“Chocolate Milk” by Miguel Arnias Dania / “Childhood” by Marley Ruberti

“Childhood”

Marley Ruberti

“Chocolate Milk”

Miguel Arnias Dania

Chocolate milk, a childhood dream,

A swirl of cocoa in a creamy stream.

Poured in a glass, so rich and smooth,

A sip of joy that always soothes.

Morning light or evening’s end,

Chocolate milk’s a timeless friend.

A blend of sweet and dairy delight,

Turning every moment right.

From lunchbox days to midnight drink,

A comforting taste that never lacks.

Chocolate milk, so pure and sweet,

A simple pleasure, always a treat.

“Left Behind” by Yirou Kao / “Untitled” by Kate Condon

Untitled

Kate Condon

“Left Behind”

Yirou Kao

Falling
Falling
Tumbling down
Wind swept under feet
Making a ‘woosh’ sound

Trying to grasp the ledge
As I fall down
I reach out to you
Trying to make a sound

You’re oh so close
Close enough to grasp
Only for you
To turn back around

And not look back
As I tumble
tumble my way down

Ode to Odes #10 – 6

#10: Ode to Pickles

Gracie Rigney

Crunchy yet sweet,
The most perfect treat.
Glass jar lasts a week,
Eating on repeat.
Green like the grinch,
Eat the last, you’ll get pinched,
Vinegar and spices, swirling tight,
A combination of tastes, bold and bright.
I always try to savor,
But I LOVE the flavor.
They brighten days with no cheer,
Pickles are always welcome here.

#9: Ode to Touch

Elizabeth LaBarge

The force of a ruler
Swiftly
Brought against skin
Sometimes enough
To bleed.
The pulling motion
Of something sharp
Across tender flesh
A reminder
That you
Can feel.
A soft cloth moves
Down the nape of the neck
Back
Into the warm water
That caresses
The rest
Of you.
Braiding the hair
That falls into your face
Gentle tugging,
Soft brushing
That reminder
Once again.

#8: Ode to Nature’s Changes

Ella Roberts

The way the leaves turn a different
Shade. And the sky’s crumble when it begins to rain.
Why do we fear the uncertainty?
Is it something we can fix, or just our humanity?
Personally, I love the way
The leaves fall and sway,
Although it means that winter is near,
I can’t wait to see the night sky,
The stars so bright and clear.
Maybe someday when the weather gets colder,
You won’t need to cry on a loved one’s shoulder.

#7: Ode to Melody

Kevin Lu

Singing with friends during late night calls. 
Falling into a trance while listening to a Spotify playlist.
Hitting the transition from an F7 to an Eb7 while improvising. 
Music isn’t just a concept, it’s an experience.
It is something that you can smile at. 
It is something that you can cry to.
It is something that you can fall in love with. 
For me, music is a symbol of freedom.
The melodies I play and listen to
Have no bounds to them.
Which is why I find them beautiful. 

#6: Ode to Books

Camryn Horne

A world that is not mine
But feels catered to me.

You’re an escape from my reality
Of grief and sorrows, guilt and shame,
To a land full of fantasy and fun
Allowing me to choose my destiny.

You allow me to read a story like mine
You allow me to feel heard and seen
You make me feel like i’m not the only one
You allow me to find new words to express myself.

You dont judge me for being upset
Not for crying, or laughing
When it hurts too much to do much else.
That is what makes you great.

I’m so grateful for you
And the papercuts of love you bring
That make me feel so alive

ODES #5-1

Ode to Odes #5 – 1

#5: Ode to Music

Oliver Goff

What makes a song?
Is it a melody? Vocals? Multiple sections? Instruments?
The thunder of trombones,
chilling the spine
Resonance of guitar chords
Ear twitching rhythm of drums and symbols
Passionate hums of human souls
projected out in a whirl of sounds
With or without meaning to external ears
Every song is a story
And every story deserves to be told

#4: Ode to No

Angelina Ortiz

The word “no” stands firm, a guardian bold,
In a world that often seeks to mold.
It shields our time, our dream, our heart,
From paths that tear our soul apart.
A simple word, yet strong and sure,
It keeps our boundaries safe and pure.
Unappreciated, yet its power is vast,
It helps us find our way, steadfast
So honor “no,” for it paves the way,
To live our truth, come what may.

#3: Ode to Chocolate Milk

Miguel Dania

Chocolate milk, a childhood dream,
A swirl of cocoa in a creamy stream.
Poured in a glass, so rich and smooth,
A sip of joy that always soothes.
Morning light or evening’s end,
Chocolate milk’s a timeless friend.
A blend of sweet and dairy delight,
Turning every moment right.
From lunchbox days to midnight drink,
A comforting taste that never lacks.
Chocolate milk, so pure and sweet,
A simple pleasure, always a treat.

#2: Ode to Rain

Somara Wilkinson

Oh gentle rain, you grace the earth,
with droplets kiss upon the ground,
A symphony of soothing sound
you dance upon the leaves and trees,
A whisper carried by the breeze.
In silver threads, you weave a tale,
Of natures love, so pure and pale.
Your presence brings a calm embrace,
To every heart, to every place.
Oh rain, dear rain, you softly fall,
A gift of life, a balm of all.

#1: Ode to Rain

Nawaf Kassem

Though your cold tears trickle from the heavens,
saturating the earth and wilting the dianthus;
accompanied by crisp petrichor—
gloomy clouds and shades of gray blind the imperial eye.
Though they dread it’s abundance:
Droplets of bliss and misery,
their beseeching palms are elevated to implore you,
calling upon your blessed caress over the arid land.
Though tendrils of darkness and greed engulf you,
Poison and envy lurking beneath your eyes:
Ravenous pupils as thunderous skies—
Repulsive beauty.
I find solace in your distress, though.
When the world is made mum,
and your grief envelops puddles
I heed the patter in the mirrors you’ve forged

“Anagram” by Graeme Teal / “Riot” by Jakob Womer

“Riot”

Jakob Womer

“Anagram”

Graeme Teal

Typing the letters of my name,

Google tells me what I am.

Algae meter? No, I told Google.

Not how I feel. Try try again!

Gamete Earl, it said. I don’t

Like that one, but it’s better

sounding.

Meager Late. At least it’s

Something. Could be better.

I do like coffee.

LAME ERA GET?!?! No,

I am not lame, not cool

GOOGLE.

Eager metal! This is my favorite, I guess.

I am eager,

tough like a metal,

Thanks google.

Two Sentence Horror Story

Suhaas Poka

The cabin isn’t the same as when we had arrived, I can’t remember how we arrived here; the woods are twisted, mangled; as if the world itself is wrong. I don’t remember it looking like this, why do the trees have eyes; red yet translucent maggots crawling in and out of them, a fog so red and thick it could be an ocean: my smiling friends hanging from the branches.

Raghav Manohar

The natural stench of dirt fills my nose as I wake up trapped in a small rectangular box.

Disoriented, I can make out “may god rest his soul,” and my family crying above me.

Zen Watanabe

I heard the faucet dripping again along with creaking, there’s nothing wrong with this, it happens all the time. That was the moment I saw my brother’s headless body hanging from the ceiling, that was when I realized what the creaking was.

Aubriana Fiorini

As I answered the phone, I heard my dad’s hoarse voice. This made my skin crawl since today marks the five year anniversary since I murdered him.

Giuliana Famoso

The police are talking about me, “She’s a case gone cold,” the radio crackles and he turns to me, his navy blue uniform barely visible in the dark basement and his badge glinting in the dim light, “They’ve given up on you… any last words?”

“The Swing” by Grace Betzwieser / “Wait Here” by Elena Hymes

“Wait Here”

Elena Hymes

“The Swing”

Grace Betzwieser

She sits on the icy swing

The air damp

Like her clothes

She listens

To the sound of the rain

Hitting the ground

As the wind softly blows against her face

Back and forth

She swings

Flying freely through the air

And the pouring rain    

A thick breeze blows back

Her wet and tangled hair

So lost in thought

She almost doesn’t notice

A slight squeaking

Just off to the left

She sits frozen

The lonely night slowly fills

As she turns her head

Inch by inch

Ignoring her instincts

And her shaky hands

But once she looks

All that’s left is the swing

Rocking back and forth

And the reminiscence 

Of what was once there.

“Golden Star” by Troy Serao / Untitled by Kathryn Harrington

Untitled

Kathryn Harrington

“Golden Star”

Troy Serao 

It was no secret 

I wasn’t hard hard to please 

Just give me that little star shaped, sparkling, sticker 

No bigger than a push pin yet as sparkly as a disco ball hanging in a forgotten ballroom, 

The namesake STAR something that represents life, distance, freedom, and excellence. 

 They are given so sparingly from your teacher after you answer a question in class, from a friend on a hard day, or from the universe when one appears on your test when you get a 100%. 

They sit there on the wax paper 

ready to be peeled away to be separated from their joy to bring us JOY 

“Summer’s Embrace and Winter’s Chill” by Angelina Wu / “Hopeful View” by Zainab Bibi

“Hopeful View”

Zainab Bibi

“Summer’s Embrace and Winter’s Chill”

Angelina Wu

Summer’s warmth, in the noonday light
Gentle waves, embrace the shore
Sun-kissed days, where laughter rings
Blossoms bloom in vibrant array
In summer’s arms we find delight

Winter’s cold, a silent night
Icy winds where snowflakes soar
Frost nights, where silence stings,
Frozen landscapes in shades of gray
Winter’s touch, a tranquil sight