girlhood

Sophia Landers '24 girlhood is waiting patience is a virtue

I wait in the bathroom for a friend my reflection stares back fluorescent skin pinched between painted nails looking through my flesh in the mirror down to my bones waiting for the moment I begin to morph a new me, void of imperfections girls are vain girlhood is words unsaid

I cross the street briskly when he whistles “let me take you out honey!”

I smile silently no eye contact

I’ll draw less attention that way be a rose without thorns admired, never feared other women whisper “I’ve been there” in their eyes and smile lines girls are asking for it girlhood is pretending to hate hating her because I heard she hates me to hate romcoms makeup stars in the sky ashamed to love things designed with me in mind rejecting all things feminine defending my intelligence girls are conniving and shallow girlhood is growing pains

I was confused when there were sixteen candles instead of eight barbies sleep in plastic bins knotty hair and painted faces

It seemed that only yesterday I was swimming in my mother’s long dress the extra fabric pooled around my innocent feet when did it start to fit? girls are naive the expectations and judgments have weighed me down the way i’m perceived now is truly what counts I keep on anyway for fear of failure if I am not perfect, only my flaws will define me girlhood is knowing how to look put together while falling apart

Modern Times

August Kohn '25

Summer Daze

Melinda Wang '26

The days are strange When their sunsets become bearable

Like I’m wrapped up in the heaviness of an anchor Until the hotness of the day settles

I call it Summer’s Fatigue

A way of calm loneliness, Of late nights

Smelling the light scent Of the dark air A way of living Through the colors of Everyday life, Bartering for Sun-dried and detergent smelling Versions of them

Such calmness, in familiar peace

The humming of afternoon planes

The chirps of crickets near Wildfire smoke lingering on the walls

Whirring, of a single fan

I wonder

Looking through the round summer moon

In a quiet sky

Indeed, I wonder When will fall arrive?

Pillars of Salt -