Skip to content

Dead of Night

by TheHen, 2025

The darkening night,

Sending chills down my spine,

Where is the light?

Along this endless line?

 

Monsters and hollows,

Awaiting around the corner,

Every step could be,

A mistake of never being free.

Creeping,

Weeping,

I cry and walk alone,

In the abyssal air,

In the dead of night.

 

Oh, I’m so afraid,

My mind full of fear,

I hope I survive,

Through the dead of night.

Ominous screaming,

That rips through the setting sky,

 

Who is there?

In the forest of night?

 

The wind howling,

The waves crashing,

The trees falling,

This nightmare,

Forever and ever,

In the dead of night.

 

The atmosphere,

As cold as space,

Though somehow,

I’m still alive in this race.

 

Blinded by the storms,

I see nothing,

Yet everything is in front of me,

But there is no light to guide me.

The stars,

That were there,

Have faded away from the skies above,

Have been there, but nowhere,

Now there is none to follow.

 

The dead of night,

Shadows everywhere,

Death right there,

It may be surging now,

But it will come to an end,

With a message to send.

 

There is silence,

After years of pain,

Of darkness and rain.

The cyclone’s still raging,

But I’ve gone through,

Pushed the waters,

Behind me.

I’m still not free,

With the dead of night,

Right at my heels,

I keep going,

Keep running,

Before I get swallowed,

By the haunting hollows.

 

The dead of night,

Screaming or silent,

Taunting or calming,

It’s how you see,

The night’s key,

To being free,

From the dead of night.

Inner Child

by Makayla Harder, 2025

In shadows deep where whispers lie,
A child within begins to cry.
Her tears are soft, but full of pain,
Like gentle drops in autumn rain.

Her tiny hands, they reach and seek,
For love that feels so far, so weak.
A hollow ache inside her chest,
A silent wound that never rests.

She calls for help, but none will hear,
The cries that linger, raw with fear.
A broken heart, a shattered dream,
She floats alone, a silent scream.

Oh, little one, with eyes so wide,
Whose innocence the world denied,
Please know your tears are not in vain—
You’ll find your voice beyond the pain.

The storm will pass, the sun will rise,
And healing hands will dry your eyes.
The world may hurt, but you are strong,
A child within who’ll carry on.

The Quiet Love

by Anonymous, 2025

Love tiptoes in,

not with thunder, but a hush

a glance held too long,

a breath caught in a rush

 

It speaks in coffee spoons

and tangled bedsheets,

in Sunday silence,

in heartbeats

 

It stumbles sometimes,

awkward, unsure

but lingers like sunlight

on a hardwood floor.

 

It isn’t always fireworks

it’s often just staying.

choosing eachother

without even saying.

The Soul of The Sea

by Anonymous, 2025

The ocean sighs beneath the moon,

its breath a lullaby, soft and soon.

a whisper rolling on the sand,

reaching out with salted hand.

 

It keeps old secrets in its chest,

and rocks the wrecked and lost to rest.

It laughs in storms, it weeps in rain,

a soul of joy, a heart of pain.

 

Not wild, not tame, just ever true,

a mirror deep of me and you.

Peeling Grapes

Anonymous, 2025

Peeling Grapes

In my familiar kitchen, sunlight creeps,

My beautiful mother stands as the microwave beeps.

Paying no mind, her fingers are gentle as whispered grace,

They begin the strenuous task of peeling grapes.

 

No rush in her rhythm, she has no need to race,

Just love for me in this period of time and space.

The fruit beneath, translucent, bare,

Like the silly truths she used to share.

 

She cradles each grape with so much care,

Whilst uncovering each one with a simple tear.

As her practiced hands and patient eyes move,

There’s an urge that I have something to prove.

 

She peels away the bitter skin,

Leaving only the tender inside to give to her kin.

A labor small, unnoticed, sweet,

Leaving me to vow to always keep her on her feet.

 

Each peeled grape is a lullaby,

A mother’s love you can’t outgrow or buy.

Therefore, I will always love and care,

And by that I swear.

Wolf Moon 2025

by Anne Kelly-Edmunds, 2025

Wolf Moon 2025

 

An ivory orb floats

on dusky navy blue.

 

Tangled earthbound branches

stretch skyward

screen some of its shine.

January’s moon continues

to rise uninhibited.

Creates a shimmering

silver path across dark water,

lights the land.

Pageantry Rewritten

by Alexis Ebanks, 2025

Pageants, many believe, are for the vain,

Where beauty is showcased, absent of brain.

Hungry eyes gawk, judging from afar,

“This is unfeministic,” critics say with disregard.

 

Are pageants—outdated, something of the past?

Can we rewrite this narrative—receive acceptance at last?

We take the stage to create impact, our causes unite,

Showcasing advocacy in a brand-new light.

 

In private interviews, we share our voice,

On stage, we compete in talents of our choice.

We demonstrate strength in the fitness phase,

Then step into gowns designed to shock and amaze.

 

Behind the curtains, unseen by eyes,

The bond we form together, as we rise.

Eloquent speeches, these skills we refine,

Presenting confidence and philanthropy, perfectly aligned.

 

We lift each other, regardless of who wins the prize,

For the true win… our strength actualized.

In the spotlight, we break an old-fashioned mold,

A new vision of pageant women, beautiful and bold.

Me

by Mia Tsaktsirlis, 2024

Mia is her name,

Known as “T” in the game.

She has long brown hair and is very tall,

Her favorite sports are basketball and volleyball.

She is an athletic girl standing at five foot nine,

With a tan skinned face and piercing brown eyes.

She loves to drink refreshers and iced tea,

And can probably find her wearing a graphic tee.

She loves a home cooked meal, totally a foodie,

And especially likes to cuddle up in a hoodie.

She has two cats, naturally is an animal lover

With a love for the beach during the hot summer

A big homebody at heart,

But for coffee, she’ll definitely depart.

In her heart, family holds a cherished part,

Her rational mind sets her apart.

She loves to have a good time with her friends,

You could say that is where most of her happiness depends.