“Jelly sh Graveyard”, Sunny Shen ‘24

Sunny Shen she/her, ‘24 Jellyfish Graveyard

Sarah Garman she/her, ‘23 A Memorial of Forgotten Memories

ere was nothing special about the tree, it was just a tree like any other. It’s long arms twisted in on itself over and over creating its gureless shape. e thing was always growing, so it seemed. And the constant wind was always tearing off the weak limbs, adding to the graveyard bellow. is cemetery doesn’t have any stone slabs labeling the lost, or any sort of recognition for the lost is cemetery doesn’t have any stone slabs labeling the lost, or any sort of recognition for the lost whatsoever. Instead, they are forever forgotten, disregarded, unappreciated. Like the broken watch, that used to be a family heirloom until it slipped off a wrist. Or the wedding ring, that used to promise eternal love until it was cast aside. Or the hundreds of crumpled papers, that used to provide blank slates for endless creativity until the mindless scribbles were nally deemed unworthy. All of it lay below the mournful tree longing to be found. Hopeless as the tree may seem, there’s still one thing that transforms it from a burial ground to Hopeless as the tree may seem, there’s still one thing that transforms it from a burial ground to a memorial: the hanging lights. ose magical hanging lights seem out of place in this lonely grove. Each colorfully painted bulb hangs high above, clinging to their invisible strings. Scattered throughout the tree’s branches, they oat midair, unfazed by the chaos beneath. e oddly vibrant scene enchants any of the lucky few visitors, all who don’t dare disturb the sacred memories lying on the forest’s oor. e lights beckon the stranger to come closer and admire them gleaming from the sunlight that’s shining above, casting a mystical hope on the abandoned dreams below. Yet, against the pleading of the lights in the sunset, the travelers always leave, and the tree is once more forgotten and alone. at is, until a small child stumbled across the scene. Perhaps he was lost and searching for his at is, until a small child stumbled across the scene. Perhaps he was lost and searching for his parents among unfamiliar trees. Or perhaps he was investigating the forest near his home to parents among unfamiliar trees. Or perhaps he was investigating the forest near his home to uncover its many secrets. Either way, it was as if he were destined to come across the tree. Fate led him through the bramble and bushes, down twisting and unwelcoming paths. And when he came across the miserable tree, he was fascinated. All other worries that might have lled his head evaporated and was instead ooded with an overwhelming curiosity. e tree, equally curious of the boy, greeted him with outstretched arms. Cautiously, he took his rst step through the invisible barrier separating the tree from the world. Cautiously, he took his rst step through the invisible barrier separating the tree from the world. As he passed through this threshold, he ventured where no one else had before. rilled by his discovery, the boy scampered across the ruins on the ground and examined each treasure he came across. He admired each in their unconventional beauty, but didn’t steal any of them from their eternal home. Once he nished his explorations, he just sat under the tree and watched its glittering lights while the wind hummed a simple tune. Who knew this lonely tree, that only desired to inspire hope, would instead receive hope from this innocent boy?