The Criterion Spring 2021

THE

CRITERION

EZINE

THE CRITERION EZINE – SPRING 2020 EDITION President of the College................................................................................................. Vincent Maniaci

Featured Artists (Continued)

Dean, School of Business, Arts and Sciences .......................................................... Susanne T. Swanker

Mai-Lani Hernandez

Mother Earth (Poem)..................................................................p 23

Editor-in-Chief................................................................................................................William Steffen

Isiah Colon

Covid Creatures (Fiction)........................................................... p 24

Layout....................................................................................................................... Kat Lombard-Cook

Luigi Zebrowski

Robert Waden Portrait (Artwork)...............................................p 25

Various

Haiku Video Gallery (Poems).....................................................p 26

Desani Cruz

Her Name Was Ana (Non-Fiction)..............................................p 28

Featured Artists Rebekah Higgins Molina

Block Party (Non-Fiction)............................................................ p 2

Isiah Colon

Winters (Poem)...........................................................................p 29

Pwe Way

The Day at the Theater (Non-Fiction)..........................................p 2

Arthur Gingras

Twosome (Poem).........................................................................p 30

Sadadine Adam

Treason By Words and Violent Deeds (Poem)..............................p 3

Jillian Lavender

Rakkan Sculptures (Artwork).....................................................p 30

Jaylin Abreu

The World I Want to See (Artwork)..............................................p 3

Jarrett Raven-Symone

Virus (Fiction).............................................................................p 31

Kayla Romano

Warm Sky (Poem).........................................................................p 4

Katelynn Raynsford

Never-Ending Faith Between Us (Poem)....................................p 33

Katelynn Raynsford

Sleepless Nights (Poem)................................................................p 4

Raquel Ryan

Post tenebras lux (Artwork)........................................................p 33

Meliany Gonzalez

Carlos Vega Park (Non-Fiction & Photographs)...........................p 4

Javon Flynn

Peace (Artwork)...........................................................................p 34

Esterina O’Donnell

The World I Want To See (Artwork)..............................................p 7

Dejonae Robinson

Self In Contradiction Essay (Non-Fiction).................................p 34

Nashaly Morales

A Man’s Touch (Non-Fiction)........................................................p 8

B.W.

Ocean (Poem)..............................................................................p 36

Megan Schleyer

Family (Poem)...............................................................................p 8

Jordan Chatman

My Little Brother (Poem)...........................................................p 36

Jacob Sweigard

Endangered (Artwork)...................................................................p 9

Siale Alatini

Sivai’s Reflection (Artwork).........................................................p 37

Liz Day

Immigration (Artwork)...............................................................p 10

Ashley Taris

2020 (Fiction)..............................................................................p 38

Liz Day

Black Mountain and My Hometown (Non-Fiction)..................p 11

Arthur Gingras

Muriel Metcalf (Poem)................................................................p 39

Isaiah Morales

World Peace (Artwork)................................................................p 13

Antoinette O’Connor

Corona Virus (Poem)..................................................................p 40

Margaret Whitehead

What I’ll Say in 20 Years About the Coronavirus (Quotes).......p 14

Kayla Ransom

Quality of Light Masterpiece (Artwork).....................................p 41

Emma Davis

Haiku Poems (Poems).................................................................p 15

Amanda Rubito

Mamma Bears (Non-Fiction)......................................................p 42

Che Goddard

Untitled (Artwork)......................................................................p 15

Kelly Shea

Light Painting (Artwork)............................................................p 43

Lilly Acampora

Peace in a Park (Non-Fiction).....................................................p 16

Emma Davis

Liberty For ALL (Artwork).........................................................p 45

Anthony Del Trecco

The Light Within (Artwork)........................................................p 17

Katelynn Raynsford

Our Last Touch (Poem)...............................................................p 46

Makayla Thomas

A Year Ago (Poem).......................................................................p 18

Ashley Lara

Broken (Poem)............................................................................p 46

James Owens

Preacher Man Mural (Artwork)..................................................p 18

Anonymous

Untitled (Poem)...........................................................................p 47

Jacqueline Owens

Love (Poem).................................................................................p 19

Kyndra Cole

‘I’m confused’ (Artwork).............................................................p 47

Jennifer Paulino

Mhm Sisters (Poem)....................................................................p 19

Trevor Catlin

I Have A Dream (Artwork)..........................................................p 48

Joe Albano

Never Enough (Non-Fiction)......................................................p 20

Margarita Velazco

Paths and Waves of Life (Artwork)..............................................p 48

Brooke Garcia

Window Light Portrait (Artwork)...............................................p 21

Michael Fiaui

Rescue Op (Fiction)....................................................................p 49

Rain Bowrys

Bellringer Sketch (Artwork)........................................................p 22

Jordyn Comtois

Today’s World of Destruction (Artwork)....................................p 51

B.W.

Can you really explain it? (Poem)...............................................p 23

Cover Artwork: Light Painting by Kelly Shea All text and artwork © individual contributors.

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Block Party

Rebekah Higgins Molina An orange light is cast over our garage in Puerto Rico, and while the elders play dominoes, children are running and playing, mothers are dialoging in a corner, and the fathers talk in front of their cars; the whole neighborhood gets together in our house every Friday for our get-together, and food is brough over from other houses; friends and families come over for our grand get-together; it is a fun time that we spend together unless you bother the elders while they play dominoes (rule number one when the elders are playing dominoes is to not disturb them in any way, no matter what), God knows that they would either hit you with a chancla or give you the look that would shut up an adult; playing around is fun but as long as you are not playing in the house and don’t interrupt any adult conversation unless it’s an emergency and say, “con permiso” (that’s “excuse me” in Spanish); overall it is fun being eight years old and playing hide and seek, la cebollita (the little onion), tira y tapate (throw and cover), and la gillotina (guillotine: no one gets badly hurt); we play and play till we drop; sometimes not even the rain can stop us from playing games; there is a special time when the sun completely settles and the lamps in our backyard light up the whole place; salsa starts playing and you can see the adults pairing up to start dancing, and the elders are taking a break to dance with their loved ones; everyone reunites to dance together for the night: lovers dancing, elders singing and dancing, while we watch from the side and try to mimic their dancing; later in the night when the elders and parents get tired, the young adults take over the dance floor and dance bachata between their lover; around that time we are always rushed to go to sleep because it is too late for the young ones to be awake; (now that I look back, late at night there was something sensual about bachata and the adults dancing bachata and that could have been a reason why our parents usually rushed us to sleep); everything must come to an end and so do these great parties, and everyone goes home; we move to the United States, keeping fond memories that shall be in my mind forever, forward we move on to a great unknow, not knowing what is in the great beyond.

that the burn mark is a sign of the two kids getting “marked” or “tracked,” and so you cover your ears as the movie get closer to the end and you start quietly hoping that the kids are safe as the weeping woman keeps attempting to kill Sam and Chris, the mother of the two children stabs the chest of the weeping woman with a cross made from a Fire Tree; you cry out in excitement and realize you and the girls have finished all the snacks you’ve brought to the theater and you will continue to think about that horror movie for months since you are a paranoid person and a girl who believes in paranormal activities; the movie is called The Curse of La Llorona.

Treason By Words and Violent Deeds Sadadine Adam

Thugs listen to lies, misguided needs, Planted evil ugly seeds in fertile soil, Crash gate, heed sound of house turmoil, They smeared feces on hallowed halls.

Greed, power drove Trump to give call, Terror, coup, death, a democracy to steal; Misguided mob, FBI has their fates, President’s pen peals pardon for a few, Abandon deals, proud Bois, crazy Q, FBI will make them kneel, kiss the Ring, Ultra-right, save itself, will start to sing.

The Day at the Theater Pwe Way

It is right after school when you and the girls go to the theater to watch a new horror movie and get some snacks, and you go to sit in the far center back, but before all that you and Gabby go to Taco Bell to get lunch and chit chat, and Gabby tells you the legend in Mexico that the movie is based off of that makes you shiver since you’re always paranoid and the fact that you and the girls are going to watch a movie based off a legend has you really interested, so you sit down and you’re already sweating and there are a few more people than normal in the room, and Gabby takes out the snack that she hid in her tiny purse and hands it to you and to two of the girls, and as the movie is starting you start to shake and feel really excited because the movie opens with a family playing in a field, and the most youthful child gives his mom a necklace, who says she will cherish the thing everlastingly, and the kid goes on a hike later and discovers his mom savagely drowning his sibling in a stream, which horrifies him, so he runs, but his mom gets him and drowns him as well, and at that point you started connecting that with another horror movie plot, and as the movie goes on, kids started to go missing; the woman is stealing children because of her two dead children she drowned; you know that a woman in a white dress will attack the main characters, as three hundred years has passed, and the spirit is known as “the weeping woman,” who seizes the wrist of Sam and Chris, leaving a burn mark, and you cry out in fear along with the scared audience, which makes your heartbeat faster and your breathing rate accelerate as you guess –2–

The World I Want to See by Jaylin Abreu This was one of my favorite drawings/activities from our class.

As simple as the picture is, it still has a powerful meaning behind it. This image is symbolizing self-care, self-love, and overall, the importance of loving yourself in this world full of chaos. I believe this is the start of moving forward in life, because without loving yourself or taking care of yourself ,you won’t be able to prosper or be true to yourself. I love how this image is comparing self-care to watering a plant; it shows how essential it is to take care of a plant or it will die. This is a quote that I live by to this day and will even pass it down to my children: “When you like a flower, you just pluck it. But when you love a flower, you water it daily. One who understand this, understands life.”—Buddha –3–

Warm Sky

Kayla Romano

other side of the cement floor was a yellow hook sprinkler. My Park had two buildings and a shelter next to it. I called it “My Park” because no one ever came to play at this park, except for me.

My elementary school was right next to My Park. My elementary school had a huge playground. But I never went to it. As a kindergartener, I would ask my classmates to come play with me at My Park. No one ever said yes to me, but it did not bother me. I was not the crying type. I would go to My Park all on my own and make my own world.

Warm sky, Let’s lie On the sand where there is a band; I spy a bird fly, Warm sky.

Sleepless Nights

Katelynn Raynsford Tonight, we try again, Staring into the dark Tracing the shadows Following the stars I hear the dreams floating from the other room But where are mine?

What did I do to have no rest each night?

Instead my nights are filled with silence Swallowed by the fear of demon Each night I try again Each morning the circles under my eyes darken Blacker and blacker Unsure of when my body will fail me too Someday it will give in And I will be left with nothing But soon I will sleep forever

The rainbow was my castle. Every time water sprinkled on me, I imagined that it was giving me powers to kill the black metal benches. The black metal benches were actually called, “the Coals.” I had imagined that I was a princess warrior. No one could hurt me as long as the rainbow was there to give me strength.

The yellow hook in my imagination was my best warrior. The trees were known as my “Nightwatchers.”

The trees kept my world safe at night. I would be at school and only think about coming to My Park. I would go home and think about My Park. It was my special world.

Of course, as I got older things had to change.

Change At five years old, I played at this park all the time. But then I had to move very far away. I constantly moved from place to place. But then when I was fifteen, I moved right next to My Park. The construction workers were remodeling My Park. From where I live now, I have a perfect view of My Park. However, once it was remodeled, it did not feel the same. The construction had removed the rainbow, the benches, and the yellow hook. The Park now had guns that sprayed water, leaves that sprinkled water, and buckets that splashed on your head. It looked very nice. They did leave one black metal bench, but it was remodeled. The green giant leaves, blue snake, and red buckets look super cool. The blue and red guns that spray water attract a lot more attention to the park. The park also has lots of tables. The Carlos Vega Park now has a lot of people who come and play there. Lots of families come here and picnic and blast music. Over the summer, even with Covid-19 being around, families still came.

Carlos Vega Park Meliany Gonzalez

Favorite childhood memories can never leave us. Even people with dementia and Alzheimer’s will sometimes recall favorite childhood memories in detail. However, people with these conditions cannot recall their children’s names or what they just ate. Our childhood memories will be our ultimate dearest memories. Carlos Vega Park was and is still my fondest memory of all.

I only go now to bring my little sister to play there with her friends. While she is playing there, I sit down at a table and read a book. The park does not feel the same, even though it has been completely remodeled and brings more people and families together. The atmosphere feels like something is missing.

My little sister constantly nags at me to watch her while she plays with her friends. I go with the mindset that the park will give me back that same happy and safe feeling. Sadly, it does not. When I would lie on the grass, I would look up. When I look up at the trees now, I see that they are still at the same spot and same positions. The trees are the only things that bring back nostalgia to me.

My World I did not have much growing up. I never was that child that had all the newest, expensive, or the coolest toys. Yet I found myself more fond of this one place. The place is called Carlos Vega Park. (I nicknamed it “My Park”). My Park had a huge sprinkler in the form of a rainbow. That was one of two sprinklers there. The rainbow was colored in sections of tubes. The biggest one was a red line, followed by a yellow, then a green, and the last tube was blue. Surrounding it was a bunch of giant trees. These trees are twenty-five to thirty-five feet tall. No one could ever climb them because the trunks were the tallest part of them. Near the rainbow sprinklers were four black metal benches. The paint on these benches was chipping badly. The rainbow was attached to blue and red cement which covered the whole floor. At the –4–

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Nature still has its own agenda for changing things about our lives. In September of this year, there was a bad thunderstorm. The rain was pouring down like millions of pennies hitting the ground. The wind was acting extremely wild; it would blow in only one direction and the rain was fighting against it. My white screen door was aggressively hitting the main door and the wall, side to side. The temperature outside was oddly extremely cold. This was autumn’s rude way of saying, “Hello, I’m on my way!”

I stayed inside my home and I looked outside my window. It was very hard to see outside with so much rain and wind going everywhere. I focused my eyes on one of the trees that seemed like it was being pulled by the hair to the right side. Right before my eyes, I saw the tree rip from the roots and fall to the right side onto the ground. The sound came way after the fall. I saw that tree hit and bounce off the ground and land again. My thought was, “Good-bye.” I was secretly saddened by the fact that the tree had fallen. The next day some workers came and took the tree. Then, the workers cleaned the park from all the branches that landed all over the park.

Gone Right now, it is raining, oddly enough. Every time it rains now, all I think about is how things are never going to be the same. Some things need to change for our own benefit. At the start of July, construction workers started doing a lot of digging and building. Around the Carlos Vega Park, construction workers started building about eight houses. There used to be only two buildings next to the park. Now, it is going to be filled with lots of homes. The construction workers have been working on the underground work first for the houses; they are building the foundation, and connecting the water pipelines and electricity. Day after day, the park is becoming a whole new place. It’s surroundings are changing in a drastic way. Fewer trees are present, and there are more wooden tables. There is no rainbow or yellow hook, but newer and glossier sprinklers. Where I used to play by myself, there are now a bunch of families and children playing there. There has been talk that they are going to take out some sprinklers. They will remove sprinklers and create a playground at the other half of the park once the houses have been built. The construction workers are going to make a playground on half of the park. What I once knew will not be remembered by many—except me.

self-confidence, you are brave enough to take chances and experience things out of your shell. Self-confidence gives you the guts to make friends, to travel, to try new foods, etc. You get to work out the fears within yourself. A strong imagination definitely helps grow intellectual skills. Imagination makes the best writers and authors.

There are still people who believe imagination is crazy talk. One time, my sister and I went on vacation with a friend of ours who has a three-year-old. My sister noticed that the three-year-old kept talking to the seat next to her at the airport. My sister said, “Look! She has gone completely crazy.”

I disagreed with her. Now that little girl is at the top of her class and is constantly student of the month.

My point is that My Park is what helped through my difficult moments in life. I know My park is not actually mine, but it was nice to think about it as a place of my own.

Conclusion To conclude, My Park was a great place for me while it lasted. Our minds are much more powerful than we believe. Imagination is such a unique muscle to exercise. My Park helped me have a sense of adventure, creativity, and security. I experienced adventure in the unknown, creativity in a majestic place with a sense of fun and excitement. I had security in knowing that sadness could not be a part of my life, only happiness. I say, “My Park: Thank you for being there when I needed you the most.”

Understand Understand that My Park meant everything to me. Growing up poor is something I would never hope for any child to experience. As a child, I never knew if I would go to bed hungry or not. I remember watching my mother cry over the bills at our kitchen table. I would hug my mother to make her tears go away, but my hugs felt like they were not enough for her. I noticed as a child my mother would look out the window from the kitchen. She would stay staring at the park with a sad face. After staring at it long enough, she would smile afterwards and laugh. I thought to myself, the park is what makes her happy.

Then it would make me happy too.

After school I would go straight to My Park and imagine all types of crazy stories. It was my only escape from the real world. As I got older, I still looked at the park, though not with the same feelings. I realized that things need to change in life for our own good. People may argue that having too much imagination is not good for a child or a person. Some may argue that too much imagination is weird and should not be encouraged. Others may say a child who grows up with no friends will lack social skills. Everyone can state their own opinion on this. I believe you should imagine all you want. Imagine—as long as it does not hurt you or anyone else. I am a strong advocate of imagination. Encouraging imagination is a good thing to do. Imagination creates self-confidence. Self-confidence is the ultimate goal. When you have –6–

The World I Want To See by Esterina O’Donnell –7–

A Man’s Touch Nashaly Morales

A stepfather is the husband or partner of one’s mother after the divorce or separation of one’s parents or the death of one’s father, but in my opinion, I believe that a stepfather is a man who steps up to love a woman with her flaws and who makes the woman’s children feel as though they were his as well, but even though this is what I think, my stepfather had another view of me as a young woman; maybe it was my body that was built and shaped differently, maybe it was my intelligence, maybe it was my smile, maybe it was my humor, maybe it was my kindness, maybe it was my way of being or maybe it was just him--ten years of constant staring, small mirrors under the bathroom door, touches against my body, recordings while I was supposed to be privately taking a shower, inappropriate comments, cussing me out, hitting my mother, shattering phones, bruises all over my mother’s body, broken objects around the house, numerous attempts of committing suicide, cheating, yelling, slamming, crashing, all that you can think of happened under my roof, but the police never found these actions to be related to domestic violence; maybe it was because my mother took him back time after time, maybe it was because he received mail in our home’s mailbox, maybe it was because he had a son with my mother, maybe it was because they thought that it was a normal relationship process to grow, or maybe they just did not care about our safety and well-being—after ten years of impulsive and aggressive behavior, manipulation, disrespect, and so much more, me, my sister, and my mother were able to let go of the man who tortured us until the fourth of January.

Family

Megan Schleyer Family is...

Showing you what it means to be loved Picking you up when you fall Standing there when you’re alone.

Family is…

Getting your favorite candy after a bad day Making you laugh even when angry Proving distance doesn’t mean the end.

Family teaches you lessons, Sometimes they’re not blood, Your team, your neighbor, your professor, All can be family if they make you who you are.

Endangered by Jacob Sweigard

In times I didn’t like myself, My family was on the pitch My family was at school My family is in my heart.

The Axolotl is an endangered amphibian species. Another name for this amphibian is known as the “Mexican Walking Fish.”

Although the species grows legs and arms, it is strictly a water- based species. In 2010, wild Axolotls were near extinction.

Today, they remain a critically endangered species.

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Black Mountain and My Hometown Liz Day

So many parts of everyday life have changed drastically this year for everyone. My life has changed a lot over the years, but this year more than any before. I recently did some reflecting on my year and my life with my best friend Kalin during our favorite hike. We both sat up there for an hour and talked about the pandemic, relationships, and how tired we are of online school. Now I have done this hike many times before with many different people during many different seasons over the years, but this most recent time I learned so much about myself and the mountain. I have come to the conclusion that I am as comfortable on the top of Black Mountain as I am in my living room. I started to think of all the times I have been up there and who I was with. I am a people person, but only with my people. I can never remember what specific day or month we went up to hike, but I can always remember who I went with. I associate the mountain only with positive memories of my high school friends, and of times I can always look back on and smile about.

The first time I went to the top was three years ago in high school. I went up with Kalin and another one of my best friends, Nate. We went after some sort of athletic practice in the evening. I remember it was cold because I was wearing my favorite vest, but there was no snow on the ground yet, so it had to be late fall or early winter. The whole way up, Kalin was worried about not being home for dinner on time—very high school. We got to the top right at sunset and I immediately fell in love with the view. I liked that it felt like I was on a cliff and that I was staring right across at the ski mountains. I liked looking down into the valley and watching where the sun would hit the river. I just felt so high up, which we ultimately were. Ironically, on the way down, I started to dislike the sunset as much because it was dark, and we had to run so Kalin wouldn’t be late for dinner.

From then on, we started going a few times every month. We lived in a rural small boring town with a small close-knit group of friends, so this place quickly became a good hangout for us. I remember one day after a lame high school party, I and my group of best friends at the time—Kalin, Nate, Ryan, and Hunter—all lugged our hungover bodies up there for the day and spent the whole day sitting, laughing, and enjoying the sun. There was one time again when just Kalin, Nate, and I went during the winter, which is ill-advised. But the whole trip down, Kalin and I got the biggest laugh from watching Nate skate down the thick ice-covered path in his sneakers like a figure skater. How he did not crack his skull on the hard ice is something Kalin and I talk about to this day.

I’ve been on first dates and third-wheel dates for Kalin on this mountain. Kalin and I have gone up there to scream at the world. I really do love this place like my house.

Immigration by Liz Day This is a piece we did for our midterm in professor Nordell’s class, where he gave us an assortment of articles to inspire us. I responded to an article on immigration and based my artwork on that. My image is a colored pencil piece that has a globe with a home sitting on top to symbolize how the earth is everyone’s home. Across the globe are paths that lead to an open door of the house; these paths symbolize a journey that one takes to safety and shelter.

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When COVID-19 sent everyone home from school in the spring, hikes were the one thing both Kalin’s and my parents would let us go do together. So, this hike became our lifeline like never before. We were up there every week with a picnic and a blanket. The mountain was the one part of my world that had not changed during those awful times. I lived for our hikes and I needed them during quarantine. We went a little less in the summer because we were drawn to the West River more during the heat, but we still made it up a few times. This fall, Kalin went back to school and I stayed home. Without really meaning to, I stopped going to Black Mountain. Being home without Kalin was hard, but she came back in three short months.

This past weekend we finally went up for the first time since she left in the fall, and we focused on our surroundings. We talked about what makes this mountain so special to us and we both realized it is –11–

because the mountain is always there. We have lost friends due to life and growing up, and we have watched our lives transform into a weird reality. But we know we can always walk up there, put down a blanket, and forget about it for a while. Black Mountain feels like home to me.

It takes twenty-five minutes. Always twenty-five minutes every time to get to the top. I love the short walk up the mountain. The first half of the hike is flat forest, and the ground is soft with grass or leaves.

And there are so many types of trees. The path starts out very wide, great for company. As you start to take some turns and go farther up, the path becomes more narrow and big boulders are on and around the path. At the top, the path disappears to the semi-flat top where boulders and rock take form and make up the ground beneath you. The top is full of cliffs and ridges all looking down at the West River and across at Mount Snow. This is my favorite hike. This is my living room. This is Black Mountain.

Mountain because there is no longer any foliage to give cover. Late fall and early spring are the best times to hike Black Mountain if one is looking for the clearest view.

After reflecting this past week with Kalin, I now realize how much the mountain means to me. I also realized how much I love consistency and how consistent and constant the mountain is in my life. This mountain has not changed drastically at all in the past few years, but I can’t say the same for my life.

Black Mountain reminds me of my favorite time with my people, Kalin and Nate. Kalin and Nate’s friendship is like Black Mountain for me; they won’t move on me, and they will be there no matter where my life takes me. I am thankful for them and I am thankful for the memories that we have on Black Mountain. Black Mountain feels like my living room.

I fell in love with the view and with the short distance one has to walk compared to some longer hikes around. I also fell in love with the vacancy. Only locals hike here, which is quite rare for Vermont, especially during leaf-peeper season. Also, it is especially nice for me and my troublemaking friends in high school. The mountain is shaped like a horseshoe with a big bend. The mountain ridge comes straight up from the West River making something of a cliff, at the top your feet can dangle from certain ridges.

Black Mountain’s summit is 1,280 feet, making it a real small mountain for my home state.

The bottom of the mountain and trail head are covered in woods and greenery. The path looks like a hallway with big tall walls of maple and birch trees. The trees are tall and strong, and one can hear the wind whistle through them. The birch trees’ bright white bark offers a nice contrast from the green and brown tones around them. There are plenty of the low-hanging, shrubby lethal hemlock bushes all throughout the lower slopes. The maple trees are a staple of Vermont wildlife; they offer amazing hardwood, and the sap is extracted to be sugared into pure Vermont maple syrup. Maple syrup is a delicacy in Vermont and also a huge source of income for families. I have seen sap lines on the maples on Black Mountain right after the cold hard winter. I also personally know the family farm that run the lines on Black Mountain. The maples have grown up to sixty feet tall with big trunks and lots of branches, meaning they are old trees that have stood through many season changes and the biggest storms. The roots of the trees create stepping stairs and ensnarl the whole path with knots of root. The lower slope ground is rich nutrient soil; this where you find most of the greenery and it’s what makes the trees able to grow so tall. As you start to climb farther up the summit, the species of plants and trees start to change around you. So does the ground you walk on. It’s a slow, subtle transition from soil to rock. The mountains were originally a mass of molten rock beneath the earth’s crust, but over millions of years of erosion, the light-colored rock has emerged at the top. The granite rock is also what makes up the core of the mountain. The point of the mountain is a complex system of ledges, cracks, and big rock formations. When one gets to the top, it is spread out with plenty of room for walking, reading, and sitting. Unlike the bottom, the point of the summit has few to no maple trees and limited wildlife because of the exposed granite. What grows there instead are small pine trees; the red and white species are found growing out of the limited soil between the rock ledges. The point cannot support greenery that requires heavy nutrients or large amounts of water from the soil because the top is mostly rock. However, there are plenty of low hanging bushes and huckleberry plants. The top is not nearly as close to a forest as one would think.

The trees are far and few between. But this makes the top clear, so one can see the amazing view. When you look out, you can see the river valley right beneath you and when you look across it, you can see the distant ski mountains. One can also see the busy road, route nine, which travels right alongside the West River. This time of year, one can see the white granite peaks of the mountain as they drive to Black –12–

World Peace by Isaiah Morales I believe my most recent assignment is by far one of the most meaningful creations I’ve created. The assignment was to draw a world that I’d like to see; it could either be symbolic, fictional, or realistic. I choose symbolic. As you notice in the image, my creation has the world located within the peace symbol. You can also notice the two hands placed around the “World Peace” symbol with two different colored bandanas—blue and red—touching. The colors represent the most popular gangs known to date and the purpose of them touching together is a way of saying they need to put a stop to the violence and to join together as one.

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What I’ll Say in Twenty Years About the Coronavirus

Quotations from Students in Professor Whitehead’s Analytical Writing Class (S2020) Compilled by Margaret Whitehead • During [the] coronavirus pandemic, it was very lonely and at times boring.

• There was no traffic on the roads and it seemed to always be quiet, no matter the time.

• It wasn’t a world war that sent panic into the world’s population, but a virus living in the atmosphere.

• The virus was the only news you would hear about; the death rate increasing, the number [of ] infected increasing.

• I will tell them about how it impacted everyone all over the world, not just people in the U.S. • I had to move out completely from our dorms, say goodbye to all our friends from school, and go back home.

• All of the hard work that I put in during the previous weeks [was] for nothing.

• I hate online class, but it gave me more time to study, and I could stay in bed during my class.

• Some professors care way too much and some don’t care at all.

• I did break a few rules and explored some new places.

Haiku Poems Emma Davis

Happy loving you My heart forever skipping Till death do us part Waves crashing softly Warm air kisses my moist skin Salt smells in the air Time goes by so slow Cherishing every moment Memories held dear Sinking in the waves Falling deeper and deeper Gasping for the air

• I would go to the field with my friends and play soccer a lot, even though we weren’t technically supposed to be socializing outside.

I am free to be Anything I choose to be I am fully me

• When the self-isolation started, I started seeing [two] dozen, [three] dozen people out and not even exercising, just sitting in the grass...YOU CAN DO THAT IN YOUR OWN BACK YARD. Gee wiz people just wanted to get infected.

The light will shine though The darkness will be cast out Freedoms come at last

• The U.S. leads the world in deaths and cases, which is both unbelievable and believable.

• It was something that we could not escape; it encompassed us.

• Looking outside and seeing people walking by with masks and gloves on as if the disease was floating in the air, people rushed to supermarkets and grocery stores as if we’d be locked in our homes for years.

• My father, who worked at Walmart during the day and at South Shore Hospital as a Respiratory Therapist at night, was rarely seen.

• I’ve painted wall, drawer, and refurbished a small table, but the lack of human contact is still a void.

I am beautiful I affirm that I am smart Positive self-love For us to bask in The sun shines without asking Shining with passion

• I’m not even going to get into the fact the Kobe and his daughter Gigi died in a [helicopter] crash.

Untitled by Che Goddard This drawing is inspired by artist Shen Zhou. This drawing is a man lying down on top of a mountain. He lies deep in the clouds. He sunbathes as he holds on to his katana and admires the trees and wind. This drawing is very special to me. It displays tranquility and calmness for the viewer.

–14–

–15–

Peace in a Park Lilly Acampora

Being a college student, life is not always easy. Playing a sport and having a family with extremely high expectations for you only makes it worse. Finding a place that allows me to decompress is not easy. And finding a place that allows me to be able to connect with it is almost impossible. But I am lucky enough to say I have found that place. There is a park in Branford, Connecticut called Ecology Park. An area that used to be a town dump was transformed into a view-grabbing park. The story behind this park, formerly known to me as “Mount Trashmore,” is very interesting because something that was once not admired or really cared for (as it was a dump), is now one of the most breathtaking places I know of.

This year was particularly stressful for me. Coming home from school and switching to online classes is one of the hardest transitions I’ve ever had to make. Not only was this one of my stresses, but two very important people to me had strokes that changed their lives. My great grandma was left blind in her right eye and now has limited vision in her left. I spent almost every day with her in the hospital. My poppy also had a stroke, making it his second, which set him back greatly with his speech. Since I am the only one who was home daily, I had to bring him to most of his appointments. This was a huge stressor for me. Ecology park was my escape. I would go there by myself and just lie in the grass for hours, looking at the stars. Sometimes I’d even catch myself there until the sun was coming up.

was frustrating. That is why Ecology became my home. This year I felt more alone than I ever have. I cannot explain why. I have the best group of friends that I have ever had. I have the most amazing best friend, yet I truly felt so alone. Being able to go to Ecology Park allowed me to try to connect with my nana.

Ecology park may not be everybody’s favorite place. The road to get to it is eroded and somewhat falling apart. There are many potholes and big rocks. Once you arrive at the top, there is very limited parking and only a small space to turn around. Since it is a giant open grassy hill, there are a ton of bugs in the summer, and they just attack you.

Everyone has an escape. Something that brings you peace. Something that allows you to be yourself and just not care. For me, it’s being outside—specifically, at Ecology Park. Something about it just makes all my stress and worries fade away.

I discovered this park with some of my friends when I came home from school in March. We used to come here when we were having bad days or when we just felt so much pressure that we didn’t know what to do with ourselves. We would plan picnics and spend hours there talking and just breathing since we couldn’t really be anywhere else due to the pandemic. This was our spot. During the day, you can see around it for miles. But the best time to be there was on a warm afternoon. We’d bring our books and sit there and read in each other’s presence. It is just quiet there. Not many people know about it, so it’s like our little secret place. We celebrated birthdays up there, celebrated the end of spring semester, and the little wins we had. I found myself falling in love with a boy in this very spot. I then found myself heartbroken after. But Ecology was still there. It still brought me peace. It made all of my sadness go away for a short amount of time. And the weight it lifted off of my shoulders while I was there really saved me.

The Light Within

by Anthony Del Trecco This photo was taken as a part of my photography class. The theme of the week was the world we want to see. At the time this photo was taken, I had returned home due to a very difficult semester that was filled with personal hardships and loss. Along with the raging pandemic and the start of another cold New England winter, I was in a deep state of sadness and constant worry.

This reflects the world I wanted to see because I wanted to see people provide a light to someone who feels trapped in a seemingly endless void of darkness. Light brings positivity, joy, and most importantly, hope—hope that there will be better days ahead and hope that we can all learn, grow, and support each other. We need more bright lights in all forms, now more than ever, to make our world a better place.

This park is very nice during the day, but the best time to be there is at night. The way the hill is, it allows you to be able to have a full view of the sky. It gives you a full view of Branford Hill and some parts of East Haven, which is where I live. It is so clear that you can see thousands of stars. This year I was able to see the space station float by for one minute, which was so cool. Since the hill is high up, the view is immaculate. If you lie down and tilt your head so you’re looking at the sky upside down, it looks like you are floating in the air. All my life I’ve wanted to see a shooting star. I’ve wanted nothing more than to wish upon a shooting star. I know, how cliché of me. But seriously, after the year I had, something had to give. And finally, I saw my first shooting star here. Slowly, things are becoming better. But I would not have survived the pandemic if I had not discovered this place.

Being able to look at the stars is something that is very important to me. When I was young, my nana and I would go look at the stars at the beach at the end of our road in Cape Cod. I spent most of my summers there as a child. When I was 11, my nana passed away. I took this extremely hard. She was a rock to me and a great mentor. I just felt like I did not have enough time with her. I didn’t get to make her proud the way that I wanted to. This summer, it was particularly hard to get to the Cape due to Covid-19 and all of the restrictions. Not being able to be there and go to the beach and look at the stars –16–

–17–

A Year Ago

Love

Makayla Thomas The lockdown began a year ago About a handful of mental breakdowns or so About a handful of sleepless, anxiety-ridden nights Longer nights when it gets harder to fight The pressure of being alone The pressure of having to do this on my own The weight on my shoulders My father’s dying words that I need to be a degree holder

Jacqueline Owens Staring as you walk past, My heart flutters at last.

He walks by without a wonder.

His heart must flutter for another. Stopping in his tracks, Turning towards me, Eyes gleam as bright as can be.

At last, his heart flutters for me.

Mhm Sisters

Jennifer Paulino I used to be in this dark place.

You pulled me out there sometimes.

Mhm, sometimes.

He passed back in November He told me I needed to succeed I remember That I needed to be better than his past Even in death he wouldn’t let me finish last A blanket of sadness threatening to consume Struggling to stay afloat, going to drown soon The assignments keep coming My promise to him is the only thing keeping me from running Lockdown began a year ago About a handful of months with crippling depression or so The semester is almost done, maybe I can do this Regardless, I’m trying my best, daddy, but you already knew this

You were there for me through everything.

Mhm, everything.

What you did was like dancing with the devil, with him spinning me around in circles.

You know what you remind me of? A fox, and how fake and deceiving it is.

Mhm, how a fox is so beautiful but will turn on your back in a split second.

You knew this happen to me with my so-called sister last year and when I open up to you about what she did to me, Mhm, here you are doing the same thing.

One of my friends told me, “She going to do it to you, Jennifer. Don’t trust her.”

Mhm, guess who didn’t listen.

Guess who got hurt and looks stupid for trusting my so-called “sister”?

I thought we could trust our sister with everything, but I’m here telling you, no you can’t.

Mhm, so I’m here again deciding whether to kill the fox or let it live another day to be my sister.

Mhm, so I killed the fox.

Left: Preacher Man Mural by James Owens I pick this image because it’s a beautiful mural. The colors clash and the mural is a masterpiece that offers a symbolic meaning. The mural represents the heart of Springfield. This man right here was a pivotal figure in Springfield and was respected throughout the community. I took this picture because I want to show something that represents Springfield, and this mural offered the best representation of it.

–18–

–19–

Never Enough Joe Albano

If I were to be asked, “Do you contradict yourself?”, I would say yes. At the moment, you don’t typically realize it. But when you look back, you can most definitely see it. I contradict myself the most when getting the best out of myself and performing well on the soccer field. Whenever I have a “good game,” I am never satisfied with the stats of my game, and I feel like I let my team down no matter how well I do.

I always take blame for mistakes, even when they aren’t my fault.

When I first made the varsity soccer team sophomore year in high school, we had our first game against Ludlow High School, our rival. I knew a lot of the guys on the other team because we played travel soccer together growing up. I wanted to go out there on the field and show them how good I got since the last time they saw me play. When my coach came out with the starting lineups, I was listed as a substitute. When I heard this, I was very upset. It distracted me the whole warm-up session and before the game. However, I knew my chance later in the game would come.

As the game went on—it was after about twenty minutes of play in the first half—I eventually got the call up off the bench. I was ecstatic as the crowd cheered me on and the fan section started yelling my name. I felt like superstar in the moment. As I first checked into the game, I was a bit nervous, but I knew I had to do my best to stay in the game. As I got my first touch on the ball, it was a nice pass to my striker who almost scored. Several minutes later, I got another pass to me. This time I shot it, and it hit the post! I was feeling like I was putting a show on for the crowd and whole school to watch, because I was playing well as a little sophomore going up against these big seniors. I felt unstoppable in the moment. I didn’t turn the ball over once, and I won every 50/50 ball that came my way.

When I woke up the next morning, all of my feelings changed. I felt like I played awfully. I felt like I let my team down by not winning. Everyone said to keep my head up, but I feel like I disappointed them and I felt like I could’ve done a lot better to get a better result for my team. Even though I scored, I felt like I just got lucky. I didn’t feel like I deserved that goal, and I felt like other players should have gotten more credit than I did. I’m never satisfied with how I play, especially after not winning a game. Even if I scored a goal, I looked back at it and realized I had an opportunity to score another goal to win the game for my team. Looking back at it the next day made me want to go back and change the entire day, even though in the moment it was one of the best days of my life. The next day at school, everyone congratulated me, and I felt ashamed. I felt ashamed because looking back at it, I could have won us the game with the whole school watching. I could have been “that kid” who everyone looks up to for scoring a game-winning goal against their rivals. No matter how well I play, I always feel like there’s something better I could have done. Even though during the game I felt like I did my best and felt like a super hero, I always look back at it the next day and see there’s nothing that I am satisfied with. Most people would be okay with scoring a goal to tie the game, but that is just not me. I demand more from myself than others do.

I am never satisfied with my results, because I feel like I train too hard to be just average, or just to score the game-tying goal. I want to score game-winning goals and be the best player on the field every time I step on it because that is how I was raised. I was raised to always give my best, and never settle for anything below great. I set myself with high standards so I give 100% in everything I do plus more. I believe that because I put so much work into playing and being the best. No matter how well I play in a game or how many goals I score in a game, it will never meet my standards.

Window Light Portrait

by Brooke Garcia

The game went on, and we reached half time. As I walked off the field, my teammates all said I played well and to keep it up. Hearing this from the upperclassmen made me feel so good about myself, and it felt like I was doing my part to help the team.

I chose this photo to submit because I never actually knew the power of lighting and how it could affect photos until this photo. Window light is so powerful when it comes to creating a successful photograph, and I think the window light being portrayed in this photo shows just that. I love that the light is hitting her face and creating a shadow on the other half of her face. This adds dimension and drama to the photograph.

The second half came, and my coach old me I was starting. I was so happy and felt unstoppable in the moment. As the game went on, I was playing well, and then something terrible happened. Ludlow scored a goal to go up 1-0 on us, with ten minutes left. I was devastated, and it felt like we already lost the game. After they scored, I got subbed off the field. I got to the sideline and threw my water bottle on the ground hard to show how upset and angry I was.

My coach saw this, and then came up to me and said, “Shake it off. I need you to score for us soon.”

Once I heard this, I switched moods and was ready to put the team on my shoulders. As I checked into the game with six minutes left, I got the ball and kept attacking the opponent’s goal. I was so close to scoring, but just couldn’t--until this happened. I got the ball off the rebound and hammered it through the net with two minutes left to tie the game! After I scored, I ran to the corner and my whole team jumped up on me cheering me on and giving me a pat on the back. As the game went on, I had another chance to win the game, but the goalie saved it. After that last shot by me, the game officially was over and it ended as a tie.

After the game all my friends went on cheering my name, and all my teammates picked me up and marched me off the field. Even the players on the other team told me how well I had played for being a sophomore, and I deserved to score tonight. As the night went on, I was so proud of myself, and so happy to score my first goal at my first game for varsity.

–20–

–21–

Can you really explain it?

B. W.

Bellringer Sketch by Rain Bowrys I want to submit our first class activity from Professor John Nordell’s History of Art class. The activity is called a “Bellringer,” and follows the ringing of a bell. The bell ringing symbolizes the start of class, and it’s an opportunity to honor everything else going on in our lives, while bringing ourselves in to the present moment. We are then shown a piece of art, and given six minutes to sketch it, using the pencil and paper as a way of more deeply seeing and interaction with the image. After this, there is a question for us to give a written (or more recently, visual) response. Our first Bellringer was: Shen Zhou, Poet on a Mountaintop, c. 1500. Here is my six-minute sketch, alongside the original image, and written response to the prompt: Describing this environment with five senses: Sight: I see a beautiful mountain range with a single person standing atop the central cliff. Mist swirls at the base of this cliff as the person looks outward and off into the distance. A small grove of trees shelters traditional Asian architecture tucked into the side of the mountain.

Hearing: Such a tranquil environment invites attention to the sound of the wind. I can begin to imagine music being played, the string plucks of an ancient Pipa, or the song of a Xiao fluttering in on the zephyr.

Touch: I can imagine the cool humidity of the mountain tops. Brackish air would nip at my nose.

Smell: I would retreat into the lofty glen and be welcomed by the sweet, earthy smell of pine. Once inside the house, I would likely catch the scent of brewing green tea.

Taste: Some of the oldest crops cultivated in China are soybeans and cucumber. I imagine with the tea, I would be served a meal of tofu, cucumber, and of course, rice.

–22–

Love What a funny word that is We all say it But you never know what it really means If I told you, I love you You would say it back But if I asked you to explain it What would you say?

How could you make someone understand Something you can say to Someone you just met But also to someone you’ve known your whole life Can you actually explain what love is If your crush asked you to convey Your feeling towards them, could you?

If love can’t be explained, then How do we know what it is?

Can we really tell each other we Love one another And mean it?

Mother Earth

Mai-Lani Hernandez The Mother pays attention to the ocean, The ocean is the most tempestuous large indefinite quantity of all.

Does the ocean make you shiver?

Does it?

Earth, however hard it tries, Will always be sordid.

She sees the destruction of my generation, She gives her ground a shake, And sobs until the tears make.

She lies in bed with ducts that weep.

With thoughts of sadness in her head, She rises from her bitter bed, She yearns to be free like the water.

The earth is sturdy, motherly, and deep, But she has promises to keep, Until then, she shall not sleep.

–23–

Covid Creatures Isiah Colon

The clouds follow after a long rainy overnight; thunder still roars from above. Jaden is lying on the hospital bed, chest heavy and wheezing. Jaden is a pre-teen little person who can’t seem to catch a break.

Whether she is being made fun of for her height, or whether her health is causing her problems, it always seems she is never okay. The doctors do not seem to know what is going on with her health this time.

With the news going around about a possible disease called Covid-19, the doctors are a bit worried.

and fight them. They put on their masks and they begin to step on them. These creatures (about two feet tall) go down pretty easily. What starts off as the family thinking there were only three creatures ends up being a whole misunderstanding. They fight these creatures throughout their whole house, running from closet to closet, room to room, bathroom to bathroom.

Then, finally, it just all stops.

The creatures seem to be gone; the mess, their sickness, everything just goes away. Jaden, mother, and father laugh in disbelief and have no clue what just happened.

Jaden then hears her alarm clock ring, and she realizes everything that she just went through was a dream.

“Could I possibly have it?” asks Jaden.

The doctors nervously refuse to answer her question. “May I speak to Jaden’s mother?” says the doctor.

“Yes,” Jaden’s mother says, worriedly.

“I’m afraid to tell you, but your daughter has contracted the disease Covid-19.”

Jaden’s mother jumps out of her chair, runs to get Jaden who is on the hospital bed, and bursts out of the hospital.

Jaden and her mother both know that this is much more serious than a disease. Just a few days before, Jaden mysteriously needed to go to the hospital. Her father was outside cutting the lawn when he spotted something. He spotted these so-called creatures who are going around and spreading this deadly disease. The news believes the disease is coming from China, but father knows it is these creatures. He does not want to bring his understanding to the public in fear of people not believing him.

Jaden and his mother make their way back home from the hospital and find Jaden’s father lying on the couch, unconscious. Soon enough, they see these little creatures come out from beneath him, and these creatures begin to chase them.

“What do we do, mother? I do not feel good,” says Jaden.

Jaden’s mother then picks her up and says, “Just breathe. Everything is going to be okay.”

They then make it to the closet and mother decides to call the police. “Hello! I need help as soon as possible. My husband is unconscious, and we are getting chased by these little creatures.”

The police laugh and say, “Ma’am, are you sure you are okay? We will send an officer over to check now.”

When the police arrive, they do not find any of the little creatures. All they find is father unconscious.

The ambulance gets father and Jaden and brings them to the hospital.

Mother on the other hand gets arrested for taking Jaden out of the hospital without permission.

“Hello? Sir, are you okay?” says the doctor. Father says yes and has a panic attack. Then he begins to tell the story of what happened with him and these creatures. No one believes his story and the doctors send him and Jaden home.

Robert Waden Portrait by Luigi Zebrowski

By now, it is evening, and their suburban home is beginning to be covered by fog and rain. Suddenly they hear a bang. Jaden and father freak out, only to realize it is mother. The police let her go hours before, but she had to find her way home.

The purpose of this project is to address the long problem in our society: homelessness. I thought this problem only existed in the third world countries. But my perception was wrong; it exists even here in United States. I can see homeless people everywhere asking for help. And I feel guilty when I cannot help them. I’ve seen many homeless veterans, and I don’t understand why these people who have served the country are not given the benefit that they earned. Our perception that these people are treated right by the government is wrong. Homelessness has been oppressing humanity for a long time. And we need to come up with a solution to also decrease the public health issues. Ending homelessness means working together to ensure that people are quickly, safely, and adequately housed and supported, especially by the government.

The family now begins to feel a little safer until the little creatures pop out from under the couch where father was unconscious hours before. The three then decide it has been a long day and it is time for it to come to an end. Instead of running from the creatures, they decided they are going to stand up to them –24–

This photo was taken on March 10, 2021. Robert Waden, 60 years old, once a resident of Hartford CT, is now homeless. This photo was taken on Main Street of Northampton, MA.

–25–

HAIKU VIDEO GALLERY

Click any video to play Each video contains 5 Haikus Click here for the playlist: –26–

–27–

Her Name Was Ana Desani Cruz

“It’s all I can think about. It keeps me up at night. I’m caught up in this mess of a web that I’ve made. I just can’t see a way out of it. Days turn into weeks, and weeks turns into months, and yet I still feel guilty. It makes me feel like I don’t deserve the air I breathe. I feel horrible, guilty.

“When I stepped onto the scale this morning, I noticed I lost more weight. The number on the scale got lower and lower as days went by. I started believing it less and less. There was something wrong with the scale; I am clearly fatter than that.

“There was a part of me that says this isn’t good. I couldn’t afford to lose any more weight. But then there is the other part of me that says I can easily lose more weight. I know losing more weight doesn’t get me anywhere, but it was the only way to please that little voice in my head. It’s hard to fight back. It’s hard to fight back when that voice in my head simply didn’t care.

“She didn’t care about me at all.”

jected out in the most beautiful way. I had accomplished a goal that I didn’t ever think possible, and that satisfaction only made it stronger.

The reason I ended up in the hospital wasn’t because I lost control of things. My doctor had forced me to go to the hospital. I have a vague memory of how everything went down. It was just supposed to be a regular check-up, but not for me. The check-up was for my younger sister, it wasn’t for me. Our family doctor noticed my significant weight loss, and started to ask questions.

“Have you started working out recently, Desani?”

“You look deathly pale…”

“Can you step on the scale for me, please?”

Looking back to that day, I am forever grateful for my doctor forcing me onto that scale. I weighed eighty-seven pounds, and I finally turned sixteen two days before that appointment. I got the help I needed in order to stop my unhealthy diet. There are times I have given in to my old habits. I have weighed myself every opportunity I have had, and have gone prolonged periods without eating.

I wrote this short excerpt a few days after being bedrested in the hospital. I lost the ability to walk. The soles of my feet were completely gone, only thin skin protected the protruding bones from my feet. Every movement I made, my body screamed in protest. My body couldn’t carry me upright anymore. I was only sixteen.

Anorexia is a fight I will fight every day of my life. But I am not going to give up. I will keep on fighting.

Ana and I had taken a while to develop our relationship before we became close, but it felt like she took over my life in only a few seconds. She waited for me when I was at my weakest. Ana was a monster that lived inside of my head. She controlled all of my thoughts, actions, and feelings. When people think of anorexia, they automatically think of weight. For anyone who hopes to look iller than somebody or something is clearly on their way down a dangerous path. Think of it like this: if someone has come to rob your home, you would guard and protect your home with all you have. It’s human nature. I tend to think about how I just let Ana waltz into my life and rob me of everything.

The wind blows North The snow falls from the sky Little Betty is wondering why Winter has finally sprung upon us

Now some might say, why don’t you just stop listening?

The thing is, once you let Ana into your life, it’s hard to get her out. She destroys your self-esteem and makes it feel like the world is against you—well, at least in my case. The constant nagging of how I will never be enough. It doesn’t help with the appearance-obsessed society we have become.

I had convinced myself that the literal internal loneliness that I felt daily was actually making me whole.

I just wanted to be happy in my own body, but it seemed that the people around me didn’t want that to happen. My family in particular had watched every move I made. I just didn’t understand what they wanted from me. When I started losing weight, they encouraged me to keep going because I looked prettier. Little did they know that the support they gave me in the beginning only satisfied my bloodthirst to keep starving myself. The diet I had made for myself—I did it secretly. I kept it a secret as much as I could. My family wanted me to become healthier, but why would I need to become healthier if I was healthy already? At least I thought I was.

Winters

Isiah Colon

She sits on the porch with joy Watching flakes fall one by one Trees begin to fill with snow The plows screech on the concrete The bell rings, it is 12 o’clock Mom screams to Betty, time to lock The wind still blowing The clouds still grey, A snowman is built the next day Betty comes out and is ready to play How nice it’d be if it snowed one last time So little Betty could enjoy the northern winters.

I never imagined myself seeking help for what I was doing to myself. I was happy with myself and my progress. I was skinny. My thighs no longer spread largely when I put pressure on them when I sat down.

My fingers encircled around my thighs with ease. I loved the way that I could see every outline of every rib in my rib cage. My hip bones flared in all of their glory. The twenty-six vertebrae in my spine pro–28–

–29–

Twosome

Virus

Arthur Gingras Before he painted Mona Lisa Leonardo sliced grins from cadavers At the morgue on Ponte Vecchio.

He studied lip muscles With skin on and with skin off.

Discarded mouths and oddball smiles, Some painted in the starkest styles And others, still breathing air, Littered the windswept workshop That displayed his paintings there.

In this vivid, ghastly vestibule, He measured and drew her alternately, Sometimes in a pensive pantomime, Other times in her absence, For she had a spouse and nurslings Who guzzled her lustrous breasts.

Often, he would wander the studio Like a lonesome virtuoso.

His clever fingers poked and flared As he contoured her physiognomy In cartoons that smoked the air Like a graphic symphony.

Leonardo was patient enough To snare her sorrel spiraled hair; Falling cataracts in wispy rows.

Her stygian, outsized eyes With prominent Roman nose Perched atop this occult smirk In a vivid, vibrant triangle Has been tough to untangle.

Jarrett Raven-Symone Everything was set to a halt, not only in the state of Connecticut, but in the country as a whole. Who would’ve thought that coming up on almost a year ago, a virus from overseas would change our entire way of life?

It was a busy Monday morning in the Lagness house. Picture this: the single mother jumps out of her sleep to rush her children to turn on their laptops. Can you imagine that? All the talk about electronics rotting our brains, only to find out it’d be our saving grace when society crashed. No more catching 6 AM buses to school; no more socializing in the school halls. Just having “class” over video from the comfort of our homes.

Lucky for mom, her older two girls were up and at their desks getting ready for class. Mandy was already in her homeroom with the rest of the eighth graders, and Tyianna was actively asking questions for her math pop quiz faster than the other sixth graders. But little Joshua refuses to come out of the little “dome” he created with his blankets.

“Joshua, please get up. It’s time for school!” Mom calls out.

Insomnia: the best gift a “video gamer” could ever ask for. He could feel his eyelids weighing down like dumbbells over his eyes.

“Okay Mom!! I’m up, jeez!”

Angrily, Josh kicks and punches his way out of his blankets.

“Holy crap, it’s freezing!” Josh yells, walking towards his dresser. As he reaches for his laptop, he stops for a brief moment and turns to the left, only to find that his heater is missing.

“Heck no, Mandy!” he yells down the hall to his sister.

Mandy jumps out of her seat and runs for the heater. She unplugs it, and throws it under her bed. Josh busts the door open.

“Where’s my heater?!”

“What heater? Get out of my room Josh!” Mandy yells.

“I know you have it,” Josh says, as he pulls blankets off Mandy‘s bed.

Mom! Get him out!” Mandy yells.

Rushing to get her scrubs on, Mom yells back, “Give him the heater. And Josh, get online already!” I don’t have time for this, she thinks to herself. Finally dressed, Mom reaches for the keys and heads for the door.

“Mandy, you got this? I’ve gotta go. I’m going to be late!”

“Yea mom, bye. Love you,” Mandy yells back.

Already ten minutes late, Mom heads to work. “This day couldn’t get any worse.”

Or so she thought.

Rakkan Sculptures by Jillian Lavender –30–

Traffic.

–31–

Never-Ending Faith Between Us

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” she says in frustration. “All that’s left to do now is sit and wait— and pray.” She turns her head to see the car next to her.

Mask.

She forgot her mask.

“How do I forget something so important?!” Mom yells.

And then, the phone call.

“What now?”

“St. Vincent’s Medical Center?” she reads to herself. Confused, she answers the phone anyway.

“Hello?” Mom says through the phone.

“Hello is this Mrs. Bennett?” the doctor asks on the other side of the line.

“No, Ms. Lagness. I haven’t been a Bennett in three and a half years!”

“Well, I’m sorry Ms. Lagness, it says here Mr. Bennett still has you as his emergency contact.”

“Okay well, spit it out, I’m kind of in a rush here!”

“Ms. Lagness, we regret to inform you that Mr. Bennett has fallen into a coma due to Covid-19.” So many questions, such little time.

“Hello, Ms. Lagness? Are you there?” the call drops.

Instantly, she notices an opening to the exit. Mom takes off with the speed of light, and heads back home.

The kids are frightened with the sound of the door slamming shut behind mom. They run to her in both confusion and excitement.

Katelynn Raynsford

I promise, You promise.

I will never let you fall, You might trip, Even stumble, But I promise.

You will yell, Scream, Cry, Even slam doors, But I promise.

Together or not, I support who you are, Quiet but never silent, It will always be there, My endless love, My endless support.

You fix my heart, Fill my scars, Create my hope, And I promise, One day I will fill yours.

“Mom, you’re back!” Josh yells, while he clings onto his mother.

“Hey mom, what’s wrong?” Mandy asks when she notices the tears coming from her mother’s eyes.

Josh and Tyianna stop abruptly and look at Mom. “It— It’s your dad!” Mom says between breaths, then she continues: “He’s got the virus.”

The kids hysterically burst into tears.

Next thing they know, the family is in their car on the way to St. Vincent’s Medical Center. This would be the kids’ first time seeing their father since his deployment.

Post tenebras lux by Raquel Ryan Concept: The dark streets light up the pathway home. This reminds me that no matter how dark life may seem, I can always follow the light inside myself to find my way back home.

–32–

–33–

On August 31 of this year, I had my second APEX class. I expected that I would leave class and the teacher would give us a regular assignment like a short reading and a couple of questions to go along with it. Little did I know she was going to give out an essay due the following Monday. In my head, I think, “Well, I have a week, so I can do the assignment two days before.” That means I would do the assignment on Saturday. Saturday comes, I see the sticky note posted on my desk I say, “No it’s due Monday at 11:59 pm, so I have more than twenty-four hours to do the assignment.” So that seems simple; do it Sunday. Sunday is here quicker than I thought, and now I have a different mindset and that is I have not more than twenty-four hours but now a little over twenty-four hours and again I say, “Well, it’s due on Monday; I can do it on Monday.” And as you expect Monday is here. I go to class, and surprise, the teacher says the essay due date has been extended to Wednesday, and now I start over again.

So now we finally come to an end. It’s finally Wednesday, the big day. I spend the whole day going to classes and chilling in between class. I make some phone calls, catch up with a few people. I look at the time on my laptop; it’s now 9 pm, and my essay is due in two hours and some change, but I’m still not doing it. 10 pm comes and it’s time to start my essay. Rushing through my essay, I’m able to finish my essay around 11 pm, but then I realize there is another assignment due the same day, and I rush through that as well and I manage to submit both assignments at 11:21 pm, just 38 minutes before the assignment is due. I shut down my laptop and go off to bed.

Peace by Javon Flynn The meaning behind this piece of art is to end racism. I am a person who values and wants world peace. The racial tension and endless cycle of hate has to stop, or we as people will never evolve. My goal with this was to ask the people to come together and to be at peace with each other.

Self In Contradiction Essay Dejonae Robinson

Do I contradict myself? A simple question, yet a complex question. The definition of a self-contraction is an inconsistency between aspects or parts of a whole. Knowing the definition is a start. In this essay, I try to figure out if I do contradict myself. And if I do, I try to figure exactly why that happens and what can I do about it. Or should I do anything about it at all?

One of the things I stand up for is getting stuff done early, because something may happen that can cause me to be unable to do that thing. This is important because being successful in life means working hard. To do that, I have to be on time for things, and not just some things, but all things—from waking up on time to submitting work on time. They are crucial if I want to be successful. In college, submitting assignments on time is imperative because it’s not like high school where your science teacher will still accept work two days late and still give you full credit. It’s also important to get things done early because a technical problem can occur, such as the internet connection going out, a website going down, etc. It also shows the teacher you are responsible when it comes to doing your work because you are not turning in the work at the last minute each time there is an assignment.

By now, you can see the roller coaster I was on during the whole week and you wonder how I held up and submitted my assignment less than an hour before it was due when I had a week and a couple of days to submit it. Although I preach to get work done early because I never know what could happen to mess up what I’m doing, I still do the exact opposite. Maybe it’s because I’ve never had something to stop me from completing my work on time. Then I never stopped submitting things at the last minute.

The thrill of having just hours to complete an assignment has never left, even though it’s been so long.

And no, I don’t do this for every class. But in lasses where there are essays or any type of writing, I typically procrastinate. It also depends on whether I know what I’m doing or not; if I have an idea of what to do, I will put it off. But if I don’t understand, it has to be done early just in case. So to me, I don’t see any problem, because I did it in high school in my honors classes, AP classes, and regular classes, and nothing happened. I still think getting your work done early is crucial to success and procrastination is bad. But from personal experiences, I have procrastinated on things and it has not affected me.

In short, self-contradiction is something everyone should think about. Are you going against something you preach? And are you doing something to fix it? Or are you completely fine with that? From my experience, I contradict myself. I’ve looked into it, and I think it may affect my relationships with some teachers because they can never know if I’m responsible or not. But I love the thrill of having the clock running down in front of me. I can work on it and try to at least get things done a day or two before the due date.

But knowing I contradict myself is a start.

Despite all my speeches to siblings about getting things done early and not waiting until the last minute, I am a horrible example because that is exactly what I do. I commit this sin of mine and that is procrastinating. Procrastinating can cause bad grades and bad connections with teachers, but I still do it anyway.

–34–

–35–

Ocean B. W.

As I sit on the beach And watch the waves go back and forth I sit and reminisce of a time When me and you sat on the epoch On a day just like today Talking about life, telling each other jokes And laughing till we both lost our breath Though I cry reminiscing, I am not sad With each tear another memory I may cry for a while But that’s ok ‘cause I am happy I wish we could tell each other more jokes But I know that cannot be So, I’ll sit next to this tree And tell it all the jokes you told me

My Little Brothers Jordan Chatman

My little brothers My biggest motivation My little brothers Hold me to high expectations My little brothers Growing up so fast My little brothers We always have a blast My little brothers Are my best friends My little brothers Will be there to the end My little brothers We never are apart My little brothers Who I love with all my heart

Sivai’s Reflection by Siale Alatini This photograph is intended to portray reflection. Sivai is a beautiful toddler who sees only innocence in this world. There is no wrong in this world in her eyes because she has not been corrupted by the worldly teachings that taints the human soul. This piece is of Sivai on top of her own reflection, playing with a toy with a flower nearby to symbolize the beauty and childlike playfulness she has to offer this world. My only hope is that she keeps those two things as close to her soul as much as possible as she grows. This is a moment to capture.

–36–

–37–

2020

Ashley Taris “The year is 2020. Joe and his two best friends are on a...”

“Nooooo… I hate this,” Elisa exclaims.

“This assignment really isn’t that hard, Elisa,” Joe replies with a laugh. “You can write about whatever you want. It’s so easy.”

Elisa grows more and more frustrated as the minutes go by. Joe and Elisa have been friends forever. They were worried about their friendship crumbling with the onset of college, but then a global pandemic happened that put the whole world on pause. So now Elisa and Joe continue to hang out in Elisa’s finished basement, doing their school work together as they have been for the past thirteen or so years.

Elisa sits on a bean bag chair in the corner of the room while Joe sprawls out on the brown leather couch. The assignment today is to write a fictional story based in the present. Elisa is struggling immensely because, unlike her childhood friend, she is not a writer. Joe is one of the best writers in their small town of Cabley, North Carolina. Joe had been writing for years and he even wrote a science fiction short story that made it into a small section of the New York Times, which is an accomplishment he never stops talking about. Elisa, on the other hand, is an athlete who has played every sport you can think of. She has come first in two triathlons and has broken countless records for her school in basketball, rugby, and volleyball. On almost all accounts, Elisa and Joe are very unlikely friends. But they never leave each other’s side.

“I have no idea what to write about. Aren’t you here to help?” Elisa is at peak frustration and she throws her pen at Joe who is sitting there writing his own story. “I asked you for help and now you’re just doing the assignment for fun!”

“What? It’s an easy assignment. Just think of something and, well...write about it,” Joe says only half-jokingly as he throws the pen back at Elisa. They sit there in silence for a moment. Elisa continues to wrack her brain for something to write about, and Joe continues to scribble away. Then Elisa comes up with an idea.

“Why don’t I write about us?” Elisa says aloud to Joe. “Isn’t it supposed to be a fictional short story?” Joe questions.

“Well, I mean yeah, but I’ll just add like robots or zombies or something,” Elisa says jokingly.

“Whatever you want, Weirdo. Just let me finish my story.”

After that, the two continue in silence for a long time. Now they are both writing vigorously, trying to get their hands to keep up with how fast their thoughts are going. At some point, Elisa’s mom walks down, and she could instantly feel the creative energy in the room.

“Hey, look at you guys, actually getting some work done for once.”

Elisa and Joe simultaneously say, “SHHH! Writing!” Without even looking up from their papers.

“Would you guys like anything to eat or drink? I have some sodas and chips upstairs.” Both Elisa and Joe hold up their thumps to signal a, “Yes please,” and Elisa’s mom walks back upstairs to get the food and drinks.

–38–

About fifteen minutes after that Elisa stands up and yells, “Finished!”

“Already?” Joe was confused, seeing as he wasn’t even close to what he felt would be finished work. Elisa was super excited and handed the paper to Joe to read.

“I may have added some details and changed our names, but this is basically the story of us, a pair of kick-ass robot killers defeating the coronavirus once and for all!”

Elisa was pumped. She usually got this way before a game or after a big win, so Joe is actually happy to see her excited for an assignment. Joe reads the paper silently, making marks where there were grammar and punctuation issues. Finally, he stands up and gives Elisa a big hug. Elisa is nervous, knowing that what she wrote down on the paper could possibly change their friendship forever.

Quietly, he whispers in her ear, “I love you too.”

Muriel Metcalf Arthur Gingras

Muriel loved her oriel window.

She would sit there and knit most bright mornings Until the sardine factory whistle blew, Trumpeting lunch for the canning crew.

That’s when she would prepare Percy’s meals, Spending endless hours to delight him.

His fishing tactics changed with the tides, But he tried hard to time his trolling trips for supper, Because Muriel’s feeds were so tempting.

Just when she sautéed the homemade bratwurst, Percy capsized his 40-foot dragger Approaching the mouth of Whiting River Where the tides and the winds collide and curl.

His tackle grappled a submerged spruce burl, And the steel cable turn-turtled the boat, Tumbling Percy into the eddies.

He swam in senseless circles ‘til he drowned.

Muriel felt a razor-sharp shiver Climb from her heels through her serpentine spine, Shattering her gracious heart.

She shook like a thrashing sail in a gale.

Thirteen weeks later Cory Lyons Hooked Percy’s rotting head in his scallop drag.

It was covered with algae and rock weed With three gold teeth in the top chops, Which Cory pulled out with his pliers.

He tossed the camouflaged skull overboard And nervously shucked the rest of his catch.

–39–

Corona Virus

Antoinette O’Connor Corona Virus.

Something that many take so mindless Until it hits someone home Getting news about everything on the phone Finding out loved ones are dying, Leaving their other loved ones in the house hiding Worried about who that they know is gonna be next, Leaving those with immunocompromised stressed.

Corona Virus.

Why must you make everyone furious?

Take away the graduations, the abilities to hang.

Why must we stay inside, it’s just starting to get lame.

Aren’t you getting tired of your little game?

Yet you love to become contagious and spread.

Like damn, can’t you just be dead?

This game is getting old.

Just letting you know if you haven’t been told.

Corona Virus.

Now that things are finally coming back.

Are you just starting to slack?

Are you preparing to make an comeback?

Oh Corona Virus, I hope your game is done Because I am glad to finally see everyone.

To get back my life, which left me feeling so sad, Which made me feel like the world was turning bad.

Oh Corona Virus, everyone is filled with joy Just to finally have our lives back to enjoy.

Quality of Light Masterpiece by Kayla Ransom This is by far the best picture I feel that I took for digital photography. I did ask the professor for feedback and he helped me accomplish my goal to get the perfect picture. At first, everything was correct except for the eyes. The professor wanted the eyes to be looking at the camera while the head was still tilted. This picture was so good, the professor used it as an example to show to the students who were a little confused. This photograph was supposed to demonstrate good quality light from the window. Although it did take a few tries to get, the subject kept smiling in the picture. I will forever be proud that I took this picture and ended up with a good grade, because I am not afraid to ask for help! The purpose was to show that we are not perfect, so get help when you need it. I wanted to show others that this did take time, so do not rush your work. Practice makes perfect!

–40–

–41–

Mama Bears

Amanda Rubito It is a hot summer’s day in Lee, Massachusetts. The sun is shining and the kids are playing outside in the neighborhood. You can tell tomorrow is garbage day, because everyone has their trash cans down by the end of their driveways. Every house up the street. As I sit outside taking in the sun, I hear the kids stirring up some commotion. I turn my head to see what all the commotion is about, and I see all the neighborhood kids scramble into their houses. All of a sudden, I see these black figures moving in the distance. My eyes adjust from the sun shining on me. As my vision becomes clearer, I can see why there is so much noise going on: a mama bear and her cubs are beginning to rummage through the trash cans, foraging for food that people threw away. And believe me when I tell you mama bear is very, very big—anywhere from six hundred to eight hundred pounds. As the mama bear forages for food, I sit there watching her look around to make sure no one is going to hurt her cubs or get too close to them; because a mama bear will charge if she feels as though her cubs are in danger.

As I look at this mama bear and her cubs, it reminds me of my mom, and the life she made for the both of us. My dad left when I was young; I had no “papa bear” growing up, just a “mama bear.” She cared for me. She bought me necessities when I needed them, and she taught me all the life lessons I have needed all throughout life. She was always there for my school plays, concerts, and even my small graduations from middle school to high school, and then my high school graduation. It makes me think about how strong mothers can really be when they have to take care of themselves as well as their children if the men are not involved, or not even around. It always makes me think of the mothers in the older days, when the husbands would always be out to work and the mothers would stay home and tend to the children and the house.

As I have this recollection of the mother bear and her cubs, I remember talking to the neighbors up the street one day about another instance that happened with a mama bear and her cub.

“Did you hear what happened to me the other day?” says the neighbor who lived up the street.

“No,” I say back to him.

“Well,” he says, “the other night when I was sitting in the living room, I heard these noises coming from outside that sounded like loud thudding. So me and my brother go outside to investigate. As we go outside, we notice these two black figures a few feet from us, and then realize they are bears. We decided to get closer, which was not the best idea.”

I look at him with this look that is saying, “Now what did you do!”

He keeps explaining. “All of a sudden, the bear begins charging at me and my brother, which makes me believe that this was a mother and cub. Because she came charging after me, and man, did I run for dear life!”

I began laughing at him. Then he says, “Yeah, my brother had to hop into the bed of my truck as fast as he could while I ran inside because I was closer to the house than he was!”

I never expected to hear a story like this one, especially since we never really see bears running after humans—just running away from them.

Bears are very interesting creatures. One moment they can be very afraid of humans, running away in fear. Then the next, the bears build up the courage to charge at humans and let them know that we are –42–

Light Painting by Kelly Shea crossing a line between her and the cubs. This always reminds me of my mom. When it came to me being in middle school, I always wanted to go and hang out with my friends. But my mom always was so protective of me, asking the basic questions we learn in English class: Who? What? Where? When? Why? It was never just, “Have fun!” I think this aspect is a maternal instinct with mothers, since they always want to know that their children are being safe—especially with me and my mom. I was never allowed to leave the house without letting her know who I was going with, (which is understandable now that I am older). She had the best intentions in always wanting to know where I was at all times, just like mama bears do with their cubs, so the mama knows that they are in no danger. But when they are in danger, look out for mama bear, because she will come a runnin’!

After doing some recollecting on these instances with black bears, I decided to do some research on the black bears in Massachusetts. According to the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, black bears are expanding their range here: “The statewide population of bears is estimated to be over 4,500 animals and is growing and expanding eastward. Bears, mostly young males and some breeding females, are living in other eastern Massachusetts communities along Route 495” (“Black Bears,” 1). I saw evidence on my own street of the black bear population expanding around the same time that I was accepted to American International College, where I would spend four years studying psychology. When my mom learned this news, she knew that she would have to deal with the fact that I would be moving to a new horizon, and expanding my life to a campus forty-five minutes away—to Springfield, Massachusetts.

–43–

She knew that this news would be exciting to me, but I also knew that this news would bring some sadness to her. This is when I realized that I would not have my “mama bear” with me anymore, and that I would have to become my own “mama bear” as I headed off to college, and learn to fend for myself.

to fend for themselves out in this huge earth we live on. As I become a “mama bear” myself in this environment, I hope I can achieve as much as I can knowing that I had my mom behind me the whole way. It gives me hope for the future, and for when (or if) I ever become a mother and raise a few cubs of my own.

As I do more research on black bears, I learn that they have good eyesight and hearing, as well as a sense of smell that is used both to locate food and to recognize potential danger. As I begin learning this information, I realize that I am now moving to college, and will not have my mom there to help me out. So now I will have to use my “mama bear” instincts to begin my journey as a college student. This means I am going to have to listen to others when I ask for help around campus, to make sure I remember the times of my classes and make it to them on time. I will have to remember to do my homework and to turn it in on time, to focus on my school work as much as I can, so that I can get good grades and make my family proud. It is important for me to use these instincts, so that I do not put myself in any kind of danger—of failing classes, of suffering from severe stress and anxiety, or of partying and drinking too much (which I am not a fan of anyways).

Works Cited “Learn about Black Bears.” Mass.gov, Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, 2020, Accessed Jan 11, 2020. https://www.mass.gov/service-details/learn-about-black-bears#:~:text=Black%20bears%20are%20 black%20overall,from%20100%20to%20400%20pounds.

Bears are omnivores, meaning they eat both vegetation and meat. They eat foods such as ripened berries, ripened corn, stands of oak, beech, and hickory trees, grubs and insects, dead animals, and occasionally young deer. They are also partial to birdfeeders, orchards, and beehives, and sometimes raid residential areas for unsecured trash. As I read about the appetite that black bears have, I realize that I miss the meals from home when I am at college. When I live in the dorms and eat at the dining commons at campus, I eat the food that the college provides. I do enjoy the food that is served, but nothing will compare to the meals that a mother makes for her child. As an individual who eats a lot of the same foods and does not like to try new foods, I did get to try in college a lot of new vegetables that I am now in love with—such as zucchini and squash—which I now eat every other day. However, it took me a couple of months to want to keep going into the dining commons to eat the food. I used to go mostly to the Hive and eat the rice bowls because those were the foods that were closest to home for me. Nothing will ever live up to a home cooked meal made by my mom. A mama bear will forage for foods for her young, and teach them how to eat a specific type of animal or plant. Then, when it comes time for the cubs to be on their own, they are able to eat the foods that nature provides for them.

As I look back at all the amazing features that black bears have, I realize that my “mama bear” has given me a lot of opportunity and done a lot of amazing things for me. Mothers and black bears are so similar when it comes to fending for their children and making sure that they are okay before the mama bear herself is okay. It is even more interesting to say that I feel as though I have become my own “mama bear,” looking out for myself as I have gone through my four years of college. I will be graduating in the spring of 2021. I never thought in my lifetime that I would ever make it to college, let alone graduate.

I always told myself that I never wanted to go to college, and that I would just end up working in my hometown and staying close to my family. I would not have been able to get to this point in my life— where I am a senior in college—without the support of my “mama bear.” And I will always cherish the insights and lessons that she has taught me as I have grown up.

Seeing the mama bear and her cubs in my neighborhood will always give me the memory that mothers will always find a way to provide for their young, no matter where they have to travel or what they have to go through for their young. There will always be a bond between a mother and her children—especially between my mother and me—even when the children leave the nest, or in a bear’s case, the cave.

As I become older and look back at moments I have had with my mom, I know that mothers have the best insights that allow for their children to grow up and become their own selves. Baby bears must learn –44–

Liberty For ALL by Emma Davis My favorite assignment for professor Nordell’s Cultivating Creativity course was the “Pop art or not?” assignment. A lot of things were brought to light during this time and we’re still healing every day from it. I created this piece to show the importance of the people that have died innocently by the hand of a gun. May we always remember them and the impact that they had on our communities after death. It was a very scary time to be Black in America, and it still is. I think it’s important to make people feel uncomfortable and break barriers that have been a part of our culture for thousands of years. The LGBTQ community is also represented in the art because I feel that people should accept one another for who they decide to love and how they choose to express themselves. We are all of the same species, none better than the next. I wish us all one day to find peace in the world—if not with each other, then within ourselves.

–45–

Our Last Touch

Katelynn Raynsford Imagine no conversation Only one way to connect Through silent bonds Oxygen deprived Lifeless grey warmth But how?

The only time they move is when you hear my voice Gripping your forever tool They have traveled each broken path Gathered each broken tear They have never failed you Even when they cramp, they never leave A good wash and a decent dry and they are back to new Together we are connected through ten connective points I see your journey Your amazing life For one day I wish to be held in your firm warm hands.

Broken

Ashley Lara Why am I broken I can barely understand myself So how could I expect others to understand me This is not who I want to be Why am I spiraling How do I stop it Yes I seem fine But no I am not My mind moves faster than I could ever explain How do I feel so much yet nothing at all I wish it could all make sense Not only to myself but those around me Why is it that I can be in a room full of people but still feel alone I know I’m loved so why can’t I feel it Am I ever really happy Or am I just momentarily distracted from my reality When will I be fixed

–46–

1.

My friends asked me why I was never the girl who would cry and compare every inch of her body to the bodies of models we saw on social media.

What they didn’t understand was that when the girls in the mall were able to make his head turn without the photoshop or the makeup I would sit in front of a mirror for hours and pick at every single little thing.

2.

Where did the words we said go?

Where did your gaze fly to?

Do they float around hoping to be said or looked at again?

Anonymous

‘I’m confused’ by Kyndra Cole One of my favorite photos that I took this semester in Digital Photography one was the picture that I took for emotion in my final portfolio. It is my favorite because I took that picture of my grandma. While trying to get her real emotions, we were joking along the way. The other photos that I took for emotion in that class were saying that emotions in photographs were fake. So this time I wanted to capture something real. This involved me pestering my grandmother and taking random pictures of her to get her natural reaction. It was one of the best moments of taking pictures for that class because of all the fun that I had while doing it.

She also ending up loving the picture and posted it on Facebook.

Where did the sunsets we watched go?

Where did our spilled coffee go to?

Do they leave?

Without you?

Where do they go?

Where did the hugs you gave me or the way you said my name go?

Did it really just go?

Where did your answers go?

Where did you go?

–47–

Rescue Op

Michael Fiaui The year is 2020. Disease has spread uncontrollably. The mandatory lockdown has occurred. Doctors who resemble plague doctors in medieval times move door to door, searching for those who have contracted this horrible illness. If anyone is found with this disease, they are dragged out of their homes and thrown into armored trucks. Nobody knows where they’re taken.

A young teenage boy named Tyreek was sitting on his porch with his friends while his neighbors were being dragged out of their homes.

“What do you think happens to them?” asked Tyreek while eating his favorite lunch, PB&J. “I heard they get sent to chambers where they get put through horrible tests by the government,” replied Kelcee. Kelcee was a tall lanky fellow who was very athletic and didn’t care for anything other than sports.

“You cappin’ out yo’ teeth Kelcee,” exclaimed Tyreek, bursting out laughing, while bits of his lunch flew out his mouth.

“I’m serious. That’s what I heard. My cousin knows a guy who knows a guy who works for one of those scary plague doctors. He said government scientists perform terrible tests on those people.”

“Whatever, fool. You’ll believe anything,” Tyreek replied while shaking his head, disbelieving it.

As Tyreek and Kelcee were conversing, helpless screams came from Kelcee’s house, which was just a few houses down. Kelcee’s mother was being taken away by the doctors.

I Have A Dream by Trevor Catlin

Kelcee immediately got up and sprinted towards his house. Tyreek trailed him and yelled for him to come back.

As Kelcee was running in tears, he tripped. Tyreek eventually caught up and jumped on Kelcee. “You can’t go to her!” exclaimed Tyreek, while trying to gasp for air.

“Why not?” said Kelcee.

“Because they’ll take you too.”

Kelcee came to the realization that Tyreek was right. He wiped his tears and picked himself up off the ground. Tyreek hugged him while trying to comfort him. “Everything is going to be fine,” said Tyreek.

Paths and Waves of Life

by Margarita Velazco

Kelcee was all alone with nobody but Tyreek. Kelcee’s father was killed in a drive-by shooting when he was young.

This art piece was created in my History of Art class.

Art is often thought of as a way to express yourself and as an escape from reality. This art piece is known as a “zentangle,” which works as a way to relax and to get zoned out into your art. This piece has no rules and no direction except a few instructions. The drawing styles you see in this drawing are Orilique and Meer. The title I decided to give my art piece is “Paths and Waves of Life.” The reason for this is because there are many directions one can take in life and in zentangle, but there is not one right way; there are many right ways.

“You can stay with me and my family. We got plenty of food and your favorite videogame, Call of Duty.

It’ll be like the old days when we were young,” said Tyreek.

Kelcee, holding back the tears looked up slowly, nodding his head at Tyreek.

The two boys made it back to Tyreek’s house. Instead of playing video games, they began planning how to get Kelcee’s mom back.

Tyreek stood up with excitement. “I got it! What if we wait for the next round of doctors, and follow them to wherever they’re taking the sick!”

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Kelcee looked hesitant. “I guess that’ll work.”

Later that night, Tyreek drifted off to sleep. Kelcee stayed up thinking about his mom and how the plan would work out the next day. Kelcee eventually fell asleep hours later, but he was surprisingly woken up

by Tyreek. “It’s time! They’re here.”

The two boys ran downstairs wearing the same clothes as the night before. They hopped on their bikes and followed the trucks. The trucks pulled into an abandoned warehouse. The outside looked broken down. The red paint was fading away, and all the windows were broken.

The doors were guarded by two large men, armed with assault rifles.

“How do we get by those two dudes?” asked Kelcee, who was scared.

“That’s why I brought this!” said Tyreek, digging through his backpack. Tyreek took out two police batons which he swiped from the pawnshop when he was younger. “I knew I would need these eventually,” said Tyreek, laughing hysterically.

Tyreek and Kelcee crept up behind the two guards. Tyreek counted down with his fingers. When he got to three, they both whacked to guards simultaneously with the batons. Once the two boys knocked out the guards, they swiped their keys. The two boys made their way inside.

The inside of the building looked futuristic. The walls were all white with incubators with bodies in them—prison cells with ill people. Hundreds of them. Kelcee was going cell to cell looking for his mom, when Tyreek stumbled across a folder that read “Top Secret.” Tyreek immediately opened it and started reading. The folder contained information about a cure and a code for a safe.

“Mom!” exclaimed Kelcee. Kelcee immediately opened the cell and hugged his mother.

“Kelcee! Come here!” yelled Tyreek. “There’s a cure!”

Kelcee looked surprised and confused. “Why would the government hide this from us and not release this?” asked Kelcee.

“I don’t know, but let’s look for this safe.”

After searching for a good twenty minutes, the boys found the safe and plugged in the code. They found the vaccine and issued it out to all the prisoners, while releasing them. The doctors and guards stumble across an angry mob ready to fight. The prisoners jumped the doctors and guards who treated them wrong. Tyreek, Kelcee, and Kelcee’s mom slipped by the mob and made it home.

Today’s World of Destruction by Jordyn Comtois The art project I chose was from my student choice assignment, where I got to create anything of my choice. I was having a little bit of an artistic block when I came across an article on Twitter basically talking about how terrible our world is right now in politics and just in general. I decided to base my project off of the article and I wanted to expand my thought and portray the world how I see it now. With everything going on in the world with politics and Covid, I decided to create a poster that illustrated the destruction of the world. My first step was to make the world personified with a mask covering its face, tears flowing down its eyes. This shows that the world is ultimately crying out for help in this pandemic covered by face masks all over the world. I added things like toilet paper, because we were experiencing a shortage for a long time with people going and stocking up with the fear of the unknown. I added hand sanitizer that is more important now than it has ever been before, and a “6 ft” sign to show that people have to stay six feet away from others at all times in public. I wanted to incorporate fire to show how destructive politics and Covid made the world, and I also added fire to address the California fires and many other fires that happened at the beginning of the year. I added Biden’s presidency sticker to show how he is now the president.

I made this project to show how difficult this past year has been with all that has been going on in the world.

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