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