letting go
I fall
for you

Kari Thornton (2)

light breeze
touches my skin
before the rain

secret Spot
I hide under
the Blanket

the sim
of myself
died from old age

pulling the plug
the light goes out—
my grandmother

Jade Anderson (4)

hand-built porch
I see my old hide-out
from above

Susie Wirthlin (2)

athlete stuck in
his glory days...
wheelchair.

Grant Dartman (4)

falling deeper
into the blues
breath taking

Kari Thornton (3)

after school
yet another exciting surprise
grandma’s house!

unpacking clothes
I faintly smell
home

home for the holiday
kicked out of
my room

Kari Thornton (2)

day before Easter
I learn something
about my father

Aubrie Cox (4)

distant galaxies
all the things
I could've been

Aubrie Cox (6)

Easter family gossip
little do they know I’m
pregnant

Jade Anderson (2)

rickety train
small children chip
the red paint

Susie Wirthlin (3)

sitting on a big rock
pretending I am
the Little Mermaid

Becky Smith (5)

spring makes me
want a cherry blossom
tattoo

Barbies and 4 square
we shoot hoops
around them

Olivia Birkey (2)

the bakery is closed
I use mom’s money
to buy ice cream

Nathan Bettenhausen (3)

the tree
outside Spanish class
finally bloomed

Becky Smith

jacked up on Mt. Dew
pumped for a late night—
of research

Jade Anderson (2)

sharing a bed
I wake up
to her screaming

backstage
singing her solo
slightly off-key

gasping for air
a crying girl
sucks her thumb

teammate’s cry
isn’t heard
tying run scores

Small Black Bug
       Flies into
His Open Mouth

Kari Thornton (2)

I sneak away
to hear
your voice

Kari Thornton (2)

dragonfly in the sun
I forget
I was getting the mail

Nathan Bettenhausen (5)

in a maze,
the corn
stalks me

Grant Dartman (7)

kissing her
my own
fairytale

Olivia Birkey (4)

helicopter seeds
my life spiraling
out of control

Aubrie Cox (4)

eyes closed
wishing she
was someone else

Olivia Birkey (3)

from shaking earth
and brown soil
a violet

Grant Dartman (4)

backwards read
if sense makes
only this

Grant Dartman (3)

trekking through
miles of snow
community service

Becky Smith

easter sunday
inside my egg
a pearl

against the blue sky
and the bare branches
tinkling bells

in the car
news for mom
hey, I’m g—

a lone bell
chimes under the voices
Merry Christmas

street corner bus stop
pregnant girl awaiting
escape

old oak tree
her fingers stretch out
a tiny ant

forever on my window
my love for you
frozen

Jade Anderson (3)

cool breeze
blows over fond memories
of mom

Becky Smith (3)

stargazing
between the silence
he asks about chiggers

Aubrie Cox (3)

cool spring
through the sycamore window
swaying lace

warm spring breeze
making necklaces
out of dandelions

Becky Smith (3)

bamboo cutting board
slicing red peppers and
my finger

Susie Wirthlin (3)

father-daughter talk
my fishing lure
caught in the moon

Aubrie Cox (5)

relaxing on a city bench
the impatient passerby
don’t try to understand

mixing bowl
pouring the salt
her tiny palm

broken friendship
slowly mended
through video games

at the zoo
the petting zoo goat
limps

Susie Wirthlin (2)

new blooms
my little sister romps
in my old playhouse

Susie Wirthlin (3)

hiding eggs
for the kids
I am the Easter Bunny

Olivia Birkey (3)

Easter morning
I rise
for bacon and eggs

Nathan Bettenhausen

birds greet the morning
waking up
still on the last chapter

Jade Anderson (3)

joke interrupted by
call from home…
paralyzed

french quarter
the voodoo man beckoning
mine for a dollar

newborn calf
takes its first steps
in spring sunlight

Nathan Bettenhausen (6)