PAGES 2019–20 ANTHOLOGY An Arts, Literacy, and Writing Program for High School Students
WHY ARE WE HERE?
PAGES
2019–20 ANTHOLOGY An Arts, Literacy, and Writing Program for High School Students Wexner Center for the Arts The Ohio State University Columbus, Ohio
WEXNER CENTER FOUNDATION BOARD OF TRUSTEES Leslie H. Wexner CHAIR
Michael V. Drake, MD VICE CHAIR
Bill Lambert PRESIDENT
David M. Aronowitz Lisa M. Barton Jeni Britton Bauer Shelley Bird Johanna Burton David J. Campisi Brenda J. Drake Adam R. Flatto Russell Gertmenian Michael Glimcher
Brett Kaufman Elizabeth P. Kessler C. Robert Kidder Nancy Kramer Mark D. Kvamme Ronald A. Pizzuti Joyce Shenk Alex Shumate Abigail S. Wexner Sue Zazon EX OFFICIO Bruce A. McPheron Gretchen Ritter Bruce A. Soll Mark E. Vannatta
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ADDITIONAL PAGES SUPPORT PROVIDED BY INGRAM-WHITE CASTLE FOUNDATION
MARTHA HOLDEN JENNINGS FOUNDATION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
DIRECTOR’S ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
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Johanna Burton
INTRODUCTION
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Dionne Custer Edwards
ARTISTS-IN-RESIDENCE
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SCHOOLS, STUDENTS, AND EDUCATORS
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TEACHERS AND TEACHING ARTISTS
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OPEN MIC READING AND RECEPTION
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VISUAL ARTS EXPERIENCE
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HERE: Ann Hamilton, Jenny Holzer, Maya Lin
MEDIA ARTS EXPERIENCE
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Anthropocene: The Human Epoch by Jennifer Baichwal, Nicholas de Pencier, and Edward Burtynsky
PERFORMING ARTS EXPERIENCE
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Tribute to Nina Simone: An Interactive Performance by Sharon Udoh
VISUAL ARTWORK
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DIRECTOR’S ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
As I write this note for the 2019–20 edition of the Pages publication, the Wexner Center for the Arts finds itself in the middle of the global COVID-19 pandemic, with many of our current public-facing events postponed and ongoing deliberation around the status of events scheduled in the near future. While we’ve quickly moved the activities we are able to our online platforms (a natural reaction in these times, and a strategy our peers are following as well), I’m acutely aware that some of our key programming takes place “behind the scenes,” so to speak, completely out of the public eye. Some of those programs, like Pages, are among our most vital and—through their ability to promote cultural connectivity and appreciation—they are among the most central to our mission. Celebrating its 14th anniversary, Pages invites high school students from across central Ohio to encounter world-class, Wex-organized visual arts, film, and performing arts presentations and then to translate those experiences into the singular words and images you’ll find in this anthology. Offered free of charge to participating schools and students, Pages is designed to develop writing, literacy, and critical-thinking skills through contemporary art regardless of place of residence, income, or background. In school districts where funding for language and visual arts coursework is scarce, or where curricula simply place emphasis elsewhere, the Wex’s yearlong Pages program can be particularly transformational. The experiences offered with each iteration are carefully selected by the center’s educators and curators to address pressing cultural issues, offering students a safe space to articulate their concerns about anything from economic disparity to environmental collapse. And as you’ll see in the pages that follow, they do so thoughtfully and quite powerfully. The Wexner Center can offer programs of this scale, impact, depth, and duration only with the committed partnership and philanthropy of our funders. I offer my special thanks to the supporters who designated 6
gifts especially for Pages in 2019–20: Ingram-White Castle Foundation, Martha Holden Jennings Foundation, and Ohio Arts Council. Lastly, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize Dionne Custer Edwards, the center’s associate director of education, who has overseen Pages from its very inception. Though her efforts around this program aren’t necessarily visible to our audiences at large, her dedication to Pages, to the art of writing, and to the calling of teaching literacy through the arts is felt by entire communities and has lasting impact. All of us at the Wex commend and congratulate her.
JOHANNA BURTON Director
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INTRODUCTION The question we heard echoed from students at the beginning of the program this year was “Why are we here?” That question gets to the heart of our purpose. “Why are we here?” is a critical question, and we want students thinking critically. This year, as in most years, a majority of our Pages participants did not get other opportunities to learn beyond the school walls (in fact, most of our Pages students haven’t had a field trip since elementary school). Additionally, 95 percent of the students we worked with this year had never previously visited the Wexner Center, hence the skepticism: “What does art have to do with me?” We did not take these questions personally. They weren’t meant to be mean or negative. The world in which kids are growing up is moving fast. Our times are uncertain. Students today are barraged with loads of information and content readily available on devices in their bags and back pockets. There was, at first, distrust in art: as an entry point to writing, as a thing to care about, as something having a purpose. We get it. Students questioning is a part of the process. If, as artists and educators, we shut ourselves down to students’ curiosities—if we interpret their queries as noise and barriers—we miss the sweet spot of discovery. When students use their minds and their senses to learn, and when they develop their own connections, ideas, and meaning, they gain what some researchers, including psychologists David Yeager and Gregory Walton, call a “purposeful mindset.” It is important for museums to continue to examine what they have to offer students. In the current landscape of public education, many K–12 learners, who must negotiate the murky space between high-stakes testing and utter boredom, clock in emotionally somewhere between exhausted and numb. Students are offered an abundance of content, but they rarely get space to wonder. As artists and educators, we leaned into the discomfort and cynicism that accompanies new experiences, encouraging students to use their bodies and minds to ask hard questions of the creative content, and of themselves, in order to rub the numb awake.
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To do this, we provided three arts experiences: the exhibition HERE: Ann Hamilton, Jenny Holzer, Maya Lin; the film Anthropocene: The Human Epoch, directed by Jennifer Baichwal, Nicholas de Pencier, and Edward Burtynsky; and a live interactive performance by singer, keyboardist, and songwriter Sharon Udoh of Counterfeit Madison. We worked with three brilliant teaching artists: performing artist and choreographer Michelle Sipes, visual artist April Sunami, and writer Scott Woods. We partnered with 10 talented educators: Stacey O’Reilly, Big Walnut High School; Wendy Robinson and Monique Simmons, Briggs High School; Sarah Patterson, Franklin Heights High School; Enddy Stevens and Matthew Burns, Walnut Ridge High School; Cassie Coggburn, Westerville South High School; Renee Arnold and Jess Haney, West Liberty-Salem High School; and Mindy Staley, Whitehall-Yearling High School. We could not do this work without each component of this deep partnership. A sincere thank you to everyone who played a part, big and small, in how this program came together this year. A special thank you to Wexner Center Director Johanna Burton for her abundant support and to my Wex colleagues for their generous efforts, gestures, and waymaking. In our Pages sessions with students, we discussed how contemporary art is compelling because the art of our time is right here with us: it says something about right now. So although we may keep asking (and maybe we should)—why are we here?—by the end of our time together in Pages, we will say with our words, with our art, and in our own voices and actions: “Because here matters.”
DIONNE CUSTER EDWARDS Associate Director of Education
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ARTISTS-IN-RESIDENCE
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April Sunami is a Columbus-based visual artist who is known for her mixed-media painting and installation. After getting her BA from Ohio State, she went on to earn an MA in art history from Ohio University. Her work has been shown widely in spaces such as the Columbus Museum of Art, the National Afro-American Museum & Cultural Center, and the Southern Ohio Museum, and she was selected to create an installation for the 2012 Columbus Art PopUp Project, a partnership between the Greater Columbus Arts Council and the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District. Sunami is married to writer and philosopher Christopher Sunami, with whom she parents two bright kids. April Sunami considers herself a cultural producer, cultivating conversations around race, identity, and representation through her work while excavating neglected histories.
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Michelle Sipes earned her BFA in dance at Belhaven University and will complete her MFA in Ohio State’s Department of Dance in 2020. She performed as a company member with Inlet Dance Theatre for five years, served as a dance teacher and choreographer at Revolutions Dance Academy for over three years, and more recently worked as the Graduate Assistant of Grant and Proposal Services at the Wexner Center. She directed, shot, and edited the film Palette while at Ohio State, choreographing its stunning movement alongside dancer Jing Dian; her subsequent dance film Divided was inspired by Sophie Westerlind’s painting Neri as well as dystopian novels. Sipes aims to build kinesthetic awareness through her work and shares her studio research through writing blogs and videos on her website.
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Scott Woods considers himself to be a multigenre writer with success in poetry and social justice essays. He is also an event organizer in Columbus, Ohio, where he received the 2018 Spirit of Columbus Award as well as the 2017 Columbus Makes Art Excellence Award. His 2017 distinction was awarded by the Greater Columbus Arts Council in honor of his event series “Holler: 31 Days of Columbus Black Art.” Woods founded the Streetlight Guild, a nonprofit supporting the performing arts, in addition to founding the Writers’ Block Poetry Night and cofounding the poetry series Writers Block. Woods has authored three books—Urban Contemporary History Month (2016), We Over Here Now (2013), and Prince and Little Weird Black Boy Gods (2017); writes a monthly internet column; and is employed at the Columbus Metropolitan Library. 13
PAGES 2019–20 SCHOOLS, STUDENTS, AND EDUCATORS BIG WALNUT HIGH SCHOOL Educator: Stacey O’Reilly Lily Asbridge Rachel Benner Alisa Bessinger Gianna Colarich Jaiden Hilton Lauren Hoppe Aidan Irvine Colin Koebel Audrey LaVrar Joleigh Lawrence Christopher Lee Kiera Lumby Clay Lynskey Mariska Mayer Lydia McDonald Zoe McFadden Kolin McKee Jack Renner Calvin Searles Grayson Segars Cindy Serna Andie Stewart Kaitlyn Stewart Molly Stewart Kassandra Swank Jordan Walters Jameson Welker
BRIGGS HIGH SCHOOL Educators: Monique Simmons and Wendy Robinson Qali Ahmed Roger Boyd London Brooks Carloes Cazales Echo Creager Zacharey Crowell
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Evan Cummings Brandon Eaken Emmanuel Hernandez-Hernandez Ethan Imboden Chase Johnson Lisi Johnson Joselyn Lucio Kaitlyn Lumbard Yarleny Martinez Nunez Abby McDaniel Joshua McMillion Fatuma Mohamed Brianna Moore Vianna Ngo Abdulkadir Omar Mikey Peterson Tori Peterson Ja Niia Phinisee Lake Carmen Reed Stacey Rivera Gonzalez Damani Saunders Jolynn Simmons Caitlyn Slagle Jay Snouffer Monola Sorasin Lauren Stiltner Kamren Stires Jae’von Thomas Joselyn Tovar Gracie Walburn Matthew Warbington Damiana Williams
FRANKLIN HEIGHTS HIGH SCHOOL Educator: Sarah Patterson Fartun Abdullahi Anas Ali Austin Baker Mackenzie Bellomy
Diamond Bennett Hunter Buzzard Gaby Castro Dustin Compton Kylie Costell Kevin Cruz Pastor Jordon Easterling Destiny Few William Florentini John Garcia Barreiro Andrea Gomez Ramirez Selene Gonzales Jonathan Grajales Destiny Harper Hamdi Hassannoor Hannah Hensley Chanta Hong Trinity Hook Makayla Horn Rahamo Ibrahim Taylor Johnson Kayana Jones Daylon Kocher Gavin Majecic Lesli Martinez Mandujano Mohamed-Amin Mohamed AJ Moore Jaquelin Mora Montoya Angela Ortiz Juan Pena Fuentes Noah Rinehart Manny Santos Amber Thomas Bobby Watt Abigail White
WALNUT RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL Educators: Matthew Burns and Enddy Stevens Destiny Arthur Kenya Baltazar Anijua Brown Daijah Brown Nevaeh Burkes Cameron Butt
Davonte Courtney My’ana Eiland Roman Joyal Jayla McKinney Alayla Mitchell Mi’Ajia Murray Brianna Phillips Johan Retana Quinones Jabar Sellers Makylee Thompson
WESTERVILLE SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL Educator: Cassandra (Cassie) Coggburn James Aaron Cyress Alexander Mohamed Ali Ahmet (Tamer) Alp Georgette Amanin-Kwarteng Carson Bass Godwin Boampong Isaac Bott Margarita (Rita) Bragina Shamar Brittman Alaina Carruthers Madison (Liam) Cassady Trinity Cole Cameron Cook Wendoly (Wendy) de la Cruz Zamora Mckhala Eckert Madeline (Madie) Faulkner En-Brass Fofanah Hassanatu (Hassy) Fofanah Alan Garcia Medina Jaiden Guice Elvis Gyabeng Hanna Hoffman Cole Holbrook Madison Hullihen Nicolas (Nick) Ifju Olivia Janney Aaron Jerman Sharise Joyce Unisa Kamara Rosemond (Rose) Koranteng
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Kayla Kozik Andrew (Drew) Lewis Melia Lowe Angelea (Lea) Macdonald Michael Marlowe Mehdi Marrakchi Jacob Mckinley Gavin Miller Sujei Moquete Aticha (Ice) Muang-Uming William (Will) Ortiz Josephine (Josie) Patil Kimberly (Kris) Pereira Sabrina Pesce Ryan Phillips Morgan Pillow Sophia (Gracie) Polo Noah Rapp Paige Tatum Brian Tennant Caleb Tesfai Genghis Thompson Christian Villegas Hernandez John Wells Marcus Western Carizjah Wright
WEST LIBERTY-SALEM HIGH SCHOOL Educators: Renee Arnold and Jessica (Jess) Haney Sam Benedict Jessie Boy Kylie Burgel Mearic Campbell Arianna Chapman Cade Clerico Hailee Davis Amanda Domachowski Vicky Dong Kaylah Erwin Kennah Erwin Kiera Francis Cheyenne Gluckle Jamie Gluckle
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Kayle Henderson Maria Henderson Graham Higgins Logan Humphrey Lilly Keller Lindsey Kimball Brandon LaRoche Kaylee LeVan Sailor LeVan Andy Marr Olivia Neer Bianca Reames Garrett Richardson Xavier Ronneberg Taylor Wayman Kienna Whitman Victoria “Tori” Wilson
WHITEHALL-YEARLING HIGH SCHOOL Educator: Mindy Staley Aaron Aquino Chavez Ta’mar Brathwaite Kyla Browder Lela Brown Elliot Carter Austin Cramblit Paul Flores-Lopez Chase Green Kari Gullick Ryan Harrell Kim Hernandez Figueroa Brett Hutter Jay Leslein Ismael Luna Rosales Najae” Parks Jasmine Phillips Miriam Pooch Maria Ramos Gonzales Hannah (Rue) Rubin Gen’e Sallee Joseph Thompson Kaeleigh Villatoro Jasmine Williams
TEACHERS AND TEACHING ARTISTS
“Pages made me feel welcomed, accepted, and comfortable.” —Bianca Reames
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THIS PAGE FROM TOP: Sarah Patterson (at right on bench), Cassie Coggburn (center), Enddy Stevens, and Wendy Robinson (center)
“Pages was where artists were able to define themselves. The students were allowed to see authentic, unfiltered work (that they probably wouldn’t have been exposed to otherwise), and discuss it.” —Kassandra Swank
“In Pages, I was able to grow immensely as a writer and even just as a person.” —Alisa Bessinger
THIS PAGE FROM TOP: Stacey O’Reilly (center), Matthew Burns (standing at right), Renee Arnold, Jess Haney, and Mindy Staley (standing at right)
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OPEN MIC READING AND RECEPTION The 2018–19 program year of Pages culminated with a festive open mic reading and reception held at the Wexner Center. Participating students celebrated the completion of the program and the release of a commemorative, limited-run anthology by sharing their work with peers, friends, and family.
“Pages is…a calm place. Everyone is chill and everyone is talking in a calm, low voice. Pages was a different experience for me.” —Mi’Ajia Murray
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“Pages forces you to experience life from the point of view of others. Going in-depth into many types of media helps you to consider the other situations people might be coming from. It helps you to realize that there is a world beyond your everyday life.” —Rachel Benner
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HERE: ANN HAMILTON, JENNY HOLZER, MAYA LIN
“Everything you make is being made by every single experience you’ve ever had in your whole life, and on top of that, things you were born with.” —Maya Lin
VISUAL ARTS EXPERIENCE
In celebration of the Wexner Center’s 30th anniversary, HERE brought together three highly influential, Ohio-born visual artists to present works that contemplate place, time, language, perception, and the environment. Maya Lin’s site-specific installations, such as How Does a River Overflow Its Banks? (2019), pointed toward Ohio’s endangered waterways and history of flooding. Jenny Holzer’s works covered inside walls with provocative statements from her Truisms (1977–79) and Inflammatory Essays (1979–82) series and addressed outdoor spaces with new language on gun violence. Ann Hamilton’s project when an object reaches for your hand (2019/20) imbued images of everyday objects (many borrowed from Ohio State libraries’ special collections) with an ethereal yet tactile quality achieved through the use of outmoded scanners. Pages participants approached the exhibition as three separate shows, engaging in the classroom with artist-in-residence Michelle Sipes, a professional dancer, choreographer, and graduate student in dance at Ohio State. Sipes encouraged students to think about identity, space, perception, time, environmental and sociopolitical themes, science, media, and the creative process. Students ventured into the galleries for extended periods of observation, discussion, and writing.
KAYANA’S TRUISMS Kayana Jones
Anxiety isn’t just a feeling Family is everything I do matter I believe in happiness It’s important to make mistakes Always feel loved Live by NO rules Money will always be important Color is trustworthy
ADVICE
Jordon Easterling
Being empty is OK Depressed is heavy, don’t fall down Get back up, start over
TWEET ABOUT LOVE AND LIFE William Florentini
This piece is about random thoughts, love and being without love, the past, the prayers. I hear a lot when I’m around you, the good and the bad. I hear the sound of mandolins when I’m with you. I hear the sound of chains. #hearthelove 24
THE GIRL LOST TO TIME An Epilogue to Burnt Soul Mearic Campbell
The story of Dmitry Petrovich was not one that only touched the lives of those with whom he interacted, but one that caused ripples throughout all of time and space. When one rewrites history, there are bound to be loose ends that either don’t matter, or nobody cares for. Brent Sampson was one of those loose ends. “Who is that?” He asked Ember, his girlfriend, who was texting someone on her phone. She looked intently into the screen, leaving a few seconds of pause until she looked up. “It’s a friend from the city; I was asking if they had been in the gang fight earlier.” She responded, then looked back down. “Why don’t you get off that thing and come spend time with me?” He said sweetly, batting his eyes ironically. Ember smiled at him, thinking of how he was too sweet. She put her phone down and jumped onto the couch with him, turning on Netflix. Brent thought the same of her. They were too sweet. Brent and Ember made it a goal to eat breakfast with each other every morning before class, and they had gotten the routine down pretty fast, taking turns getting coffee and having mini “dates” before chemistry first period. They were happy, but things beyond her control left Ember feeling empty on the inside, still unable to process the unnatural abilities she had come across with Dmitry. That’s why on a certain Friday night, one that would in fact change history, she unconsciously had to choose between Brent and the life they had made together, or satisfying the unquestionable thirst for answers in a city filled with unimaginable secrets. Brent woke on Saturday morning to four missed calls, all from Ember. He frantically tried to call back, fearing something had happened to her. When he rang, the number was unavailable. Before he could react, one of the guys in his dorm ran in and told him to turn on the news. His mind was racing with the horrid thoughts of what could have happened, so much so that his hands were shaking as he pressed the channel buttons on the TV remote.
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“Breaking news out of Janson Bay this morning, two local teens, Dmitry “Dave” Petrovich and Ember Davies are subject of a statewide manhunt after a deadly shooting last night at an after-party for the local school dance. Dmitry was seen wielding a 9mm handgun, and an armored vest last night around 1:00 am at Niref Oil CEO Owen Niref ’s home. After a brief exchange of gunshots between local security and Petrovich, one girl was found dead, causing him to flee the scene. He was later seen with Ember Davies at a local pharmacy, leading her to be a prime suspect along with Petrovich.” Brent turned off the TV, not being able to process, let alone bear the weight, of what he just heard. He immediately left the dorm to find Ember when he was stopped by a postman. “Hey kid, are you Brent Sampson?” The old man said to him, pulling an old envelope from his satchel. “Yes sir, do you have something for me?” Brent frantically tried to get out of his mouth. “Yes, it is a letter, urgent delivery from 1945, I suppose it’s a little late. This thing is older than I am.” He gave Brent the letter, addressed to him from Erik Dove. Erik Dove was a name that never came up in Brent’s life, and he thought it was extremely strange for him to get a letter from the forties. E for Erik, D for Dove. He quietly touched the cover of the tea-stained paper. Finally opening it, the envelope revealed a letter addressed to himself, signed E. D., which he deduced was Ember reaching out. Dear Brent, It goes without saying that I love you; you are the sweetest, most daring and caring person I have ever come across, but my time has run out. I have had the greatest time with you, and I hope you can bring that same sense of love to some other woman. Listen, whatever you saw on the news, whatever you will find out, it’s not
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true. Dave saved my life, he wasn’t the one who shot Jackie, and the police are being payed off. Whatever you do, stay away from Janson Bay. I wish I could tell you more, but there is only so much I can do from here. The last thing I have to say is that I can travel in time. That’s the reason I was moved to your school, so I couldn’t hurt myself by traveling. I tried to come and see you before I had to leave, but I couldn’t, so this letter from the past will hopefully reach you in the future. I love you Brent, E.D. Brent couldn’t make sense of this either. His girlfriend was a time traveler? Not only that, but she didn’t tell him after being together for so long? Taking Ember’s advice, he went back into his dorm and lay in bed. He layed for many days, listening to Joji and crying about losing Ember. One day, about a month after losing her, he was almost back to normal— going to classes, hanging with friends—but always in the back of his mind he thought of her. A low rumble and shaking ground woke Brent in the middle of the night. The blinds covering his window were lit with a glowing red-andorange light. Flipping up one of the blinds, he aligned his eyes with something he had only saw in action movies and old films in school. The rising mushroom cloud of a hydrogen bomb floated above the horizon where Janson Bay, Maine, should be. Remembering the letter, he grabbed hold of it, waiting for the eventual blast wave to decimate his entire existence. A single tear was shed as the debris field of the bomb rapidly rolled over campus. Brent braced for impact as the glow instantly disappeared from the horizon, the skyline of Janson Bay returned, and no evidence of the bomb ever existed. Turning over the letter revealed a new piece of text, written in blood. I was told that infusing the ink with my blood would cause a temporary field of protection around you when we went back in time to fix everything, so you should remember, and no one else will. I couldn’t do you like that, letting you forget how awesome we were. Just live a full life: love, laugh, go skydiving, don’t waste it. E.D. 28
Several years and TED talks later, Brent still told the story of a future that never befell the States and The Commonwealth. One morning before a lecture, he opened the curtains of his mildly priced flat in Janson Bay and caught glimpse of an old couple. They waved at him, touched hands, and seemingly disappeared from the sidewalk. On the ground where they were, Brent found an old Polaroid picture, and a newer printed one. The Polaroid was of his parents in the hospital, with the old couple in the background helping deliver him as a baby. The second was a picture of an older looking version of himself with the couple. Written on the back was the only thing Brent never knew he wanted to read. Brent and The Girl Lost to Time, dated 30th of September, 2044, with love.
“Pages was an inviting experience, constantly asking more of me and, in turn, providing more for me. I was able to look into my heart and see more of myself. There were parts of me that really came out during Pages, and since then, I’ve been really trying to nourish those aspects in my life. The creative one, the passionate one, and the artistic one. I’ve realized how much these things truly feed my soul. Pages really helped me open my creative doors.” —Cindy Serna
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KEEP FIGHTING
Lesli Martinez Mandujano
Sometimes life is hard and it gives you two options: give up or keep fighting. Most of the people choose to give up because they think it is easier, but you should choose to keep fighting because even though things are hard you need to always have in mind that every moment, easy or hard, gives you an end and a new beginning. Remember that after a storm, the sun will always come out.
MONEY
Jabar Sellers
Money is what people want Money is what people need They will do anything for it Anything to get the green People will do bad things And others will do good The worst place you can get money Is when you get it from the hood Poor choices will be made Things will go bad When people die over money Things tend to get sad But when you die over money More money is spent More on your casket Than your baby momma’s rent So be careful what you do Don’t be bad to get the green Money is what people want But is also what they need
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ACCEPTING YOUR KIN Xavier Ronneberg
We keep waiting for you to come back Your family, unaccepting of what we hear Anxious, quietly holding our anticipation. Hours pass, days go by, but we cannot Wait for you to come back. Our expectations upheld, our values instilled. You finally open back up, show us your truth. A love that we cannot accept. We push away, disagreeing but longing. You move onwards, find acceptance elsewhere. Yearning to come home, wanting to be family once more. Some accept, some deny, but you will be loved.
“Pages was a joy. I felt myself grow not only as a writer but as an artist and learned about myself in the process. I looked forward to each event and wished there were more.” —Gianna Colarich
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BREAKUP LETTER Bianca Reames Dear You, We had a long run, but it’s over now. In the beginning we worked well together; I understood you and you understood me. We did everything together. You never left my side, even when I occasionally wished you would leave me alone, just for a day. You never did give me my space; you insisted I needed you, and eventually I believed you. But lately I’ve been questioning us. You made me see you as comfort, a shoulder to cry on. You consoled me, but from what? For what reason did I rely on you so much? Why did I constantly find myself falling back on you, depending on you? As I ask myself these questions, that’s when I realize, it’s you. You dug your way into my mind and manipulated my thoughts into thinking that you were just something that would never leave me, that you would always be by my side, that you were the one in charge of what I do, or how I feel. But I remember a time before you, a time when I was in charge of myself. A happier time. I enjoyed the little things; I spent time with my family and friends, I enjoyed my hobbies, I was happy. When you came along, that happiness wavered, and over time it faded completely. I’ve had time to think about these consequences that came with being with you, and I’ve decided it’s time to take a stand. I’m taking back control over my thoughts and my happiness and kicking you to the curb! We are done. Emphatically, Bianca
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FROM GREEN TO GOLD Sam Benedict
For so long I have waited To see you standing in the skyline, Expecting to see a man of great stature But now a hollow man stands in front of me. For years, staring at the horizon Seeing the color go from blue to red. From red to green, and finally From green to gold. Now you’re finally here when gold is black, And all you see here is a pale old hag. But as broken as you seem, I’m also as broken. So let’s go into the long-awaited white.
“Pages opened me up to new types of writing, art, and other creative aspects.” —Mariska Mayer
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HUG MYSELF Kaylee LeVan
My life is splendid, Full of peace and happiness. My heart has been tended To with an endless Amount of love. I have friends that rely on me And family that I can count on. They make my life easy, It seems as though I have won. But there is one thing I lack. All of this success has deprived me Of a very important truth; I have never been lonely, Even in my youth. I’ve always had people to go to. So when nobody is there, And I have no comfort, I don’t know how to bear. The thoughts that jerk Back and forth in my mind. They wreck my head Causing stress and pain. My feelings go unsaid, My demons leave a stain. I don’t know how to hug myself. I don’t know how to hug myself.
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LONELINESS
Garrett Richardson What is loneliness? Loneliness is defined as “Sadness because one has no friends or company,” but the word itself can strike much deeper than that. Loneliness is someone suffering not just from the lack of a physical presence of others but also the long-term physiological effects on a person who genuinely has no meaningful connections. Loneliness is the emotion felt by someone who’s been deprived of social contact and emotional fulfillment. It’s a cold firm ache ever hammering and ever present. The streets filled with groups, couples, and friends fraternizing reminds one that they’re a singularity. That they’ve been outcast from society and separated from contact. Loneliness does not only take the form of the lack of friends and those with whom you share emotional relationships; but also applies to those who are a different individual. Someone who’s treated differently because they possess an outlying trait. This can apply to race, sex, sexuality, or even a physiological experience that someone had in their lifetime. Loneliness is a devastating emotion felt even by those who seem like the happiest people alive.
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INFLAMMATORY
Wendy de la Cruz Zamora Frustrated and out of breath This pressure It might as well be my death Sobbing and struggling to breathe I hiccup and sob I hug myself to feel at ease The thing that has been robbed from me These chains They lock me down you see It makes me weak I’ve reached my peak That’s why I sob I feel like I’ve disappeared Sitting in front of mindless walking vessels crying I’m here My hope is seeping away And to regain what has been lost I just keep repeating On the other side of pain you will find love
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UNCHARTERED RUNÂ
Andy Marr
At school, I walked to my locker down the long hallway. I grabbed my books and headed down the hallway to my first class. I sat down to wait for the bell. As the bell rang, I leaned back and stretched my arms. One minute after the bell rang, I was still stretching my arms as it was announced that an active shooter was in the building. A light concerning rush of adrenaline came over me. The lights went dim. We wondered where the teacher was. I noticed the door was not shut all the way. Everyone was still talking. The PA sounded again, with the speaker sounding a bit worried. With that as confirmation, everyone ran out of the doors. It was a warm day for January, but it was not raining that day. We ran. I remember thinking to pace myself because I never ran this far this fast before. It was wet. There were puddles in the parking lot. The tall grass was wet. Our hearts were pounding. Our shoes were wet. The only sounds that I could hear were people panting heavily, and the sound of many feet running on wet ground. I was not very scared, but I was concerned. After I ran some distance and up a hill toward a house, I found my brother. After going further yet from that house, we went to a second house. All of the wet, scared kids piled in and huddled together, finally feeling safer than we had been, but not yet secure. There we waited for instruction.
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“Pages managed to help me break out of my comfort zone and meet new people, explore new pathways, and overall enjoy writing and poetry more than I did before.” —Xavier Ronneberg
INFLAMMATORY ESSAY Josie Patil
Guns are not the problem. Say it louder in back. Guns are not the problem. People are the problem and Will always be. If You take my guns away, It gives you the illusion Of security, good for you. Real security would be teaching Gun safety in schools to Kids: yes, I said it. Gun safety taught in schools. People won’t be so afraid Of something familiar to them. Because the reality is that People are the evil ones. What if guns are banned? Evil people will find other Ways of harming others. Teach people guns aren’t the problem.
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ANTHROPOCENE: THE HUMAN EPOCH
JENNIFER BAICHWAL, NICHOLAS DE PENCIER, AND EDWARD BURTYNSKY
“A lot of people think they are living outside of nature when they live in cities, without recognizing that everything they do every day is taking from the natural world in some kind of way.” —Jennifer Baichwal
MEDIA ARTS EXPERIENCE
The visually stunning documentary Anthropocene: The Human Epoch (2018) follows an international team of scientists studying humanity’s impact on the Earth—changes so lasting and profound they’ve come to define our current geologic period. Filmmakers Baichwal, de Pencier, and Burtynsky traveled the globe capturing powerful, often unforgettable footage of entire landscapes altered by pollution, plastic waste, strip mining, and other activities that have led to our current climate crisis. This striking, poignant film melds art and science in covering the topic on a truly global scale. In the classroom, Pages visual artist-in-residence April Sunami encouraged students to think about such themes as identity, place, history, and culture; geography, climate science, and sociopolitical issues; as well as the place of media and the creative process in interpreting environmental change. Students viewed Anthropocene, then worked with Sunami to discuss, write, and process the film’s challenging imagery and complex topics.
SILLY LITTLE BIRD Kienna Whitman
Silly little bird, have you forgotten it’s winter? You hop about leafless branches, And you dance amongst their fallen fruit— But hasn’t the frost nipped your wings? The air stung your throat? Silly little bird, surely you’ve forgotten it’s winter— But you sing as though you never knew it. The Earth, even she knows not These fifty-five degrees in December, Why they ought to be. Little bird, is it winter?
“The part [of Anthropocene] that impacted me the most was the elephant tusks getting burned. The film is art because it makes you feel something.” —Jayla McKinney
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SEASONED Hailee Davis
Like wolves resting in the emergence of dusk, watching, waiting from the crag of the summit for one to meet, though not for prey, but for a rendezvous. Waiting, waiting, waiting. Seasoned in waiting, the once-anticipating heart commencing transfiguration of a stone-cold being. Try to linger, for the one longed for may come with a gelid blow upon the horizon, along the tide and crust of sea to see the seasoned love reconciled again.
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TRASHED
Johan Retana Quinones The world you’re in right now: it’s not going to last for long. Your children, your grandchildren, they won’t be able to live in this world. Our generation is killing this world, and we don’t mind it, we don’t do anything about it. So if you don’t mind about this world, you should start to find another world where your children can live, unless you fix this world. So it’s your choice.
“Pages challenged me to think critically as well as [to] form ideas when given stimuli such as art or cinema. I enjoyed it fully and think it made me a better person.” —Grayson Segars
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NO FUTURE
Cheyenne Gluckle Can you hear them? They’re screaming in pain The water is writhing The trees all lay maimed The sky is choking Its lungs and heart black The creatures are crying Their souls have gone slack The evil is growing And greed follows suit Yet these monstrous beings Knot their own noose For the demon and hero Are all but the same The confused tangle For which they are famed And as the last spirits Shine few against hell The demons will bellow Till nature has fell And then on that day Will remorse be at last For the earth’s hollow echoes Hold no future, just past.
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MY CHILDHOOD Ethan Imboden
I lived on the West Side all my life. In the alley were needles and knife. There were fights and strife. Gunshots sang me to sleep. Maybe I’m in way too deep. I couldn’t count the sheep so I counted the shells. The problem dwells—I couldn’t count the shells. The smell always dark and pungent. It is never bland or mild; it is always strong. But it never lasts long. There’s always a quiet before the storm. Like a gang before a war. The homes that were raided or hit the people in the home forced out and put in the police cruisers and the kids forced away from their family. Never knowing who or what home was next. Riding a bike or playing football was an escape from the harsh reality of living in the ghetto or the hood. Sometimes it was a little too much to deal with the fights, the shoots. I walked through and found a beer bottle and dirty needles. Blood dried on the concrete from a fight or a murder. Sometimes the shells are still at the scene of the death with their bronze color and indented lettering. The way they just left the shells with no care. I’m just left in a daze wondering where I go from here.
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OLD TOYS Andy Marr
He does not play with us anymore because he has gotten older. His interests have changed. We used to go everywhere together: on trips, car rides, to the hospital, the restaurant, and the mall. But he kept getting older. His parents keep getting him other toys to play with instead of us. I fear that it won’t be long before he or his parents throw us in the trash. Then one day, he put my friends and I in a box to be stored. Safe from the trash.
TO WISH ON STARS AND DANDELION FLUFF Cheyenne Gluckle To wish on stars and dandelion fluff Is to trust in make-believe And place your life in wavering limbo A ship without its sea So stargaze long Find dandies free But don’t believe too hard For nothing comes to pass in life Unless you use your heart
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SURPRISE, SURPRISE! Alayla Mitchell I who never had much, I now have a treasure. It is not a treasure as such, but it’s definitely a pleasure. I know. I know he will have to go away. He doesn’t belong here, and he is lost.
DREAM OF A COYOTE Stacey Rivera
I had a dream of a coyote last night. He came to me at the dawn. The sun rose up and I came outside— to my surprise I saw him beside the lake I knew my entire life. I’m a good swimmer, so I took a dive, the coyote followed right behind; but I didn’t know the lake was low, and I hit myself on the rocks below. My knee hurt, my knee burned, and the coyote came to my cries of sorrow. And as I turned around with a tear in my eye, mother came out with ice cream, what a delight! And as the pain came it went away, and me and the coyote slept the night away.
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“Pages was a whole bundle of emotions, ideas, and beliefs wrapped up in three quick yet everlasting experiences.” —Cheyenne Gluckle
HELP Damani Saunders I’m all alone. Can you hear me? Can you see me? Oh, you—you can’t? Sorry, have a good day. Oh fake smile, how I love you.
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A HOT SPRING Graham Higgins
Autumn trees, a spring sky It’s a wonder how time flies The jets roar overhead The fog is like honey dew The trees are a brown and yellow hue Trying a new thing, a great mistake No one could’ve seen this outtake As the city draws near, so does time The people peer into churches for Easter While the mountain afar, a final nor’easter Down in the valley the sun is burning The bench man pulls his blanket off He knows not of spring The blanket is like a flame That fire covering man’s lameness Spring was a jolly time Leprechauns and clovers all over Like a bug to a trap With a finger, a tap Chocolate bunnies melting in the window Their owners give a stare A new day, a new flare With a sky once pale Now a great flame, like that of ale Leaving the city, the forest bare I think of my Easter feasting A city vanished, choking time The people unknowing Burnt grass, melted snow, a hot spring
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AUTUMN
Jamie Gluckle They are like rubies and gold And in the breeze, they begin to fold They wave wonderfully in the wind Not looking very disciplined But in the light They are a delight They seem to glow With a certain gusto The leaves crinkle And they crumble Falling to the ground With barely a sound And as you walk You may gawk At the autumn world That’s fully unfurled With the leaves And All Hallows’ Eve Autumn leads into winter Where things start to wither
“The part [of Anthropocene] that impacted me the most was the interpretive dance because I used to dance a lot and I felt their energy.” —Jabar Sellers
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WONDER
Caitlyn Slagle The depth of a city The depth of life We wonder Wonder what’s around the corner But too scared to look Too scared to take that step We stay We wonder We leave
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A MAN IN THE FOREST Gavin Majecic The man in the forest is quiet No one talks to him He doesn’t talk to them Scared of the past, and the future He lived by the sword, but now he lives by the alcohol A once battle-hardened warrior sulking over defeat It will always remind him of his failed path That man who defeated him is strong, passionate, and more dedicated The way of the sword can drive a man crazy Forced to kill, all for fame and glory Always looking to improve, no time for thinking
UNTITLED
Mi’Ajia Murray Everything was great—from watching both films, dancing, drawing, eating, touring the building, and listening to Nina Simone. I’m going to start with the films. They were great films and very touching; I wish I had them to show others myself. Next was the dancing with Michelle Sipes, she was AMAZING! I just love her whole life: her vibe is cool. She’s a very fun person to be around and her choreography is outstanding. The way she puts her mind to things is definitely different (in a good way). What I understand about dance now that I didn’t at first is that there are different levels to this. Your rhythm has to be together as well as how you move or your dance will be all over the place. There’s a meaning behind every dance.
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TRIBUTE TO NINA SIMONE: AN INTERACTIVE PERFORMANCE SHARON UDOH OF COUNTERFEIT MADISON
“I think music is [meant] to connect… and that is really strong in my music. I’m definitely connecting to something whether it’s an emotion or another person.” —Sharon Udoh
PERFORMING ARTS EXPERIENCE
The recipient of a 2019–20 Wexner Center Artist Residency Award, singer, songwriter, and keyboardist Sharon Udoh of the Columbus ensemble Counterfeit Madison gave a special performance for Pages participants that included both original music and songs from one of her major influences, Nina Simone. Through this interactive performance that was part of Udoh’s residency, students were introduced to Simone’s iconic music while also learning how Simone influenced Udoh’s own work. Udoh created an energized space for experimentation, art education, and play. In the classroom, author and Pages artist-in-residence Scott Woods encouraged students to think about writing using Simone’s lyrics as inspiration. For the live performance, Udoh interwove her singing with stories, anecdotes, and wisdom about life and the creative process. Immediately following the performance, Woods and Udoh fielded questions from the students and deepened the discussion on creation, making music, and coming of age. Themes and ideas explored through this experience included personal identity, cultural icons, sociopolitical issues, mental health, music/sound, properties of narrative, and history.
YOU KNOW HOW I FEEL Juan Pena Fuentes
“Stars when you shine you know how I feel scent of the pine you know how I feel” —Nina Simone Only certain people are chosen to be stars. You know how I feel. Only certain people get to be strong, scent of the pine. Why can’t we all shine like stars and have scent of the pine? You know how I feel. Who gets to decide who is a star? You know how I feel. How does someone get the scent of the pine? You know how I feel. We’ve seen them on the TV, our phones, in books, and computers. We see that they have the scent of the pine, you know how I feel.
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DIFFERENT.
My’ana Eiland I lost myself on a cool damp night, I found myself in that misty light. I found myself that night shivering, that’s not right. I have to remember who I am. This is not me. This is not who I was made to be. I am me, I should be free. I should be able to be happy and free. I said, “This is who I’m gonna be, this is me.” I’m proud. My face is different and that’s okay. There’s nothing wrong with me. I should be confident with myself. I wasn’t raised to be weak. I feel weak. Like, I cannot see. I can’t see what everyone else sees. Maybe even death. I feel blind. It doesn’t make sense. I can’t even breathe. This is all too much for me. I’ll try until I get it right, even if it takes me all night.
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STRESS AND MY LIFE
Cade Clerico
Although life may seem a little crazy and everything seems daunting you just have to keep moving forward, keep from giving up, keep from being lazy. You are strong, just buckle down. That long list of things is not impossible. Do one thing at a time, here and there. The last thing you can do is frown. Each thing done is more rewarding than the last. Be persistent because you must. Stay in the moment but keep in mind: soon all this stress will be in the past. People believe that you can. Just keep faith in yourself, aim high. In the end you will be rewarded. This is life, young man.
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NO LOVE
Kylie Costell
You tell me you don’t love me And I don’t care if you don’t want me I’m yours right now You had my attention You had my love Now it’s gone Because of you I’m emotionally drained Empty Broken Shattered There’s more but you don’t want me I’m used Bruised Beaten Open-heart surgery can’t fix me no more You used me And now I can’t feel my own heartbeat
“I have barely been in any programs [in school] and this one was weird, but good. At Pages, they are showing us what is happening in the world, how we are killing our world…I am sure that if everyone watched what Pages showed us, they would help.” —Johan Retana Quinones
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BOBBY’S RIDER FOR A FOOTBALL GAME Bobby Watt
1. Music 2. Food 3. Playbook 4. Sleep 5. Walk thru
SOUNDTRACK OF MY LIFE
Anas Ali
1. Drake—Trophies 2. Drake—6pm in New York 3. Chris Brown—Ain’t No Way 4. Travis Scott—Sicko Mode 5. Chief Keef—Love Sosa 6. Drake—Energy 7. Lil Uzi Vert—Sideline Watching 8. G Herbo—Peace of Mind 9. Drake—Elevate 10. J. Cole—KOD 11. Kendrick Lamar—Poetic Justice
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IN A PUZZLE
Makylee Thompson I’m hanging with friends— they’re as sweet as can be! But why am I in the middle with everyone looking at me? Is it because I’m short and skinny or because I overreact? Is it because I’m a girl or because my skin color is black? Why do they judge me? I just want to fit in. Do any of them care— down deeply within?
STAY WITH ME Destiny Arthur
I know he will have to go away one day. I hope today is not the day. If only he could stay. He could really be my bae. I hope he knows I don’t play, ‘cause at the end of the day HE WILL be my bae.
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EUNICE CALLED NINA
Anijua Brown
Who is Nina Simone? An artist Who didn’t feel accepted Who thought changing herself would make others accept her Except that wasn’t her That wasn’t Nina Simone Who is Nina Simone? An inspiration Who became herself because She was tired of being Someone else Who is Nina Simone? A beautiful black woman A woman who didn’t care what others thought about her appearance A woman who loved her skin, her hair, herself A woman who spoke for the people who were too scared to speak Who is Nina Simone? A trailblazer She set the path for many artists today She sang about what mattered to her She sang about what was happening around her And how it made her feel
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IT’S UP TO ME Nevaeh Burkes
I can’t be the only one who doesn’t have a clue about where I’m heading or what I’m meant to do. But time will not wait on me and as the days go by one thing I know that I control: it’s up to me to at least try… to know what I’m meant to be. It’s up to me to decide because I’m somebody.
“Pages opened my eyes to all the things that are me and encouraged me to get out of my own head. It helped me to worry less and experience everything.” —Kaitlyn Stewart
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LIFE AS A LATINA Kenya Baltazar
I am a Latina, I am from El Salvador. People call me mixed or light skinned but I don’t mind that tho. I don’t mind because my dad is black and my mom is Hispanic, but I don’t know my dad so I am low-key damaged. Enough of that for now, let’s talk about what I hate. I hate being called Mexican cause silly, I ain’t. I also hate when people expect me to be looking happy. Literally, I have the biggest “B” face but I won’t snap at you for laughing. Trust me tho, I am a nice person, I will have your back whenever. But sometimes y’all manipulate me, I swear y’all so clever.
DON’ T
Cameron Butt With a first line from Nina Simone Don’t try to blow out the sun for me Don’t try to blow out the fun for me Don’t try to take the light from me Don’t try to make it night for me
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“Pages was a fun experience. It taught me a lot about how words can be art and make such an impact on someone. I liked it and I liked the people I met.” —Abby McDaniel
STAY
Davonte Courtney
I know he will have to go away, but I just want him to stay. I need him to stay, I know everyone passes but does it have to be today? I’m just a kid—do I have to grow up this way? All I do is work, I don’t have time to play. No one plays with me, I go around all day helping make money for my mom. I don’t have time to play. I run around all day making money to help pay.
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A STERN GIANT London Brooks
Don’t touch me I’m small I’m innocent I’m the light That has yet to darken I’m only eight But boy-a I can’t wait To be a stern giant Just like you But not like you: She won’t fear me Won’t cringe at my touch And I won’t cause her pain I won’t leave her questioning Scared and alone Nor Broken When I’m a stern giant I’ll brighten that innocent light Of hers I’ll enlighten and encourage And will leave her If I must Utterly and completely Fearless She will know who she is And instead of ashamed Be proud of who she’s become
So yeah
When I’m a stern giant I want to be just like you But better 83
MUSIC TO STORY Kylie Burgel
Inspired by “Lovely,” Billie Eilish featuring Khalid Carter gripped Ash’s shirt, sobbing as the world burned around them. His hands shook, and he could feel the heat burning his lungs and throat as he breathed. In horror, he wondered if these next few breaths might be his last. “I don’t want to die, Ash,” he cried. They had known the meteor would hit, would end humanity. But the terror didn’t fade. It was almost worse that way. “I know,” Ash said, his voice cracking with the uncried tears that choked him up. “I know.” He kissed him as the world burned, standing in front of their blazing home and with fire falling around them. Putting his hands on Carter’s hips, Ash smiled as the first tears began to cut tracks down his sootcovered face. “Dance with me,” Ash choked out, and Carter put his hands around his neck. Their foreheads touched as Ash brokenly sang their song. They stumbled as they danced, and flinched with every loud noise, every bang and boom that sounded far too close. And as they danced, knowing what was coming, crying and singing, it was one last twisted and ironic show of love. For just those last moments before all of humanity would die, it was lovely.
“Pages was an interesting experience. I loved being able to hear Sharon [Udoh] at the end of it.” —Joselyn Lucio
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MY BODY, MY RULES Jessie Boy
See me, age 16. I thought I met the boy of my dreams. He told me he loved me, and I believed. His words were sweet, but his hands were not. “If you loved me you would” was an all-too-common phrase. I gave into him. I was weak and defenseless. He claimed my body as his. If he wanted it, he got it. “No” was not in his vocabulary. If I begged enough, he would stop. I lost control of my body. Yet after five long months, he got bored with me. He left. I was crushed. But now, my body was mine once more. Day by day, month by month, I’m learning this is my body, and you will follow my rules.
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BEHIND THE CURTAIN
Wendy de la Cruz Zamora Let me drink from lethe Or bring me death I loathe this feeling Let me drink from lethe So that I may forget That sweet juliette That stupid silhouette Let me drink from lethe So that I may forget My sweet romeo Her hands around your torso Behind this curtain I’m all alone I’m quite certain It is your shadow
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TO HAVE HOPE IN A FOREVER London Brooks
Don’t leave me here I’m waiting Waiting for a text or call A hug A kiss Something to help me Help me feel Hold me like glass But never let go Love, hope, happiness I wish to gain with you To hold To embrace Although I’m often shy Scared and anxious I do feel I just can’t show it Let me look into the blue skies That you call your eyes
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And give me a forever A forever to hold onto
THE DAY MR. WOODS CAME IN Joleigh Lawrence
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STILL YOUNG
Andie Stewart
You know what I mean, don’t you? No, I don’t know what you mean. I don’t know what you’re trying to say, but not knowing, not understanding, that’s perfectly okay.
FALSE GODS
Zach Crowell
My entire life I have looked up to them My so called “heroes” I worshipped them as if they were deities They filled me with grandiose delusions of hope But they were only false gods And now the whole world knows it The day it happened was a blur Out of nowhere they came and destroyed And burned everything down They built our trust just to betray, kill, and enslave us They were false gods And the whole world can’t accept it Now the world is in shambles Its people scattered to the wind Struggling to continue on But we must fight back The false gods must be broken And the whole world needs to rise
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UNTITLED
Tamer Alp
fulfilled for once because I chose desperation over the fear of not being understood. the benefits of a gray hell can improve what I feel. not being able to maintain this brings infelicity sometimes. also not sure if it is a transition to feed your soul with darkness and black. the fact that it would bring endless delight or persecution is a risk. I will always keep taking risks. what I wonder is if they are ever going to hit back. will they ever? I suppose they never will. expecting risks, opening the locks of our brain’s chambers. never misguided us. the idea is crazy. they give us the power of all we ever want to achieve, on the other hand, they are the reason why we give up.
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“Pages helped me make new friends and become more confident. I think Pages is an important learning experience for all.” —Clay Lynskey
YOU...
Hunter Buzzard
True love doesn’t come easy; I had to find a way to make you love me. So I did. I put a spell on you ‘Cause you’re mine.
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UNTITLED
Roman Joyal
Music is what gets my attention And relieves all of my tension Inspirational self-care Loving Let peace be within yourself Respect Relax Be yourself Calm Find your core Love yourself Be smooth
“In Pages, I got to experience wonderful art: musically, visually, and even poetically.” —Kiera Lumby
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CRYING HEART
Renee Arnold, West Liberty-Salem Teacher
Sun in the sky listen to me! Understand how I feel. My soul needs your laughter and light. Why are you hiding from me? The birds are listening and fluttering about— They ask why my heart is moping. Dripping out pain like a lava drizzle, oozing with smiles fake and frail. Heavy my heart wilts with a love bouncing, and working more than gold, crying my heart aches. Remembering ole Yellow One glistening above I am blessed with wealth untold. Help me—feel life and breathe.
“Pages was an insightful experience that included aspects of life through many different art forms.” —Jaiden Hilton
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THE MATCH
Mehdi Marrakchi As I step onto the mat, I forget about everyone and everything and focus on winning. I shake hands and off the whistle, I shoot. I snap, fake, move around. Never standing, always down, I wait for my opponent’s mistake. He shoots, I sprawl, and we both get up. Longest two minutes of my life, and then the whistle blows, first period is over, and I’m winning. This boosts my confidence, and even though I’m tired, I double my efforts. The referee throws that little circle; it’s red, the Wildcats’ color. I glance up at my coaches, and they make an X with their arms. I do the same, and my opponent chooses down. Off the whistle, I chop his arm and break him down. He’s on the ground, and I’m on top, time to pin him. I try the half, but it never works. Thirty seconds pass and I can’t pin him, so I have to let him up. Same pattern, over and over again: I break him down, try the half, and it doesn’t work. The referee then blows his whistle; the second period is over. I’m still winning, and I only have two minutes to go. Two minutes and I’ll win my first match. Two minutes, and all those hours of practice will have been useful. Third period starts; I’m down and he’s on top. As fast as my feet can take me, I get up, and get my escape point. We’re both neutral, pushing and pulling, fighting the hardest we can after five minutes of intense effort. Thirty seconds left, I’m up by four points, and I start feeling the joy of winning. And that’s when everything goes downhill. As the clock is ticking down, my adrenaline goes up, and I shoot—my worst shot ever. I don’t get the leg; I’m on my knees, and he’s behind me. Ten seconds left, he breaks me down, tries the power half, and he makes it. I fight and fight and fight, and as I feel my shoulder getting closer and closer to the ground, the clock shows five seconds. Tik, tok, tik, tok. I can’t feel my arms anymore, those five seconds just never end. Against my will, I feel both my shoulders touch the ground. The whistle blows, and I look up: one second left. I got pinned with one second left.
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RISKS
Mehdi Marrakchi I’ve taken risks, and I don’t regret it If you don’t take risks, no one will acknowledge you If you don’t impose yourself, no one will talk to you But I guess risks are different from one place to another Leading is different from one place to another I hate saying it, but it’s true: America is definitely a weird place to be I’m not saying it’s not fun Even though it really is not right now I just gotta find the right place Walking in the snow and thinking, Damn, how the hell did I end up here My family, friends, and life are 9,000 miles away from me Walking in the snow and saying Oh hell no, this is not where I’m supposed to be Oh hell no, I’m definitely not staying here But then, I take a moment and think Dude, stop whining and get your shit together You’re here for a year, better make the best out of this weather This environment, these people, this life You gotta be smart, sharp as a knife And make this year worth the time Because you’re staying here anyway So you either look at it sideways and hate your life Or you try and be the best you can be
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UNTITLED Tamer Alp
somebody who you are getting tired with completes you, but it is neither a solution nor a reason for your tiredness. while looking for it, a lot of elements can come into your life. they have no duty other than making you indecisive. is fighting with unease peace? getting lost too much doesn’t resolve past, present, or future. blurry. gratified. unsettled. maybe blond hair, blue jeans. blue or hazel eyes, doesn’t really matter. a little bit of ice cold. a shore very far away from the beach. having jeans as not skinny is an important detail. rather than what kind of drink you have in your hand, you should worry about whether it is in conflict with your personality. the day after, wake up and tell me how this tastes, waking up early and missing fresh beginnings.
“The whole world is art. Art shapes culture because it can change your perspective on things.” —Anijua Brown
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LAND OF SMILES
Aticha Muang-Uming I was born in a country famously known as the “Land of Smiles.” Our country’s brochures advertise our happiness, helpfulness, respectfulness, and kindness, but…does anyone suspect the truth? Since I was young, I have been taught to be grateful for what I have; to be proud of our nation, which has never been colonized by any country because of our great kings; and to respect my elders and follow in their footsteps. This seems to be a good ideology to follow for a happy life, but it’s important to remember that every story has two sides.
Be grateful for what you have, even if you are starving—it’s your fate. Be proud of your nation and great kings, but if you say something bad about the monarch, you could be charged as a criminal. Follow in your elders’ footsteps, but if you think outside the box, you are seen as a troublemaker.
BURST
Andrea Gomez Ramirez I am tired of keeping it The calm flushing down I feel the blood starting to rush Feeling my adrenaline give me a push And I burst, the calm is in the past I start to come down regretting the rush I breathe and apologize for the great deal of damage I’ve done
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LOST PIECES Daijah Brown
Friendships aren’t forever, So it may seem. Pieces fall away, They’ll never again be seen. These pieces are lost. The pieces feel shattered, Cracked just like a heart. The friendship doesn’t matter, It has been left in the dark. These pieces are lost. Friends are not forever. They always fade away. It just kinda happens, Because nothing stays the same. The friendship is lost.
“Pages allowed me to experience things out of the norm. We were exposed to others’ thoughts and opinions in a way that made us want to think and form our own opinions.” —Lily Asbridge
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IF YOU’RE BROKE, THIS IS FOR YOU Hamdi Hassannoor
Somewhere along the line you changed. You stopped being you. You let people stick a finger in your face and tell you you’re no good, and when things got hard you started looking for something to blame like a big shadow. Let me tell you something you already know: the world ain’t all about sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place, and I don’t care how tough you are, it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life, but it ain’t about how hard you hit, it’s about how hard you get hit and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done. Now, if you know what you’re worth, then go out and get what you’re worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hit and not point fingers saying, “I ain’t where I wanna be because of him or her or anybody.” Cowards do that, and that ain’t you. You’re better than that.
“Pages was a surreal experience. It was extremely eye opening and I feel like a better writer because of it.” —Jessie Boy
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FALLING IN LOVE Destiny Few
Once you fall in love, everything else falls into place. Without that love, you have no sense of direction. You walk by sight and wander off on dangerous paths that you have no idea are dangerous. Your heart becomes cold and empty because you can never find the perfect peace and happiness, and you feel hopeless and lost. It seems as if everything in the entire world is coming against you, and you can never catch a break no matter what. Whether it be sickness or pain, finances or anxiety, depression or shame. You get down on yourself and you feel as if you will never be the same. You begin to wonder: in a world so dark, how is anyone supposed to live, supposed to breathe, because you feel suffocated and the only thing around your neck is the cold air in your room. You begin to lose yourself, feeling like you’ll never figure out the puzzle and put all the pieces together again. So yes, falling in love changes everything. John 3:16
“Pages is full of new perspectives.” —Christopher Lee
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“Pages allowed me to experience things that I wouldn’t have time to in my normal life.” —Hailee Davis
UNTITLED Tamer Alp
feels like there should be a list of what I wanna unburden. without chaos and disorder I am at a loss. waking up and making breakfast feels stagnant and yellow. you are dubiously witnessing fresh beginnings die, more and more in haste. not belonging to your body and time destroys motivation. get used to it. don’t get me wrong, complaining is not a choice. but there are times where the way it goes never feels right. even I am not able to do anything. I want to be stuck. to continue, there is a need for a capuched cape or a leather jacket. some rain and cigarettes. a friend or a significant other that would repeat whatever I do for hours and not talk. that would do the job too.
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VISUAL ARTWORK
As the creative process is a focal point for the Pages program, we engage with numerous forms of art throughout the program year. Frequently, the work of students in Pages happens somewhere between their own English Language Arts classrooms and various spaces beyond those classrooms. Accordingly, the visual art in this section borrows from the sentiment (and sometimes the materials) of the art room or studio, while leveraging the abilities of the students, the willing support of the teachers, and the practices of our artists-in-residence. What’s on display here does not always follow the traditions and techniques of students training in the fine arts. In every case, however, these pieces demonstrate—and take full advantage of—the Pages process of engaged, interdisciplinary thinking and making.
ABOVE
I LIKE YOUR POEM, KIM... Kimberly Hernandez RIGHT
UNTITLED Aaron Aquino Chavez 112
ABOVE
THE UNDETACHABLE FAMILY Kimberly Hernandez LEFT
MICRO Christopher Lee 115
BROKEN Kayla Henderson 116
UNTITLED Anonymous 117
UNTITLED Echo Creager 118
UNTITLED Echo Creager 119
UNTITLED Joselyn Tovar 120
TIME: Fatuma Mohamed 121
OVERFLOW Amanda Domachowski 122
THE OBAMA PAINTING Mearic Campbell 123
ABOVE
THE END OF INNOCENCE Rue Rubin RIGHT
UNTITLED Maria E. Ramos Gonzales 124
DIVIDED TRINITY Taylor Wayman 126
LOOKING CLOSER Amanda Domachowski 127
ONCE THERE WERE 2 BIRDS Elliot Carter 128
UNTITLED Najae’’ Parks 129
UNTITLED PHOTOS Mariska Myer 130
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UNTITLED Kylie Costell 132
MY TRUTH Anonymous 133
ABOVE
UNTITLED Kaeleigh Villatoro LEFT
UNTITLED Jasmine Phillips 135
UNTITLED PHOTOS Zoe McFadden
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JOY Jay Leslein 138
UNTITLED Lela Brown 139
SKY Lela Brown 140
UNTITLED Miriam Pooch 141
ABOVE
UNTITLED Arianna Chapman RIGHT
MARTY Logan Humphrey 142
UNTITLED Lily Asbridge 144
MY PAGES BOOK COVER Joleigh Lawrence 145
ABOVE
I AM
Damiana Williams LEFT
UNTITLED Ta’mar Brathwaite 147
UNTITLED Kyla Browder
UNTITLED Colin Koebel 150
THE ROAD WE SEEK Amanda Domachowski 151
TEMPTATION Lindsey Kimball
ABOVE
LAZY SUNDAY Jack Renner LEFT
TYLER JOSEPH Lindsey Kimball 155
This is a picture of my great grandpa and my father at Sunday night dinner with my grandparents. They both mean the world to me, and I believe that this picture says a lot. It shows happiness, love, and how much family means. No matter what we all take a few moments out of our busy schedule to spend time with our loved ones.
ABOVE
UNTITLED Joleigh Lawrence RIGHT
LGK
Logan Humphrey 156
ABOVE
UNTITLED Echo Creager RIGHT
UNTITLED Lily Asbridge 158
ABOVE
CLOUDY DAY Jameson Walker LEFT
UNTITLED Stacey Rivera 161
ABOVE
THE DRAGON’S EYE Cheyenne Gluckle RIGHT
UNTITLED Jordan Walters 162
ABOVE
LAST CHRISTMAS Logan Humphrey LEFT
LIFE AFTER DEATH Kiera Francis 165
UNTITLED Lilly Keller 166
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COLOPHON © The Ohio State University Wexner Center for the Arts Individual projects © the authors and artists Pages 2019–20 visual and media arts experience photos, 2018–19 open mic photos, and teacher workshop photos: Kathryn D Gentry; performing arts experience photos: Brandon Ballog; classroom photos: Dionne Custer Edwards; artist-in-residence portraits courtesy of the artists. Installation views of works in HERE: Ann Hamilton, Jenny Holzer, Maya Lin, photos: Kathryn D Gentry. pp. 38–39: Jenny Holzer, Inflammatory Essays (1979–1982), 2019. Offset posters on colored paper, 17 x 17 in. each. © 2019 Jenny Holzer, member Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY. pp. 17, 35, 45: Ann Hamilton, when an object reaches for your hand, 2019/20. Printed images, record players, records, and projected text. A collaboration between the Wexner Center and Thompson Library. pp. 22–23, 25: Maya Lin, How Does a River Overflow Its Banks?, 2019. Glass marbles and adhesive, 19 ft. x 96 ft. 4 in. x 31 ft. Courtesy of Maya Lin. PROJECT STAFF Dionne Custer Edwards, Associate Director of Education Jennifer Luebbers Leonard, Freelance Editor Kendall Markley, Senior Graphic Designer, Marketing/Communications Miriam Nordine, Education Intern Ryan Shafer, Publications Editor, Marketing/Communications Emma Clute, Graduate Associate, Marketing/Communications Lily Li, Graphic Design Intern, Marketing/Communications Sherry Xiao, Graphic Design Intern, Marketing/Communications EDUCATION DEPARTMENT STAFF Dionne Custer Edwards, Associate Director of Education Jo Anne Jenkins, Education Purchasing Assistant Maria Joranko, Community, Youth, and Family Programs Coordinator Alana Ryder, University and Public Programs Manager Jo Snyder, Education Programs Coordinator Lauren Caskey, Graduate Associate Ebony Bailey, Education Intern Makayla Davis, Education Intern Miriam Nordine, Education Intern Savanah Pfister, Education Intern Alyssa Garbinsky, Student Staff Victoria Vanness, Student Staff Ember Zaahir, Student Staff 168
BECAUSE HERE MATTERS