Sanctuary and Other Poems

By Stephen Kingsnorth Sanctuary Altar surround, the sanctuary - it’s holy ground, bared soles, atone, for I have trod with loosened thongs, where even angels fear to tread, and souls exposed, by spirit fed a sentinel, saint sentry point. Yet killing field those turbulent - Becket, Luwum, Romero, priests, for shame exposed, unwelcome voice, seed …

The Dog With a Golden Mane

By Patricia Furstenberg Down by the river, down the lane Runs the dog with a golden mane, And reds and browns and a leaf or two Are usually stuck in his fur, it's true. He's got it all, for he's a busy dog. The world is his, from the hill’ top down to the logs. …

And He Wondered

By Charles Wiegand White steam suddenly began billowing out from under the hood. He pulled over to the side of the road and parked the troubled car in the gravel. He sat there for a moment without moving, then turned off the engine and slowly got out of the car. He stood outside the car …

Academy Classics: O Tannenbaum

By Thomas Page The tree sort of slumped over. Ornaments scattered all over the ground. On the way down, the tree took out several pictures on the mantle. The ground was covered in broken glass, clay, and porcelain. Their dog, Sparkles, was trying to eat the remains of a surfing Santa. “Well, I’ll get some …

High School Contest Third Place Winner Poetry: “The girl in front”

by Ya'Rose Sambou The girl walks over and talked to turned backs She talked and talked with no response Until she turned her back, did they talk They talked and talked but she didn't understand  While the girl in the front, watches  The girl looks over and catches her eye She walked and walked until …

High School Contest Second Place Winner Fiction: “Sardines”

by Aliki Dimitoglou “Dear AJ,        I wish I could tell you this ends well for you.”   I paused, the rain falling on the paper I was reading off of, slightly smudging the words.         “You were definitely not perfect. You didn’t get straight A’s in high school, you didn’t have a huge group of …

High School Contest Second Place Winner Poetry: “The Pencil”

by Rebat Matin Erasing away the mistakes of others and making it my own, Changing my colors from a bright pink to a gloomy grey. Eroding away slowly but continuing to make progress. Only when my head is lost into minuscule pieces of rubber am I abandoned. When I have nothing left I am forgotten. …

High School Contest First Place Winner Fiction: “The Man”

by Alexander Choi The dilapidated road had a myriad of cracks in its asphalt as I cruised along the pavement. The blazing sun illuminated the land with rays penetrating through my windshield, hindering my vision of the road. I could faintly hear the wind whispering in my ear when  I took a glimpse of the …

High School Contest First Place Winner in Poetry: “Don’t Tell Me”

By Sa'Raye Wynder-Burs Don’t tell me the world doesn’t accept me, Those that love me keep me warm In a bed full of blankets With the hope that i’ll endure Don’t tell me my dreams can’t reach you, I have a pen to write them down Those to break my words As I string them …

Poem Sun

By Guna Moran   Translated from the Assamese by Bibekananda Choudhury   I cry inconsolably after reading a poem I can’t stop myself from crying out After penning a poem The poems that I read Under such pencil of light It is a boon of a star That expired a hundred years ago A hundred years …