Equinox - Spring 2026

ISSUE 10

SPRING 2026

EQUINOX THE HARVEY SCHOOL LITERARY MAGAZINE

Catalina Dragan

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Izzy Harper

Editor’s Note Dear Harvey Community, Welcome to the Spring edition of the Equinox!

The beauty of a literary magazine is that it allows us to step outside of our own experiences and see the world through someone else’s eyes. This spring, students have provided a multifaceted look at life—capturing moments of humor, wonder, and deep reflection.

What you see in these pages isn’t just a collection of assignments; it is a collection of choices. Each word and every brushstroke was chosen to share a specific feeling or idea. We hope that as you explore this edition, you find something that resonates with you and perhaps see something familiar in a completely new light. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this vibrant community of voices.

Thank you to Ms. A and Ms. K for their poetry contributions and help throughout the Spring. A special thank you to Ms. Gelfer, who once again worked tirelessly to compile and format this edition of the magazine.

We hope you enjoy diving into this edition as much as we enjoyed putting it together. Thank you for making the Equinox a vibrant and meaningful part of our school community.

Warmly, Dr. Metz

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EQUINOX ISSUE 10

FACULTY ADVISORS

Dr. Metz

SPRING 2026

LAYOUT/DESIGN

Mrs. Gelfer

HEAD OF SCHOOL

Mr. Knauer

HEAD OF MIDDLE SCHOOL

Dr. Byrne

EQUINOX

is a publication of The Harvey Middle School 260 Jay Street, Katonah, New York 10536 www.harveyschool.org

TABLE OF CONTENTS WRITING 5 Ways of Looking at Basketball Reed Zarkowsky..................................... 6 Peace Maker Sam Doughty.................................................................................... 7 Music is the Foundation of Life Maximilian Knoess..................................... 8 The Midnight Train Logan Brockenbaugh ........................................................... 8 Failure to Stay Afloat Ella Adler....................................................................... 9 Ode to Basketball Wayden Ebanks...................................................................... 9 5 Ways of Looking at Death Morgan Serebin............................................. 10

Hate is a Cage Ruby Cayer................................................................................ 29 A Memory Worth Keeping Aaliyah Djukic................................................... 30 Ode to the Seasons Sabine Weiss.................................................................... 31 Flowers in Bloom Nate Buckley......................................................................... 32 Peril Daphne Davidson............................................................................................. 33 Ode to Everyone Alex Chang............................................................................ 34 Five Ways of Looking at the Future Noah Adams.................................... 35 Disaligned Alana Telford....................................................................................... 35 Change Alex Chang................................................................................................ 36

Ode to Winter Break Elias Hajem.................................................................. 11 5 Ways of Looking at a Cell Phone May Dong........................................ 14 Jellyfish Ella Adler................................................................................................. 14

Front Cover-Whale Catalina Dragan

5 ways to look at school… but mainly work Blake Pylypshyn.......... 16

Inside Front - Horses Izzy Harper

What I learned Catalina Dragan...................................................................... 17 Three Ways to look at BIG JUICY BURGER! Hunter Rogers................. 18 5 Ways to Dance Alana Telford......................................................................... 19 Pride is the Snake on the Vine Alana Telford............................................. 20 Inside Joke Ben Fierro-Wolf.................................................................................. 20 Oak Tree Sabine Weiss........................................................................................... 21 Five Ways of Looking at a Cat Gabriel Quigley......................................... 22 The Shark Logan Brightly...................................................................................... 22 Happiness is a Butterfly Jack Rivett............................................................... 23 Five Ways to Watch Birds Maximilian Knoess.............................................. 23 Three Ways to Read a Book Sebastian Goldstein....................................... 24 Seizure Morgan Serebin......................................................................................... 24 3 Ways to Understand Nature Phoenix Goldstein................................... 25 Flowers Grow In Graveyards Sabine Weiss................................................ 26 5 Ways of Looking at Your Morning Hair Carmen Perez..................... 27 Procrastination Millie Rosenman......................................................................... 28 Loneliness is the thing with shadows Brydie Groff................................... 29

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ARTWORK

My Little Pony Daphne Davidson....................................6 Earth Painting Noah Adams.......................................... 10 Soap Sculptures William Spencer Owen Veach...................................... 10-11 Science Comic Strip Ella Adler, Maximilian Knoess, Reed Zarkowsky, Morgan Serebin................... 12 Self Portrait Charlotte Orr........................................13 Soap Sculpture Hiroto Fujii...........................................13 Ryuk Sam Doughty......................................... 15 Science Comic Strip Jack Rivett, Noah Adams....................... 16 Galaxy Painting Logan Brockenbaugh.............................19

Phineas Riley Reichenberg..................................21 Peppa Pig Millie Rosenman....................................22 Zen Garden Dangoon Kang-Nation..........................25 Zen Garden Phoenix Goldstein.................................. 26 Latch Hook Rug Carmen Perez........................................ 27 Watercolor painting Caleb Osnoss......................................... 28 Science Comic Strip Alana Telford......................................... 30 The Demogorgon Sam Henick............................................ 32 Science Comic Strip May Dong, Millie Rosenman, Hunter Rogers, Blake Pylypshyn....................... 30 Self Portrait Ruby Cayer............................................ 37 Back Cover - Vecna Angler Keane

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5 Ways of Looking at Basketball 1. On an empty court The only sound moving is the echo of the ball.

2. I was of two minds: the fear of missing and the thrill of the shot.

3. The ball spun through the air an arc against the lights before the net whispered.

4. A player and a crowd are one breathing with every play.

5. I do not know which I prefer: the sound after the buzzer or the silence before it.

- Reed Zarkowsky (After Wallace Stevens)

Peace Maker The older brother who patrols the halls He looks out for his sister and brother Although his two siblings are always fighting He knows when to run in.

It doesn’t matter if he’s fast asleep It’s almost like he is bluffing.

The second this peace maker Hears a fight He knows when to stop it.

As if it’s some sort of connected sense, It’s not just the blood they share I believe it’s the courage he carries.

He presents himself in the middle because He knows where to go.

Zeus I hope you carry no burden From all the violence you stop.

The only time I see you at peace Is after you split up a fight.

I think it’s because only You know why you do it.

- Samantha Doughty

Daphne Davidson 6

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Music is the Foundation of Life Music is the ground our feelings stand on, like a floor holding up our hearts.

Each note is a brick we step on, each beat is a steady foundation.

Fast songs build roads we run on, slow songs help us calm down.

Some sounds build warmth and brightness, others feel soft and grey.

When it’s quiet the floor seems gone, Until a song brings it back.

We walk on this strong base all day, Help up by the sound of music.

-Maximilian Knoess (After Emily Dickinson)

The Midnight Train On a cold, quiet night in a small old town, John stood alone by the track waiting for a train.

The station was still as the sun falling down, With one dim light in the back.

A whistle cried out as a train rushed near, But it didn’t slow to a stop unfortunately.

John’s ticket flew off in a gust of wind While in a state of fear And the train began to drop. He ran down the platform, heart beating fast.

And caught the last rail just in time.

The conductor took his ticket at last And his journey had a fine start.

-Logan Brockenbaugh 8

Failure to Stay Afloat Failure, it is all about the “What if?”

What if they don’t like me? What if I mess up?

Until you do, and they don’t.

Because, what once was your “What if?” is now your reality And all you can do is float away.

“In his paper canoe, he paddled himself lost.”

Steering, but mostly letting the undertow take him away, “Cutting the current, without fighting it.”

While all of the semi-prehistoric creatures are Swimming semi-gracefully beneath his boat, Swimming, with no regards of his needs to stay afloat, Bumping, rocking, tearing the underside of his canoe.

What if I fall overboard?

His hands turn to waterfalls as his make-shift ship Begins to go under Along with his dignity.

- Ella Adler (golden shovel inspired poem)

Ode to Basketball Dear basketball, you are my friend, The game I hope will never end.

I love the way you bounce and spin, And how it feels to get a win.

The orange ball, the orange rim, The noise inside the crazy gym.

I dribble fast and then I cross Then they fall down like I’m the boss.

The net goes swish, the crowd goes wild, I’ve loved this game since I was a child.

I dont care if I win or lose You’ll always keep me in a good mood.

-Wayden Ebanks 9

5 Ways of Looking at Death

But you survive You wish you didn’t You’re the “Rose” Rose, who survived the Titanic

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Looking at it It is scared, you’re scared Taking you away Far, far away It sinks you Sinking Sinking like the Titanic 2.

You could be happy Oh so happy Like the sharks pitiless The sharks The sharks during the Titanic 3.

The feeling could be empty You’re empty You don’t care You’re frozen cold You’re the water The water during the Titanic 4.

A psycho, you’re a psycho You want this This You want it to end You are a killer The killer The iceberg The iceberg that hit the Titanic 5.

Depressed, you’re oh so depressed You’re wanting it to end 10

- Morgan Serebin (golden shovel poem)

Ode to Winter Break Winter o Winter you will never get a splinter From December to March always a good time With snow and no school I wish I could go in the pool With tasty peppermints and cookies too Noah Adams When I’m lazy I feel hazy When my dad sees me I freeze He always yells which is not swell.

I also sleep like a sheep When I wake up I say “ Meep Meep” Like little Bo Peep.

Winter is fun I like it alot however it is not very hot But nevertheless Winter is fun from hanging with your friends To eating a dum dum.

-Elias Hajem

Owen Veach William Spencer

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Ella Adler, Maximilian Knoess, Reed Zarkowsky, Morgan Serebin

Charlotte Orr

12 Hiroto Fujii 13

5 Ways of Looking at a Cell Phone It is a thin and shiny glass square, I keep it safe inside my hand.

I hold it with the greatest care, A magic tool from digital land.

When I board, I like to listen to music on the screen, I like to sing aloud.

It is a friend that is always near, I tap the screen to see what is new, Whenever I need it, And chat with friends who are far away. It is here, It shows my screen in every hue, Safe inside my hand.

We keep in touch every day.

When I am lost I check the map, It shows the road very clearly, It helps me cross the city gap.

-May Dong (after Wallace Stevens)

Jellyfish What is a gentle beauty defined as?

Is it grace?

Is it empathy?

Or is it all about the attention?

There is no way to make yourself a jellyfish.

You will always be a crab— Besides the fact that the jellyfish will always sting, And the crab will always pinch, They are not the same.

Besides that fact that they will always harm you, No matter the distance, They are not the same; One is beautiful and one is not.

They are not the same.

-Ella Adler 14

Sam Doughty 15

What I Learned

5 ways to look at school… but mainly work I In the school, there is only work.

The school is not so fun.

There is nothing but paper and maybe a pencil.

II There I could not find the paper.

The test that had it all.

It showed who was truly Mr. 100, But it was lost in the locker.

III The building near the hill.

It sits alone on the weekends.

I think it wants some life in it.

IV The fun was back when the teacher said no hw.

But we knew the truth.

The test was coming And the dread would follow.

V I do not know which is better, The test of pain, Or the nasty homework.

I think I might prefer the test.

But they are both cruel.

I was taught to accept the rain Before I asked the sky why it was crying

Taught to trust the path Before I saw how roads can split

Taught to love the shadow Before I feared the dark

Taught to keep on smiling Before I learned what it could hide

Taught to respect fire Before I questioned its burning

Taught to embrace the ending Before I asked why it was gone

Taught to adore roses Before I touched its thorns Taught to accept trees Before I understood the wind Taught to love the tide Before I saw how deep the ocean is Taught to hold onto silence Before I knew what words could break Taught to follow the light Before I noticed how it fades

Taught to believe in forever And I still find it in small moments Taught to stand unshaken And I’m learning it’s okay to sway And somewhere in between all the things I was told to love– I’m learning to choose them to feel them in my own way.

-Catalina Dragan

-Blake Pylypshyn (after Wallace Stevens)

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Three Ways to look at BIG JUICY BURGER! Where the cheese is dripping; The birds chirpin’, Where every bite is a dream;

5 Ways to Dance

Eating a burger is exciting, You can taste the history of the grill, The grease dripping through the bun; The slightly charred bun;

The sunset, the lights, The flaming grill, smokey eyes; Slight breeze, A haven.

-Hunter Rogers (after Wallace Stevens)

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Jack Rivett, Noah Adams

I Just get your feet up, I try to keep moving, But my feet stay swollen.

II I can twirl and twirl, I can jump and jump, But I can’t stick the landing.

III I put on sparkly outfits, The sizes run so but, But I can’t pull the zip up.

IV I can fly, And I can land, But I can’t keep my spot.

V I can twirl and turn, I can Sissonne and soar, No “buts” because I can finally stick the jump.

-Alana Telford (after Wallace Stevens)

Logan Brockenbaugh

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Pride is the Snake on the Vine Pride is the snake on the vine.

Always up so high, Never wanting to touch the ground, Where all the filthy creatures are around.

An old oak tree stood silent for 10,000 years.

It watched society develop and bloom.

It heard many with its ears.

Its seen success and it has seen doom.

The tree has seen death and sad goodbyes.

The tree has seen love and devotion.

It has seen a man work hard in the mines.

And a man get handed the whole ocean.

It looks up at the bright shining sky.

Chin almost always up with disapproval Never in the mood, The snake is so rude.

What if the snake touched the ground?

Interacting on our level?

Would the snake allow?

No, he would never bow.

Oak Tree

This tree has no place in society.

It just watches the world.

No stress, no anxiety.

Only observes…

-Alana Telford

Now this tree has fallen.

It lies cold and dead.

Why has this tree fallen?

It was scared of the road ahead.

Inside Joke

Now a new tree has risen.

It is getting used to its surroundings.

But if you open your ears and listen, You can hear the heart of the old tree pounding.

-Sabine Weiss

We walk to sports to get our rackets just the three of us when all of a sudden they looked at each other and started to laugh about something and I didn’t know what I asked what happened and all they said was that it’s just a private inside joke I tried not to show my jealousy but the pressure to ask “why can’t I know” was killer I was just thrown out I have nobody but me - Ben Fierro-Wolf (golden shovel poem) 20

Riley Reichenberg 21

Five Ways of Looking at a Cat

I Among the clutter of a tabletop, The only thing moving among that counter is a paw to a vase.

II His whiskers point to the sky as he scurries away from broken glass, scattered across an heirloom rug as water wets its age old seams.

III His paws patter from the scene toward the sun where he watches critters chirp and chirp while clouds pass as a day gone by.

IV He is to the winged thing as the winged thing is to him, a mystery of another world.

V He is a curiosity that inflects wonder, a kind creature of mischief.

-Gabriel Quigley (after Wallace Stevens)

Happiness is a butterfly.

I try to catch it every night.

Slipping through my hands into the moonlight.

It brushes past me in the quiet hours, A whisper of wings against my skin.

I almost hold it - almost believe it’s mine, But it trembles free, afraid of staying.

I chase it through shadows and empty streets, Dreams against the dark.

Calling its name into the wind, As if longing alone could make it land.

-Jack Rivett (After Emily Dickinson)

Five Ways to Watch Birds In the bare tree, a single bird shifts, the branch moves with it, as if they are one.

I walk, and do not see it, but its song follows me, flowing through the air.

The Shark Slicing through the water He carefully stalks his prey Actions must be swift Ripping with his teeth Knowledge of his kill So are the ways of a shark.

-Logan Brightly 22

Happiness is a Butterfly

In a book, ink forms a wing, with each page flip, the bird flies farther.

At dawn, I wait alone and the bird arrives filling the empty sky.

Through glass, the bird is smaller, however closer to the eye, held in a picture frame.

-Maximilian Knoess (after Wallace Stevens) Millie Rosenman

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3 Ways to Understand Nature

Three Ways to Read a Book

1 A nice mountain stood Untouched by humanity Stood there towering Over mountain and mountain For this is earth’s nature

1 For the first ten minutes of class The only sound is the flipping of pages 2 Reading a book is like traveling without paying money because it takes you to many different places 3 Reading a book is like being in a different universe

2 Nature’s green is like gold Waiting to be held Sacred and special for all But nature’s gate is always open Standing there tall

-Sebastian Goldstein (after Wallace Stevens)

Seizure A light so bright, is dark but aglow Is it there, or is it not I can’t tell. It breathes oh so loud, its gotten in Inside it’s aglow, it’s not aglow, all I see is darkness.

Testing. There’s so much testing but I’m there still I don’t know what, or who, I’m with Blink. Blink. Flashing bright lights.

It turns something. The lights are on.

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3 As snow goes to green The trees come back with leaves And awaiting to be seen For nature’s green achieves A far new path - Phoenix Goldstein (after Wallace Stevens and Robert Frost)

Dinosaurs Dangoon’s favorite animal by far.

Interesting lizards that they are.

Not very smart because their brains are small.

Of course they are dumb y’all.

Sauropodas so big their feet will sink.

All of them are extinct.

Universally loved by lots of fans Remember that most Theropods have short hands.

Light stares back at me. Looking, just looking.

I jerk and convulse. They can’t find out what it is, lights like galaxies.

But now I’m looking- it’s me. Me, I’m the smear.

I drop down.

We don’t know what it is.

But, it is coming I don’t know when But soon.

- Morgan Serebin (golden shovel poem)

- Dangoon Kang-Nation

Dangoon Kang-Nation

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Flowers Grow In Graveyards Walking in a garden is fun Especially in Spring or Summer Gorgeous flowers bloom in nice parks But just a reminder You can find flowers anywhere.

Watching buds bloom By your bedroom window Seeing birds glide through a golden sky Laughter filling the air That is beautiful of course.

Carmen Perez

5 Ways of Looking at Your Morning Hair

But if you squint hard enough You can find these pleasantries Wherever you want.

Diamonds grow in the rough Flowers grow in graveyards.

Even in the darkest of times If you feel isolated and confused You feel mistaken There will always be a flower there A special flower just for you.

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-Sabine Weiss

Phoenix Goldstein

1 You awake from your sleep, And you look up only to see Overlapping tangles that seem untamable.

2 You take your brush You think it’s not going to work You know your day is ruined.

3 You try to pull it through But your hair tugs and pulls Your head is on fire.

4 Finally you see that you have pulled through, What once felt like fire Now feels like something Smoother.

5 Slowly it starts to take shape It feels like how it should feel, You feel lighter Somehow just your hair being a bit better, Makes your day.

Carmen Perez (after Wallace Stevens)

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Procrastination

Loneliness is the thing with shadows

Procrastination is the thing with life That looms in the distance, Calling a tune - no one hears, But never giving up.

Loneliness is the thing with shadows That sits behind me while in my mind And whispers without sounds When all the world’s at rest -

The stormy cloud rumbling Through the thunder and rain a tree, Its branches shielding and taking coverFor what is coming.

It stays in the silence of rooms too wide to fill, A quiet, constant presence That time can’t even rid of -

Its calling can be heard, At the strangest of places, Longing for it to be heardFor it to be finished, complete.

No voice can seem to reach it, No crowd can make it go away, It follows me through the daylight And deepens even more at night.

- Millie Rosenman (after Emily Dickinson

- Brydie Groff (after Emily Dickinson)

Hate is a Cage That has no sun to bring light It sings a song of anger and pain That kills the soul It comes from a place of uncertainty Of reflections and of tears It locks you in a cage With labels and stereotypes I’ve seen it happen everywhere Large and small near and far It seems the only way to fight it Is to just stand tall

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Caleb Osnoss

- Ruby Cayer 29

A Memory Worth Keeping

Ode to the Seasons

I am barely able to look through my mind, And come back okay or indifferent, It is hard to sort through the rocks, And differ which ones are diamonds, emeralds, or stone.

What ones are useless and worthless, So I go stone by stone, One by one.

I see which ones are sharp, Or ones that leave a dark red trail of blood, Even ones that stay when I’m broken and decay.

I finally found it, The one priceless gem, “Right there!” I say, That’s a memory worth keeping.

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-Aaliyah Djukic

Ode to the seasons of the land Chilly Winter feels like a dream Breezy Autumn you hold my hand Humid Summer the sunlight will beam And in fresh Spring the sentimental smell.

Ode to the seasons of the land Frigid Winter is when the city breeze guides us Acorn Autumn is sweet and bland Chipwich Summer is when it all became too much And in peaceful Spring I can finally play.

Ode to the seasons of the land Chocolate Winter I’m trotting in snow Pumpkin Autumn I never planned In friendship bracelet Summer I live to roam And in goodbye Spring I feel a sad feeling.

Ode to the seasons of the land They all bring back memories Some good, some bad.

But they all made me who I am.

Ode to the seasons of the land I love them dearly.

Alana Telford

-Sabine Weiss

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Sam Henick

Peril “Love, things will get better. We’ll find a way,” my mother would always tell me.

Intrigue washed over me as I heard the commotion outside. I looked out my window.

German officers were shoving my neighbors into a truck. I was confused. What was happening?

Hershel walked in drowsily, rubbing his eyes. When he glanced outside, he pulled me away.

That night was just the beginning.

-Daphne Davidson

Flowers Bloom

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The Winter has ended The Spring has begun The brown groundhog chose a month late It deem’s Winter’s fate

But it is now Spring The warmth is on it’s way Spring sports are here And everyone will cheer

It was a cold Winter One we should remember Almost four feet of snow And the fireplace will grow

Time for t-shirts and shorts Dress code is enforced The bees will swarm When it is warm -Nate Buckley

May Dong, Millie Rosenman, Hunter Rogers, Blake Pylypshyn 33

Five Ways of Looking at the Future

Ode to Everyone

1 The Future is Fiction, It’s Imaginable, Martians, robots, are nothing, Just inflatables.

2 They’re only on TV’s, Just like Futurama, Flying cars, mighty machines, I’m telling ya.

3 No living AI, No mutants, No nothing like that, No nothing.

To all who were there for me, Bullied me, encouraged, and discouraged me, I’d like to thank you.

Helping me to grow even stronger.

Helping me to learn a lesson.

Helping me to see that not everyone can be nice.

Helping me to learn how to stand up for myself.

Helping me in every sort of way.

To everyone around me, I thank you for Giving me the strength of a lion.

Giving me new opportunities Giving helpful information for me to grow as a person Giving greatness to me Giving the honor of having such great people in my life.

To everyone around me, I thank you for Teaching me everything I know.

Teaching me that it’s okay to make mistakes Teaching me that not everything will go your way Teaching me what life is about.

Teaching me that the world is extremely fragile.

- Noah Adams (after Wallace Stevens)

Disaligned

To everyone around me, I thank you for Showing me that it’s better to own up to your mistakes Showing me how to embrace yourself Showing me how to improve in soccer Showing me that school can be better than I thought Showing me the scenery around us can be almost enchanting.

Lastly, I thank everyone around me for being in my life.

- Alex Chang

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4 No portals, No time machines, No nothing like that, No nothing.

5 But you can still believe, But not too much.

You’re a million years from the future, Or we are the future.

I am dreaming, Dreaming about the unexpected evil.

I get up in a cold sweat, my parents telling me to be braver.

Crying, my parents look at.

My tears turned black.

Something is haunting the air, My thoughts rearranging.

I have become the disaligned.

-Alana Telford (golden shovel poem) 35

Change

The other kids taunt me.

Saying I’m “different” I nod my head and walk away Because what was I supposed to say?

I think to myself, “Why am I different?”

I could never tell why.

I start to observe the way they look.

Maybe if I just blend in with their clothes, I could fit in.

I slowly start to change The way I act The way I talk The way I dress And who I am.

I mean it wasn’t that big of a deal.

I envied her.

Having enough confidence to wear what she was wearing, Embrace her “weird” interests, And to be able to not care what anyone thought.

It turns out that she was just me when I was younger.

I am who I am and I shouldn’t change that.

Because it’s not who I truly am, it’s someone who made me blend in better.

I am Mia. -Alex Chang

I finally fit in, but at what cost?

I don’t feel like me.

These clothes itch My voice starts to annoy me And I can’t stand hearing myself.

One day I see a girl She dressed like she threw on the first thing she saw.

Her hair was a mess She had these “weird” interests And people were starting to stare But she didn’t care.

She didn’t even care when someone would go up to her and say “Wow, you’re really something.”

Instead she owned it.

She stayed that way because she knew who she was.

And she didn’t want to change that.

Out of everyone being a white sheep, she would stand out.

Being the only black sheep anyone had ever seen.

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Ruby Cayer

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Angler Keane

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EQUINOX is a publication of The Harvey Middle School 260 Jay Street, Katonah, NY 10536 www.harveyschool.org