It is with immense pride and gratitude that I introduce the inaugural Fall/Winter edition of the Equinox!
We’ve compiled a stunning collection of poetry, prose, and artwork that truly captures the spirit of our talented middle school students. This edition marks a significant and exciting milestone for our literary magazine: traditionally a spring publication, we have expanded our efforts to bring you a Fall/Winter edition for the very first time!
The diverse writing and artwork in this edition showcases the incredible range, depth, and creativity of our students. This literary magazine would not exist without the dedication and support of so many people. On behalf of the entire team, I want to extend our deepest appreciation to all of the students and faculty that contributed their talents and energy to create a wonderful literary magazine. Thank you to Ms. A and Ms. Gelfer for their tremendous technical support throughout the process. We hope you enjoy diving into these pages as much as we enjoyed putting them together.
Thank you again for making the Equinox a vibrant and meaningful part of our school community.
Warmly,
Dr. Metz
Cover Art by Hunter Rogers
EQUINOX
FACULTY ADVISORS
Dr. Metz
LAYOUT/DESIGN
Mrs. Gelfer
HEAD OF SCHOOL
Mr. Knauer
Dr. Byrne
The Days of the Week
Some days,
I am as cool as a cucumber,
A leaf dancing through the wind, Or a river that flows.
Other days, I am the rain pouring, A fire raging, Or a twisting tornado ready to blow.
But,
On all the days of the week, I am the sun shining, A star smiling, And, I am me!
-Millie Rosenman
First Battle of the Civil War
Fort Sumter, located in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina, was the site of the opening battle of the American Civil War. Beginning in 1829 as part of a comprehensive coastal defense system, it was strategically located to defend the harbor. With secession from the Union in 1860 by South Carolina, tensions heightened and Fort Sumter was taken by Major Robert Anderson in a defensive move. When President Lincoln attempted to resupply the fort with two ships (The Star of the West & one more ship), the ships were taken as an act of war. Confederates led by General P.G.T. Beauregard opened fire on it on April 12, 1861.
The Union garrison had capitulated after 34 hours, and that signaled the beginning of the Civil War. Following its capture, four more states would secede from the Union. President Lincoln would then start to form an army to prevent more states from seceding and to sustain the Union. This event eventually led up to the most deadly battle recorded in U.S history. Confederate forces held Fort Sumter for nearly the entire Civil War.
Again and again they tried by the Union to be recaptured—most notably a catastrophic naval assault in 1863 and a months-long bombardment from Morris Island—the Confederates held the fort until February 1865. Union forces discharged over 50,000 shells in their campaign, reducing much of the fort to rubble. But the Confederate garrison remained firm against the assaults until General William T. Sherman’s march on Charleston forced them to evacuate.
After the Civil War, Fort Sumter was rebuilt and repurposed by the military during the Spanish-American War and both World Wars. It was eventually decommissioned in 1948 and became a National Historic Site. Contemporary Fort Sumter remains a historic site under the National Park Service’s administration, welcoming hundreds of thousands of tourists every year to study its pivotal role in American history and the start of the Civil War.
- Maximilian Knoess
Remus
Dear diary,
My name is Remus.
Today I woke up in a wolf’s cave, and even worse I was all wet! The last thing I remember was floating down a river with my brother Romulus and my mother’s face disappearing.
Dear diary,
It has been 1 year since I woke up in that cave but now I can barely remember it. Yesterday I went outside to play with my brother and we saw some big people coming over the hill. Then, we ran back to the cave.
Dear diary,
I am no longer living in that cave. I was playing with my brother and then this shepherd took me and my brother away. For a little bit I was scared but then I was excited!
Dear diary,
I am now a young man. I live with a shepherd now, and life has been hard. He has been teaching me how to hunt and do other things. I miss the cave sometimes but life has been good so far.
Dear diary,
Something huge has happened. So, this morning my brother and I were out hunting when we ran into this small village. We met this old man and he said he recognized us! He said that he was an old king named Numitor. I suddenly remembered the old shepherd telling us that once a king named Numitor was overthrown. Numitor said that he thought we looked like someone named Rhea. He described her to us and we suddenly remembered that description. It was our mother! Okay wait, If Numitor’s daughter is Rhea that means we are his grandchildren!
Dear diary, Okay, that was way too much writing yesterday. To summarize; the
old king Numitor, asked us to lead an army to take back the throne from his evil brother.
Dear diary,
The castle raid went great! We marched in with our big army and the king immediately surrendered.
Dear diary,
The past few years with our grandfather, the king, have been great! We have had adventures and spent time with the king. However, both me and my brother agree, it is time to strike out on our own.
Dear diary,
Romulus and I agree that we should build a great city so that people remember our name. The only trouble is that we cannot decide where to build it. Romulus thinks that we should build on the Palatine hill but I think we should build it on the Aventine hill. He said that my idea was stupid and that we should build the city on his hill and call it Rome after himself. I called him stupid for wanting to name the city after him, and then he shoved me. I punched him and then it became a dirty insult-yelling fight. After fighting for hours about the city Romulus picked up a sword. And then - if you can believe it - he stabbed me. His own brother! And then I died. My own brother killed me out of rage and hate, that jerk. Well I hope I get a proper burial at least.
THE END
-Logan Brightly
Emmanuel Boben
The Missing Princess
I was suddenly woken up by my stepmother and being told, “Cinderella, why haven’t you gotten up yet?!” I say, “But stepmother, it’s about pitch black, I don’t even think the morning has started.” My stepmother starts screaming and says, “Nonsense! You will wake up at the time I want you to. Understood?!” I nod my head, and she then gives me a list of chores I have to complete. I groan as I’m getting up and dressed for the day. After I had finished breakfast, my stepsisters ordered me to go and sweep the floors. As I’m sweeping, I see a small mouse hiding in a corner. I walk slowly towards it. The mouse screams, “Get away from me right now!” I scream realizing that I could understand the mouse.
My stepmother stomps upstairs and slams the door open. “Cinderella! Don’t you dare scream in my house!” I said trembling, “The… mouse wass-s talking!” She then looks and says, “Ugh, a rodent. Get it away from your sister’s room immediately.” I groan and she leaves the room. I look at the mouse closely, and say calmly, “Don’t worry, I’m not gonna hurt you.” The mouse slowly comes near me and climbs onto my hand. The mouse says, “Thank you, I heard your name was Cinderella?” As I was still processing how the mouse could talk to me, I realized it had asked me something. “Hello?” the mouse says. I replied saying, “Oh yes, my name is Cinderella, what’s your name?” The mouse says, “My name is Ms. Lilee.” I remember that I have to finish up cleaning, until I notice a poster on the ground. “The fit for a right princess! Anyone is invited!” I picked the poster up. Lilee (the mouse) notices the poster and says, “You should go to the ball! I mean you really should get out of this place. I say, “I’d love to, but I can’t. My stepmother would never let me.”
Lilee says, “Let me help you.” Lilee and I talked almost the whole day stitching a dress al most identical to my old mothers dress. I barely had even thought about how Lilee was a mouse. We sneak out and head towards the location of the ball. As we arrive, we see a bunch of girls crowding the palace in a line. Lilee and I wondered what was going on until we heard a voice, “Welcome everyone! Thank you for coming to participate in helping us to find the lost princess. I gasp realizing it was the queen. The queen sees me and shouts, “You!” I looked at Lilee to ask her what’s going on, but she looked just as confused as I was. The queen points at me and runs toward me. She says, “You look identical to the princess” I reply saying, “Me?”
The queen says, “Try this necklace on.” I take the necklace and wrap it around my neck. The queen stares at me looking astonished. The community looks at me and says, “We have found the missing princess!” Everyone had started to cheer while I had no idea what was going on. I had then realized that the clock had hit 12:00. I look at Lilee and all I hear from her are squeaks. Even though I had lost the ability to speak to an animal, inside my heart I could still tell what she was saying. I have almost lived in the palace for a few months now. When it became known that my stepmother had screamed at me and she got arrested along with my sisters. Lilee, the queen, and I had lived happily ever after.
- Alexandra Chang
Sam Henick
Gabriel Quigley
I Brave
In this world, Sometimes I am brave, I’ve tried many things, That gave me experience.
While skydiving, Wind and cold, I was scared, I wanted to go home.
Sea blue like jelly, my heart is almost pounding, I feel the smell of wind, I calm down to feel the air.
-May Dong
Golf, My Favorite Sport
Most days, I play golf At Old Oaks Country Club
My favorite golf club
Is my driver,
It is my best-loved club because it goes the farthest It is for show and putting is for low
Golf has greens, flags, hole numbers, par numbers, and carts
You need a good set up of golf and it is important to hold it the right way
In order to hit the ball far
Also you need a good stance
Life and golf are both long-term challenges
-Reed Zarkowsky
Young Romulus:
Romulus Perspective
I (ego) was raised by a she-wolf (lupus) and a woodpecker who were very nice. They helped me and my brother (frater), Remus, live in this difficult time. I am mad at King (rex) Amulius because he threatened to make us experience death (mortuus). I wish to rule over a land but seeing (videt) how I am living with animals, I might not rule after all. Remus and I are friends (amicus).
Adult Romulus:
I am now living with these farmers (agricola) who are taking care of me. Oh? What’s that? There are bandits attacking Remus who will soon die (mortuus). I must go save him! I have fought the bandits but they took me to this old man (senex) who is actually Numitor! I am now (nunc) going to bravely kill Amulius.
We have killed Amulius and I am now going to create the greatest empire of all time! Remus and I are now deciding what to name the city. I want to call it Rome (Roma) but Remus wants to call it Reme. I am very mad at Remus. I have accidentally killed (necat) Remus after I pulled out (extrahit) my sword (gladius). I now rule over the great city of Rome! In Rome, they shall create a huge statue (statua) of me.
-Blake Pylypshyn
Noah Adams
Ruby Cayer
Maximilian Knoess
Broken Winged Bird
The bird soared through the air, Destined to reach the early morning sky. But before it could land, The bird dropped before everyone’s eyes.
It tried to get up, Pushing down on the ground like a hare, The bird hoped to get better, as it now had broken wings, The pressure it could no longer bear.
Now, on the ground laid the broken winged bird, Who could no longer fly and soar, In the brisk, foggy air anymore, The bird is now a mere still painting.
-Alana Telford
Psychischer Tyrann
The gut is something A feeling of cool twisted air
You go for your prey
Like a whale; Going up for air
The bird got sorrow
We tried to tell you
But you lashed out
Cutting wounds, deeper than down
You threaten the bird, so it stays But soon its flapping starts to fade
Shadows around you seem to be still But once you leave they start to move
The bird is now stuck
Starving out like kid; always distant
Soon the others will start to stand
And the tyrants league will end
The bird still needs to fly away
But she
Who is scared
For now
Must stay
-Morgan Serebin
Daphne Davidson
The Story of Rome: Romulus Perspective
Dear diary,
I’ve never known who my real parents were. The only memory I remember from my childhood was that I was taken in by a wolf that we called our mother. She had brought us food, protected, and tended to our needs. As I’ve grown, I wanted to explore more of the world. My brother and I wanted to know more about our parents, maybe find out what truly happened to them. But we slowly let go of our dreams thinking that there was never even the slightest possibility of being able to see the real world. Then the unthinkable happened. Then one day, a group of bandits suddenly targeted us. We had been outnumbered. Then I saw the slightest chance and took it. I managed to escape with some scars, but my brother had been taken away. I was desperate to save my brother, and had decided to follow the bandits, but as soon as I turned, there was no sight of a single bandit.
The Surprising Day
I woke up one morning and went downstairs to eat. My dog saw, and he was very happy and excited. He would usually jump on me and lick me, but this time I could hear what he was saying other than just heavy excited panting. He said, “Yay Luke is here! I am so excited. I’m gonna jump on you and lick you!”
I said to my dog Hudson, “I can hear what you’re saying! This is crazy!” Hudson agreed with me.
Hudson asked me after breakfast if I could take him out on a walk and I said, “Yes.”
While I was eating breakfast, my cat passed by and started mumbling about Hudson. I said, “Hi Bunna,” which is my cat’s name. He too was in great shock that I could speak. I went to get ready and passed by my fish and snake. The fish were all happy and playing, and my snake said, “I’m hungry,” so I knew I had to feed him.
He then had arrived home and I was revealed to see one of my first ancestors. We were then told the truth about our parents and we just knew we had to take revenge. Soon, we had taken over an entire kingdom but didn’t know what to do. We both had different ideas, as I wanted to call the city Rome and I thought I’d fit better as king. While my brother Remus wanted to name the city Reme and he thought he’d be more fit to rule. After months of nonstop arguing, I was so annoyed with my brother that I stabbed him with my sword in the stomach. He fell to the ground and blood dripped all over the carpets. As the months went on I became king, but fell into a state of depression. It felt different and alone without my brother. I wish we could have just ruled together. He was one of my only family members and now he’s gone… I decided to send over a letter to the shepherd who raised us. I couldn’t look her in the eyes and tell her what happened with me and my brother.
-Alexandra Chang
After I got dressed, I fed Hudson and my snake. I went on a walk with Hudson to my friend’s house. When we got there Hudson went immediately to play with their dog Ruby. As Hudson and Ruby were playing rough like they always do, I told my friend about my abilities. He was in shock and did not believe me, but I proved to him that he was in shock and then he settled back to normal.
I went home with Hudson after a long day and we were both tired. We ate dinner together and then sat on the couch to watch a movie. As soon as Hudson hit the couch he fell asleep. After the movie, since he was too tired to go into his crate, he wanted to sleep there for the night which I was fine with as long as he did not misbehave. I went to bed and thought about what a surprising day it had been. I wonder if I will have the same abilities tomorrow? The End
-Luke Alonzo
Dear diary,
The Shepherd
Today I was walking while tending to my flock, I noticed two boys playing around out of the corner of my eye. I was intrigued by their energetic movements, so I approached and invited them to come to my house. My wife and I started to take care of the two boys, and over time I’ve learned to love them as my own. Their happy energy and positive attitudes made them my favorite people along with my wife. They started to protect my animals and food from bandits! They were so heroic in my eyes. I learned their names! They were called Romulus and Remus. Our love for each other grew, and we bonded over planting and herding. It was the happiest time of my life.
However there came a day, a day I will never forget. Bandits! Bandits surrounded our peaceful home, Romulus managed to escape but Remus didn’t have the same luck. He was taken to the bandits leader. They flipped the switch on the myth! They claimed to the local landowner that Remus was the one that had attacked and destroyed my life. The landowner was old and the bandits thought that they could trick him very easily. But then… the landowner started to cry! Remus was the grandson that the landowner never met! The landowner was Numitor! A spike of jealousy hit my heart. I was the one who saved them, and this guy just cried and Remus was taken away! AGAIN! He took BOTH of MY boys back to his fancy place. I still haven’t heard of them in a while. Until one day years later I received a letter. In the letter it said that Remus died! I was heartbroken. MY boys had fought til one died. I couldn’t look at life the same. What was the point? I refused to believe it.
-Carmen Perez
Noah Adams
Ruby Cayer
Sam Doughty
William Spencer
I Have a Power
Final chapter…
It was 7:00 am on a morning in October, and I was sleeping peacefully until I heard a deep voice saying, “Wake up, Catalina! Walk me! Walk me!”
What the heck? I said, stretching my arms and looking around. I see my dog bark like a wild animal, except he’s not barking, he’s talking..
“MOM!” I scream, no response, home alone again. I say, “Hey buddy, can you understand me?” My dog wags his tail and says, “Yes!!!!”
I started getting scared, I pinched and slapped myself, even tripped over myself going down the stairs because I was confused, and then it hit me. I have a power. On the bus I come up to my friend Sofia, she doesn’t believe me, I show her and she thinks I’m making it up.
In school, I was a total mess. I could hear birds betting on whose gonna trip on puddles. I could hear chipmunks yelling about how they got closer to a human, and I heard squirrels gossiping about their neighbors. So, during gym, I snuck outside, and I was crazy enough to go talk to an animal. I started walking in the woods, endless trees and chirps, birds talking about how crazy a human is, walking out this far in the forest. Then I come across a brown bear, I try to run, but then realize that Grizzly bears will attack. So I tried to talk to him.
“Here there bear.”
The bear growls, ready to attack.
“Get off my land now. Before I shred you to pieces.” I backed away. “I’ll get off your land, just let me leave and we won’t have problems. Okay?” The bear looks confused and stops in his tracks.
“You can understand me?...” the bear says.
“I can understand animals.. apparently.”
The bear huffs and sits down “Thats new. Usually a human would have bear spray to scare us. But when the spray hits us we run, it’s an instinct.”
I slowly sit down on a rock. “Mind if I stay here with you? I have no weapons.” The bear agrees.
Me and the bear chat for a while then we walk around and meet other animals, like a pack of wolves, they aren’t scary, just hungry and protective, we meet a bobcat family that are friendly and love being petted. When I tried to find my phone, I left it at school. It’s getting really late and we are far from civilization… I’m known as a friend in the animal world. The bear takes me in and the wolves protect me until I find my way back. I’ve been out here for 2 years, alive, and we’ve seen search parties, but I hide because I’m not going back…
-Catalina Dragan
Catalina Dragan and Charlotte Orr
Sports
All over the world,
Cheers can be heard,
For this beautiful game, some louder than others
Whether it’s fortune or fame
Or you want to see your own name
On the back of a jersey or shirt
Many have claimed
That this beautiful game
Can tear you down and make you hurt
Although many care
For this beautiful game
Throughout every place
Every person, every style, every race
There is one who stands tall
High above all
And I believe that person is me
-Benjamin Fierro-Wolf
Noise Cancelling Headphones
One day, I woke up to multiple voices. “Hi!”
“Hello”
“Good morning”
I looked around my room, but saw no one. I checked my clock. 7:34.This was weird because my family had never woken up before 7:45. I opened my blinds and saw birds on a power line. It seemed as if I could understand the birds. Then I walked to the dining room and had breakfast. Understand the birds? I was definitely crazy. Or was I? I then realized that I actually could understand animals! Now I know what you are thinking. “That’s so cool!”
“Awesome”
I’m just gonna tell you straight away: It’s NOT. Do you know voices enter my head when a flock of birds flies near me? It’s so much noise that it makes me crumble to the ground. I asked my mom what to do, and she said, “Just wear noise canceling headphones.” So I did.
- Hiroto Fuji
Hunter Rogers
Sam Doughty
Remus
My name is Remus and I have a twin brother named Romulus. I grew up with a she-wolf for most of my life. The she-wolf raised us for ten years. However, life was hard in the woods because we barely got food and it was weird to be raised by a wolf. We were cared for and we learned to read and write. My brother and I also helped defend the family against bandits.
However, our grandfather found us and brought us back to our real family. We wanted to build a city near the Tiber River where the she-wolf found us. Romulus and I got into a fight over where to build the city and what to name it. I wanted it to be named Reme and Romulus wanted to name the city Rome. I did not want to get into an argument with my brother because I knew one of us was going to die. After an hour of arguing, the argument got worse and we fought. He won the fight and killed me. So the city was named Rome. Romulus was sad and happy when he killed me. He was sad because I was his brother but he was happy because he was able to name the city Rome and take all the fame and glory.
-Reed Zarkowsky
Me is Good
Long before time,
The competitive spirit is in me
My mind was made like a galaxy, Endless in every direction
The big glorious mind Used for the simplistic things Only failure can stop him
The mind is a mountain of fire
The competitive mind is as unbreakable as a stone He is unstoppable
The competitive spirit is like a cheetah hunting a gazelle
His name is Huntweak
-Hunter Rogers
Oh My Days
Today started like any other day. I woke up, got out of bed and got dressed. But little did I know that today would be a day I would remember for a long time. When I got out of bed, I heard something weird from outside my window.
“Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Why did you do that uncle? You almost made me fall out of the tree.”
“Well it’s not my fault that you can’t catch it.”
“Guy, can I have my acorns back please?!”
“Woah. What is happening?”
“Ha! Stupid human! Catch!”
“Ow, why are you throwing acorns at me!?”
“Ohhhhhhhhhhohwoahwhahohooo!? He can hear us?! Oh my days!”
So now you see; I thought my brother was talking to my mom, but it turns out it was a bird and a squirrel. But nonetheless, I went to school like any other day. But during recess, I was playing kickball and one of my friends hit the ball into the woods, so I went to get it. Then I heard it again from the animals, they were talking. “No, move it here he will never find it.”
Mille Rosenman
“ Quickly they are coming.”
“Where did the ball go?!”
-
Elias Hajem
The Emancipation Proclamation: A moral crusade for human rights.
“I have no doubt that it is a just and righteous act” President Abraham Lincoln stated in the Emancipation Proclamation. But this courageous act was a complicated crossroad that altered the very nature of the Civil War. This proclamation was a document that permanently changed the objective of the war, changing the conflict from one fought to restore the prosperity of the Union, to a fight for the freedom of enslaved people in the South.
Overall, the Emancipation Proclamation would electrify the moods of the Union, and blaze the way for the total abolition of slavery in the US. It would also bring awareness to the horrors of the institution of slavery. The Emancipation Proclamation permanently changed the Civil War from a war solely fought to preserve the Union into a war with a double purpose of preserving the Union and to abolish slavery. Before this pivotal document was made, President Lincoln’s primary goal was to restore the Union. He even allowed slavery to remain in the loyal border states to achieve this goal.
The Emancipation Proclamation changed this by adding a more
profound moral goal to the Union’s cause. This shift brought attention to the American public, displaying to them the horrendous atrocities about slavery. This document laid the foundation to the 13th amendment in the Bill of Rights. The Emancipation Proclamation notably weakened the Confederate’s military; economically by stripping it of its important workforce as the Southern economy was heavily dependent on the institution of slavery. By declaring enslaved people free in the rebellious states (these states are not to be confused with the loyal border states), President Lincoln attacked the South’s primary source of wealth. This caused a mass departure of the enslaved people who fled to Union lines. This not only deprived the Confederacy of their labour but also gave the Union 200,000 more soldiers.
This document also stopped potential British and French aid to the Confederacy. It made it politically impossible for the European powers to help in the war of a nation that supported slavery. Since both France and Britain had already abolished slavery, an alliance with the Confederacy would have made the countries openly show support for slavery. This moral and political shift got rid of the Confederacy’s last and best hope for official recognition and military support.
The proclamation brought attention to the nation about the immorality of the institution of slavery. This war became a moral crusade for human rights. This war provided a crystal clear and ethical reason for a war beyond political compromises. While initially the war was fought to preserve the Union, the Emancipation Proclamation reframed the war into one fought for human rights.
-Jack Rivett
Ella Adler
Did I upset them?
Did I defy the laws of being the best to them
But who cares
They sure don’t
Like a tree with good timber, but no shade
Although it must
Because it is not good timber
If it doesn’t provide
With no branches
With each gust of wind the thick trunk sways
No longer is it good timber
With each gust of wind, the thick trunk cracks
No longer is it good timber
Was the timber ever good enough?
-Ella Adler
May Dong
A Heavy Fog Rolled In
Me and my friend, Jake, were playing in the forest when a heavy fog rolled in from the trees, and made it hard to see anything. We made a shelter and took a rest waiting for the fog to go away. Me and Jake bolted up from the muddy ground that we were sleeping on, with our heads pounding, and we thought we were going crazy because we heard talking but no one was in the forest but us and the animals. While we were walking home I heard talking, well more like yelling about something. I looked around and didn’t see anyone around, but when I looked at the ground and saw a bird chirping but then the bird started talking, in a high pitched voice the bird was yelling at me saying something about stepping on its dinner. I lifted up my boot and there was a worm underneath it. It took me and Jake awhile to figure out if we were just going crazy from the camping trip or if something weird was going on. After seeing a lot more animals and hearing a lot more talking, I realized that we could hear and talk to animals! Now me and Jake are sitting at a dog park talking to dogs but everyone thinks we are crazy!
