Swish swish swish.
The sounds of skis pierce the absolute silence of the forest
It is the crack of dawn, he is the only human on the mountain
Swish swish swish.
He is picking up speed, carving around the trees with haste
The animals watch him blaze by, the crisp morning air coming out of him
Swish swish swish.
The powder makes way for the titan coming through
His legs are tiring, his breath is hastening
Swish swish swish.
There was a storm last night, the leftover snow still falling, the wind howling
A tree is down, concealed by the vegetation of the mountain
Swish swish swish.
The man is approaching the fallen feat of nature, still unaware
He is finally enjoying himself, in complete harmony with his skis
Swish swish swish.
His final moments are going by, yet he is completely unaware
He ducks under a bush and sees it, but cannot stop himself in time
Swish swish-
A loud thud, then the trail runs red
The falling snow begins to cover him, no one will ever know
Nate Colburn // RED MOUNTAINS
Dilara Dokmecioglu // AN OPEN BOOK
Let their stories be written as diaries.
Always with perspective and thoughtfulness
But guarding concealed secrets,
Hiding behind a seemingly perfect facade.
I’d rather my story be an open book.
Free and brave, like a bird
Rising above trivial conflict
To soar across the clear blue sky.
To have expressed my motivations,
To be honest and kind
To be loyal and unwavering
A trustworthy and understanding companion.
I’d rather them see my colors
Than lock away my thoughts.
If I could stand tall and true,
I would rather be an open book.
Rebecca W. // OPPOSITES
Let them be as volcanoes
always fiery and blazing
but turning land into coal.
I’d rather be a mountain
tucked in with the others like a single snowflake
falling down with so many.
To have broken away from the others,
to stand tall and proud.
To be blanketed in snow
or glisten in the sun.
I’d rather be cold and hidden, and if
then shivering instead of an uncontrollable madness
than to be a ball of flames
where lives are destroyed
by their own decisions.
I’d rather be serene
than angry and always seen.
If I could hide within myself under the sky
I’d rather be a mountain than the other kind.
Xinyi Zhao // NANJING
7:15, tide raised:
Surfing in the wave
of the crowd,
The station doesn’t
seem to have space
to stand still.
Bouncing onto
each other like penguins,
Finally able
to get on the train;
The pressure of air
keeps one remembering
breathing.
Washed out by
the flood of people;
Drifting with
the mob, floating
back to the surface.
As violent as the
Waves seem,
In a small
valley road
was able to find
some peace.
As marvelous as the
tide seems
as a whole;
Yet each is
an individual drop;
Feeling at home.
Aidan K // IN THE MIND OF A TEEN
I have a few issues.
I’m always stressed,
I procrastinate and
I’m ignorant.
It takes too much time for me
To process information.
I hide emotions because
They can be too complicated.
Sometimes I feel too
Mature for my own good,
And high school science
Isn’t really my strong suit.
But I don’t care.
Because I’m still happy,
Positive, formal,
and caring.
I have a few issues.
But who doesn’t?
Despite my flaws,
I like who I am.
Zach Vincent // TUMBLEWEED
I am a tumbleweed,
Rolling with the gentle push of the wind,
Strolling by to see what is going on,
In the old western town,
Down by the saloon.
I have a seat,
Have a chat,
Until the breezes pulls me out.
Out the two wooden doors,
Got to go somewhere else.
Out in the open, Where it is
Just the horizon and a clear blue sky.
But sometimes I want to settle
And relax. No can do,
Winds picking up, just got to
Keep on rolling.
Ryan Atkins // EVERGREEN
Let them be as Deciduous trees
Always growing when it is easy
Never fighting to get out of winter’s cold and snow’s menacing grasp
I’d rather be a Evergreen
Proud and magnificent
like the stars my branches would strive to touch
To have the the power to weather whatever the weather
To have roots that reach deep within the earth
Down to the very center of it’s core
And can feel the great power right beneath me
I’d rather be an evergreen than a deciduous
I’d rather be an evergreen.
Driscoll // DUBAI
The tickets are expensive,
The security is strict,
The plane ride is long and uncomfortable,
As if they don’t want you
to go there.
But when you see the
Spectacular buildings,
Man-made landforms,
Materialistic man,
After materialistic man,
With a Bentley to show his worth,
You know why you came.
A whole city built on nothing but
Oil, and vast desert.
Corrupt politicians,
With absurd laws and regulations
Make living there dangerous.
However the visible dust particles
In the air making it dangerous to breathe,
Are drugs
That make you want to stay forever.
Mikhail Alperovich // TAKE THE SUBURBAN TRAIN
Take the suburban train
Departing to the west
Through forests and meadows
Away from the city.
After an hour ride
Exit at the station
That is always empty
And fascinatingly silent.
Go up the hill,
Walk past the spring,
Cross the river
By the old bridge.
Then come to the glade
That has a small pond near it.
The house that you need
Is the first on the right.
Camilla B. // THE GRANITE STATE
In the Granite State is
a small town special
to me although, maybe not
to you. Up Route 3 then over
to I-89, where Vermont and
New Hampshire meet, just
south of the snowy White Mountains.
Sweltering summer days at Storrs Pond,
autumnal apple picking at Riverview
Farm, skiing down the frosty cold snow
at the Dartmouth Skiway, hiking up
Mount Cardigan in the blooming spring,
where each year, we returned.
The bustling main street
filled with the familiar bakeries,
restaurants, and shops.
Where I used to spend
so much time, and now,
hardly any.