enchant february 2022 ft. works from the jn burnett student body
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The world is a truly captivating place. Through our senses, different things enchant us. Perhaps it’s the beauty of nature, the delicate flowers or the star-filled sky. The charm of another individual with their presence and smile. Or maybe it’s an imaginary world with whimsical creatures and magic spells. Childhood fairy tales and the magical forests, giant toadstools and the ultimate battle between heroes and villains. Whatever it may be, it captivates us, infatuates us, pulls us closer, giving us no choice but to follow it and fall victim to the spell that it casts. Come into the world of JNB artists and see what enchants them. In ENCHANT, we created what lures us in and keeps us wanting more. We hope their creations enchant you just as much as they enchanted us. Happy reading!
Madie Lee & Samantha Cham JNB Literary Magazine's co-editors-in-chief 02/06/2022
on the cover 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
test #333 // anonymous editor's note contents the team jam packed // enchantments purification // amanda kwok untitled // sofia konyk fantasy land // winnie xie fairy tale // ethan chin only time will tell // destiny lang metamorphosis // cadence lung a siren unlike // tiffany li in the aurora borealis // lisa zhang test #333 // anonymous yesterday's dream // anne liao the moon is beautiful, isn't it? // delfia tingala untitled // gurwas dhaliwal mesmerized // yolanda wei spellbound // samaya grewal the world i close my eyes to see // anonymous untitled // joshua wu winter spirits // yuyu liu euphoria // adrianne namuco the one // bilal gardizi girl in the woods // jocelyn ly forest secrets // madie lee among the stars // elisha cheung untitled // hugo hui thank you!
executives creative + visual director eliana barbosa
editors-in-chief madie lee samantha cham
graphic designers tiffany li anika ng cadence lung yuyu liu
secretary adrianne namuco
social media + marketing managers tayla barbosa jessie lan
treasurer alyssa wong
writers:
photographers:
artists:
destiny lang, bilal gardizi, madie lee
sofia konyk, gurwas dhaliwal, yolanda wei
winnie xie, ethan chin, amanda kwok, cadence lung, tiffany li, lisa zhang, anne liao, delfia tingala, samaya grewal, joshua wu, yuyu liu, adrianne namuco, jocelyn ly, elisha cheung, hugo hui
a playlist enchantments enchanted stargazing moonlight for lovers LILAC dream home sweet home last summer whisper lucid dream fairy of shampoo comfort chain so mean your ocean amusement park bon voyage violeta something about you like the movies the flower garden
taylor swift the neigbourhood dhruv lamp IU tessa violet steven universe ost anri aespa TXT instupendo afternoon hoppipolla BAEKYUN YooA IZ*ONE eyedress laufey joe hisaishi
spotify search "spotify:user:jnblitmagazine" to listen to the playlist!
purification amanda kwok 6
untitled sofia konyk 7
fantasy land
winnie xie 8
fairytale
ethan chin 9
only time will tell destiny lang In the shadows, they awaited her arrival. The once lively ballroom was quiet and calm. Illuminating wooden floors in need of polishing, the winter moonlight softly streamed through elegantly arched glass windows. Floor-length velvet curtains fading with each sunrise gathered a thick layer of dust. Long-extinguished candles on the crystal chandeliers were frozen in time, beads of melted, solid wax clinging to their unmelted body. The double doors eerily creaked open, closed firmly by two gentle hands. Steady footsteps echoed throughout the ballroom, approaching a piece of angular furniture covered by an intricately embroidered cloth. Wrinkly fingers traced thread-painted flowers in eternal bloom: red roses, yellow primroses, golden daffodils, and forgetme-nots. The elderly woman smiled as she examined her work, crows feet lengthening slightly at the corners of her eyes. Carefully lifting the delicate shawl, she unveiled an ebony pianoforte. Peering into its smooth, mirror-like surface, a young maiden blinked back at her. She had kept her middle part all these years, but instead of thinning grey hair pulled into a practical bun, curled raven hair framed the face of her younger counterpart. “Welcome back,” the young girl breathed, bright eyes widening with joy. “I missed you too.” The old woman smiled compassionately. She still had a small dimple on her right cheek when she smiled. “Shall we begin?” asked the girl, adjusting the flowers adorning her hair. “Go, and be free!” The old woman lifted the fallboard. She rolled up the fabric covering the keyboard and set it aside. For the first time in decades, her fingers graced the ivory keys. Pressing down, a B flat major chord sounded. Strange, she thought as she sat down, the pianoforte is miraculously in tune. To her delight, the chandeliers above her were lit as she struck
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the chord, the flames fluttering with energy. Casting a golden glow in the ballroom, she imagined how magnificent hosting a ball would be if she could restore this place to its former glory. Hesitantly, the old woman began to play a polka, careful to hit the right notes, easing into the melody as she rekindled her muscle memory. Then the dancers appeared. Pair by pair, arms entwined around each other, the translucent figures graciously emerged — from all sides of the room, billowing skirts and leather shoes twirled onto the dance floor. Taken by surprise, the old woman snapped back to reality from her musical trance. She regained her composure and resumed playing her tune, and the dancers did not seem to mind the brief pause. Decades had passed since someone last played that pianoforte. The ladies with a healthy complexion and rosy lips charmed hearts in the room, looking queenly with their elegantly braided hairstyles and glittering jewelry. Their swooshing crinoline-supported gowns mesmerized the old woman, reminiscing on how she had felt beautiful in them once. The men donned ruffly linen shirts peeking out from sharp, pressed suits, head held high with neatly trimmed hair. Some gentlefolk seamlessly combined masculine and feminine styles into their dress, and the old woman was impressed. However, the only dancer who caught her eye was the gallant gentleman approaching her younger self by the pianoforte. He looked almost as she remembered. Blessed with dark glittering eyes and naturally curled eyelashes, his eyes warmed her cheeks and ears as he had years ago. Dainty freckles scattered across his sun-kissed skin, a galaxy of stars contained within one earthly form. Everything was unchanged, but the translucent man before her was more phantom than human. He grinned radiantly when he was face to face with the young girl. She had always loved his dimples.
“Mr. Tudor,” the lady curtsied towards the gentleman, both stifling a giggle. “George!” The girl embraced her dearest friend and he wrapped his arms around her. Although they last parted in the summer, there is no telling when she would see him again. “I’ve missed you. So much.”
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“I thought I’d drop by for a surprise visit! And see how my band is faring — especially our lovely low brass players,” George winked and they could feel their heartbeat quicken. “How was university? Please tell me everything. I have been waiting so long to hear from you!” “Why don’t we sit down? This is going to take a while. Remember the enrolment ceremony in July? After that, we…” George’s voice grew fainter as he led the girl towards the tables and chairs at the side of the ballroom. The old woman strained to hear him, but she kept on playing the polka. When my hands brush yours, I feel the warmth I crave on cold winter nights. They say those are the shortest days of the year, but your absence stretches every second you aren’t here. In your umber eyes, I see our future and our past. Together we’ll grow old and grey, our lives entwined be light and gay. We’ll sail across the seven seas and live to tell the tale to please our children, grandchildren, and generations to come. You enchant me like no other, and no magician can compare. I don’t care for cardistry, because the only artistry I need is how you make me feel I’m young when I’m mature and grown, how you make me feel so loved when I feel sorrow, all alone. Upon me, you’ve cast a spell. Hearing your name, my heart swells. Promise to me you’ll come home? “I’ll try, only time will tell.” “Please, George, please! I would love to dance with you at my debutante ball!” As her polka had concluded, the pair had moved closer to the pianoforte again. Oh, how much of her innermost thoughts the old woman wished to tell George! He seemed to not notice, nor hear her. George was always slightly out of reach. “Since your ball will be held in the summer, I should be able to attend. By then, I will have completed my studies and returned home.” “George, that is delightful news! I hope you’ll remember me, and our promise.”
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“Of course I’ll remember you! Unforgettable, that’s what you are. Even when I travel, I keep your letter in my logbook for good luck.” “Oh, I am paralyzed with happiness! But, before you go,” the girl demurely glanced up at him. “May I please have this dance?” “Yes,” he nodded. “And remember, we can always keep in touch.” George’s cheeks flushed as red as a tomato, his eyes shone as he extended his hand towards her. At the joining of their hands, the old woman began to play a slow waltz. Enviously, she watched the pair twirl into the crowd, blending among other ghostly dancers. They gazed into each others’ eyes trustingly, laughing and whispering secrets built upon years of honesty, respect and devotion. Soon, the old woman lost track of her younger counterpart and her beloved. When the sun rose, the sky was tinted a dreamy pink. The phantom dancers took their last bows and retreated into the ballroom’s walls. The candles upon the chandeliers extinguished themselves, leaving a thin wisp of smoke in place of flame. Sunlight filtered through the glass windows, refracting rainbows on the wooden floor. Rising from the bench, the old woman lowered the fallboard on the fabric-covered keyboards. Once more, her eyes lingered on her sentimental embroidered flowers. She had heard him tonight, and she knew him to be true to his word. In the sunlight, she awaits his arrival.
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metamorphosis 14
cadence lung
a siren unlike 15
tiffany li
in the aurora borealis
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lisa zhang
test subject #333
anonymous 17
yesterday's dream
anne liao
18
the moon is beautiful, isn't it?
delfia tingala 19
STARSTRUCK gurwas dhaliwal
mesmerized yolanda wei 20
spellbound samaya grewal
the world i close my eyes to see anonymous
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untitled joshua wu 22
winter spirits yuyu liu
23
euphoria
adrianne namuco 24
the one bilal gardizi
I close my eyes tightly Drifting away You trickle your way in Lighting the void You are the one The one the stars talk about The one who deserves the world The one who is so effortlessly enchanting The one who never fails to catch my eye The one my heart fell for In my dreams you rain incessantly I wake up to find you Ruling the realm of my thoughts Nothing compares to Someone as ethereal as you
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girl in the woods
jocelyn ly 26
forest secrets madie lee There's secrets in the forest Like tiny footprints on the floor Magic creatures play together As moonlight starts to soar The magic creatures are best friends Fairies, gnomes all get along They’re playful, silly and love to dance They party all night long The forest is full of joy and fun Toadstools filled with light The magic creatures sing and laugh They play all through the night The party lasts till dawn Then it’s time to say “goodbye!” The magic creatures hide again As sunlight meets the sky
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among the stars
elisha cheung
28
untitled
hugo hui
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catch you in our next issue!
JN BURNETT'S LITERARY MAGAZINE CLUB