed my eyes and got out of bed. The cold floor felt nice on my bare feet. When I got to the kitchen I found a note on the table saying “Sage, I am at the bakery and will be working double shi. I will be back late but make sure that your suitcase is packed and you ' re ready to go. -MOM” Of course she is out again. She sometimes works double shis at the bakery baking and serving customers. I was wondering about what she meant about “make sure your suitcase is packed” while I ate breakfast. I brushed it off and went to my room to change and pack for this “trip”. I changed into a pair of white jean shorts, blueish short sleeve shirt, and light brown sandals. Brushed my brown hair and added clips. What I packed was 5 days worth of clothes and pajamas. I had no idea where we were going or anything. For the rest of the day I just sat at home doing nothing till my mom came home. When she finally came home, at like 6:30, she did not look like she was at a bakery for the day. Normally she comes home with her apron covered in baking powder, her hair all messy, and tired. But now when she walked in the door she was smiling, and holding a suitcase, with a flowy dress with floral patterns all over, and a sun hat on her head. At that moment I could tell that we were going somewhere tropical. “Come on, don’t look so surprised. Get that bag and let's go!” she said, almost flying into the sky with excitement. I ran to my room and changed some things out for the tropical trip. Like adding a swim suit and some flip flops. I grabbed my things and we headed for the car. When I was clambering down the stairs I didn't even care that everyone was looking at me. I busted through the door and ran to the car. We both got in the car and when we started driving my mom said “Wow, Sage I have never seen you so excited. You're always so shy.” “Well” I say “ we are going on a trip! Am I not supposed to be excited?” We laughed and talked all the way to the airport. She told me that we are going to Costa Rica!

by Lilah Groff

What’s Down the Rabbit Hole

By Theo Leyva

Amazing abstract artifacts below, Bleak faces with no eyes, Constant consecutive motifs on Dreary labyrinths disguised as corridors, Everywhere walls close in. the Fear of not knowing what's around the corner. Greater sensations then the past five, Hear the sounds of nothing at all. The Identity of balance, sharp Jagged edges that are so Know all ideas as feasible.

Limitless ideas of pure imagination

Millions do not know.

A cop car

by Daniel Kiamie

O-ugly Was the witch

In her hut. We took her To laser tag

And she started Hurling

When she saw The bright lights. Laser Blue and red barf

All over The carpet floor. It looked

Like a cop car Out on the shady Streets.

What’s In My Wallet

By Zachary Roberts

Amazing things like a five guys gi card. Beautiful things, mom ’ s credit card, no spending limit. But cash too. Pieces of paper, coins, an insane amount of trash. No room for any more gi cards or tickets. Stuff I shouldn't have, like gi cards that might be mine. Stuff I forgot about, like four year old Mcdonald's receipts, Maybe even some crumbs. Great things, like the Fortnite item shop. Amazing drawings of spongebob, Better than the real one.

Old NBA tickets from years ago. Useless pieces of paper that barely fit. Someone's horrible messy wallet that might be mine.

Burning computer

by Lee Birch

O musty

Was the gnome In his crusty bush. We took him too our home, He started to Dance

When he saw the front lawn Fire.

His dance was on fire, It moved His crunchy body. He looked Like a burning computer

Out in a gaming room.

by Lilah Groff

What the Crows Collect

by Sophia Thilo

Neglected nicknacks; screws, porcelain pieces, Buttons, rusted fish hooks, jewelry parts. Lustrous artifacts, the occasional ring cap or penny. Some common “whatsits”, others are rather rarities. All conduits to lost stories, a passage to the past. Each with a reminiscent of a memory. No amount of contrivance could piece together its meaning. Much less why it was even found. But someone took an interest in the lost, And keeps the odd things around.

by Leo Simmons

The Alarm

By Grahm Bryant

How mean the Jersey Devil was In his land of Pine Barrens. I took him

To the Prudential Center and he started cheering when he saw the hockey rink. Loud shrieks and bellows Came from his toothy grin. He sounded like an alarm waking someone up in the by Leo Simmons Morning.

Progress

by Ben Shaw

Everyday I work, Every night I go to sleep

Knowing I could have done better.

I restart the day aer Work, work, shower, and sleep, Knowing I could have done better.

So, I will try to do better the next day. I go to school and play sports

Knowing I am making progress.

I do my homework, shower and sleep. Then, I wake up and do better the next day. A shower and sleep, happier than ever, Now I'm realizing the progress I have made.

What's On My Mind?

by Daniel Lehman

Imaginary things, like if I had a million dollars.

Peaceful things, like hanging out by the beach during the sunset with my family.

Happy things, like a dog wagging its tail,

Scary things like creepy dolls,

Fun things like watching movies,

Hungry things like eating tubs of chocolate ice cream, Sad things, like my grandpa passing.

Weird things like how was the internet made,

Joyful things like hanging out with friends,`

Painful things like biting my tongue,

Silly things like when I laughed so hard I couldn't breathe,

Serious things like doing my homework,

Things so strange no one probably thinks about, anyone except like me.

by Leo Simmons

what i love you means

by Sunflower Burk

i love you is more nimble than a fox it can strike you and bite you harder than a snake

i love you is more temperamental than a storm it can make you feel warm and cold all at the same time

i love you is greater than life and worse than death

i love you will give you shape and take it away all in the same breath

i love you will be your best friend and your worst enemy

i love you will build and ruin you

i love you is death and i love you is life

so if you accept the hurt of loving i might just love you too

...

…

all i ask of you is to not place my heart in ruin

by Leo Simmons

Summer

by Rylan Gilligan

Hamptons is what I look forward to all year, Summer is when you don’t need to worry about anything!

When it’s summer you just go with the flow, You do stupid stuff with your friends, You stay out late and have sleepovers, You go to the ocean all day long, Have a picnic and watch the sunset. Boat rides and going to eat at Oaklands and Cowfish is the best! Running through the hot sand with stuff in your hands, Chasing seagulls with your cousins, But most of all, waking up at 6:00 in the morning to go swim in the Ocean is my pride and joy. Late night swimming in the pool with the whole fam, and dinner at the long table is the best!

by Lilah Groff

Letting go

by Vivienne Stoller

I feel like letting go is one of the hardest things in life

I can’t let go of my baby books

Even tho they constantly sit in the corner collecting dust

I can’t let go of my stuffies

Even tho half of them are hanging on by threads

I can’t let go of memories

Even the worst of them

In fact hiding in the back of my closet I have a tiny memory box

I will pull it out once in a while to add or take away special objects

But letting go of cards will always be the hardest thing for me

On top of my shelve I have an overfilling box of all the letters I have ever received

I just find that when I let go of stuff

I let that person go with it.

by Leo Simmons