TABULA RASA

Vol. VII | 2023 | Pinewood School | Los Altos Hills, CA

Editor-in-Chief

Samantha Hsiung

Art Director

Emma Hwang

Assistant Editors

Esha Joshi

Makena Matula

Violet Negrette

Josephine Tu

Sophia Yao

Publicity Editor

Rachel Farhoudi

Web Editor

Kathleen Xie

Advisors

Holly Coty

David Wells

A NOTE FROM THE ARTIST, EMMA HWANG ’24, ABOUT THE FRONT COVER

When I’m on the streets of Seoul at night, I feel as if I’m in a dream. The chaotic but rhythmic sounds and sights of the city resemble that of a living being. The hypnotically endless roads and mosaics of lit signs beckon one forward. Even as I live in a different country, a part of my soul will always be wandering down the streets of Seoul, bewitched by its restlessness and beauty. I created this painting as a safe haven for that part of me, to call my soul back home after it has walked every lane.

Pinewood School’s Literary Arts Magazine

26800 W. Fremont Road, Los Altos Hills, CA 94022

(650)-209-3010 tabularasasubmissions@pinewood.edu pwtabularasa.org

May 2023

Table Of Contents

2 THE SPACE IN THE PAST , Violet Negrette ’25

3 COMET SHOWER , James Chang ’25

4 PIECES OF MY HEART , Annabelle Eaton ’25

5 FRUIT DANISH , Emma Hwang ’24

5 K. , Bridget Rees ’24

6 TANK MAN BEFORE EXECUTION , Samantha Hsiung ’23

8 ABSINTHE AND PIPEDREAMS , Josephine Tu ’25

10 “A MILLION DREAMS” Josephine Tu ’25

17 GOLDEN GIRL , Christina Tanase ’25

16 BLOOMING VOICE , Emma Hwang ’24

18 NUMBER ONE-NINETY-EIGHT Rachel Aronson ’27

24 THIRD MAN SYNDROME , Jakob Kleiman ’24

25 LOVER OF THE SUN , Aeron Lo ’23 26 AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CLIFF , Raghav Ramgopal ’24

26 BEACH , Emma Hwang ’24 28

58 THE VIEW FROM THE TOP, Ellis Matula ’27

59 OSPREY , Makena Matula ’24

59 SNOWY EGRET , Makena Matula ’24

60 AFRAID , Esha Joshi ’26

61 NOIR , Josephine Tu ’25

62 THE MIDSUMMER SNOWSTORM , Sophia Yao ’24

62 HILLSIDE BLOOM , Karina Aronson ’24

64 THE BEES , Karina Aronson ’24

66 FOREST FLOOR , Karina Aronson ’24

69 WHAT I FEEL AS I SIT ATOP A CLOUD , Michael Shtrom ’25

68 DUSK OVER NATEWA BAY , Makena Matula ’24

69 TIDE GOING OUT , Makena Matula ’24

70 I’ll RUN , Mia Gustavson ’25

72 RAIN , Violet Negrette ’25

72 WATER , Skylar Chui ’23 73 MINE , Esha Joshi ’26 74 WONDERLAND , Rye Kianpour ’23

74 LUCIFER, MORNING SUN , Aeron Lo ’23

EDITOR’S NOTE

It’s been a year, but we’ve finally done it. Welcome to the 2023 edition of Tabula Rasa. This year, we focused on the “experimental”—on redefining the conventional boundaries of art and innovation. This newfound purpose is fully represented by this year’s magazine, which, along with poetry, photography, prose, and art, also includes translations, song lyrics, and other cross-genre submissions like no other before. We opened ourselves up to the daring, to the bold, to the freakishly weird.

Whether it be the sweet, tender melody of “Hard Times,” the poetic cadence of “The Midsummer Snowstorm,” or the flourescent colors of “Blooming Voice,” I hope you will love these pieces as much as I do.

Many of this year’s submissions were centered around nature, inspiring us to create a section dedicated to nature photography, called “The Nature Archives.” While these photographs may portray the world in a beautiful, glistening light, I am reminded also of the griefs, the tragedies, the cycles of violence that we’ve experienced this past year. But through it all, we’ve been able to persevere—and I’d like to think that these pieces serve as the perfect encapsulation of our resilience throughout the good and bad, the successes and failures.

As a senior, I will be graduating soon and leaving the editorial staff. I would like to express my gratitude to you, the readers and contributors, for your continual support, as well as to Ms. Coty and Mr. Wells, the advisors, for making this literary arts magazine possible. In a couple of years, I know that I will look back on these pieces with fondness and warmth, and I hope that you will, too.

On behalf of the editorial staff, it is my honor to present to you this year’s edition of Tabula Rasa.

Samantha Hsiung ’23 Editor-in-Chief