1

mother and daughter
strolling in the sun
gossip and laughter

Danielle Piper

2

night walk with friends
fireflies light the path ahead
endless summer

3

bright lights flicker
streets hum 
the city’s heartbeat

4

only three legs
old dog
still perfect to me

Danielle Piper

5

spring petals
hit my face
laughter

6

empty water bottle
late at night
under the bridge

7

white long van
looking for kids
the ice cream man

8

slobbery tongue
yanking and pulling
my dog likes walks

9

music playing on the boat
next to us
sun set in the distance

10

a boy gifts flowers
to his mother again
the grave site full

11

4 scars on her wrist
an untold story
the willow weeps

12

everywhere I look
all I see is flags
they do not wave back

13

dancing in the rain 
like no one is watching 
with no cares

14

whistle blows
recess over
back to reality

Jacob Bullock

15

hook and line
hits the water
there is nothing calmer

16

that sound . . .
loud and annoying 
when will they go away

Reed Pierson

17

she brushes my hair
changes my sheets
my heart warmed

18

pigtails and braids
mother combs
through the weeds

Lauren Killian

19

letters spread across my bed 
with dreams  
not my own

20

sunburned face
under twinkling stars
you hold me

21

warm breeze 
through my hair 
a giant knot

Hailie Schafman

22

the river's gentle flow
carries leaves to new places
a quiet path

23

silent park bench
the imprint of your hand
in the dust

24

cold bathroom tile
steamy shower runs
the girl cries

Abby Park

25

Murph workout
pushups and pullups
two-mile run

26

the lone survivor
the greatest movie ever
a true story

27

rock roads
endless vast country
blue sky and green gass

28

spray tan statue
washed away
new light

29

desk chair squeaks 
on the classroom floor 
class finally done

30

a red toy car whizzes
through the summer night
pauses in the lamplight

31

she hears them
shouting in the other room
the wind picks up its pace

32

the invitations
never sent out
on the kitchen table

33

old faces
same town
nothing has changed

Danielle Piper

This one makes me think about being home for the summer and seeing old people that I do not always want to see. It is nice being home for a bit but after a while I am ready to go back to school, because college people are different. Reed Pierson, May 2024

34

early morning road trip
to the amusement park
cold cuts for lunch

35

your ashes spread
at our favorite place
together again

36

palm trees dance
the sunset beams 
on warm red skin 

37

nose to the ground
he leads
adventure on a leash

Terrion White

38

gazing at the scenic view
minutes turn
into hours

Kylie Villarreal

39

friends laugh together
applying her makeup
heartbroken

Kylie Villarreal

40

grandfather's old cane
in my hand, it feels alive
echoes of the past

41

neighborhood
filled with children and laughter
my true home

Chance Cole

42

scared and alone
I lay in the bed
48 stitches

43

fish jumping
birds chirping
a million possibilities

44

fog on the lake
early morning
time slows

45

letters from home
flowers laid one by one
free and brave

46

promises unwound 
moments lost in time 
echoes of what ifs

47

fields of stone 
guardians of history 
now rest in peace 

48

star gazing
hammock gently swings
broken wings

49

everyone off work—
to celebrate
the soldiers who aren’t

Thomas Hills

I like this one because sometimes I feel like people forget why we are off work. Yes, you can have fun but you also need to remember that there are people who fought for us so that we can have fun. Reed Pierson, May 2024

50

see you soon
doesn’t feel the same
talking to his headstone

51

the old couple walking by 
with their dog
i want to be like that 

52

flowers
dressed neatly on a gravestone
memories flooding back

53

it’s so damn hot out
I stay indoors with AC
and enjoy the quiet

Cory Davis

54

watermelon juice
dripping down his face
fireworks boom

Collin Applegate

55

sirens shriek
compressions sink deep
time 0043

56

midnight snowfall
our footprints side by side
melt with morning light

57

ribs cracking
in between small fingers
no pulse

Abby Park