Issuu

EDITOR’S NOTE

Oranges

“I peel oranges neatly. The sections come apart cleanly, perfectly in my hands.

When Emily peels an orange, she tears holes in it. Juice squirts in all directions.

“Kate,” she says, “I don’t know how you do it!”

Emily is my best friend. I hope she never learns how to peel oranges.”

By Jean Little

The orange is the fruit of friendship. Already segmented to share, waiting to be peeled, for or by someone else. To peel another’s orange is a simple act without thought, a tacit agreement between confidants. Their peels bloom in fingers, mini fires sparked from one set of hands to the next, to be passed on as the torch of care, of warmth, of silent, unoticed affection. Within each of these quiet moments, we see friendships shine and blossom much like the faithful orange as it ripens on the tree.

The orange invites us to consider the intimacy of everyday interactions. Much like the varied techniques of peeling portrayed in Jean Little’s poem, our interactions can be messy, explosive, or perfectly composed. Each method of uncovering the sweet fruit beneath the rind reveals something fundamental about our relationships and ourselves.

In this issue, we see every part of the orange as a symbol to learn from. Its zest is used to flavor, its

juice to refresh, and its rind to protect. These fruits embody a duality of existence—both the shield and the essence. They are metaphors for the layers we must peel back to truly understand an artist’s vision or a writer’s intent. Each piece featured in these pages is a segment of the greater whole to be reflected on.

Furthermore, our focus sharpens on those who “cannot peel their own oranges neatly.” In this issue, we see the voices and stories of those who struggle silently, those whose daily lives might not be as effortlessly sectioned or presented. Creativity offers a platform for the unspoken, bringing to light the struggles and triumphs of all those who navigate life through a tempest of struggles.

As Editor-in-Chief of the 2023-2024 issue of the Pierian Spring, I encourage you to think of the oranges you have peeled and those you have shared. Consider the hands that have passed them to you and the hands to which you have passed them on. Like the segments of an orange, may the pieces of this magazine sweeten and grow your appreciation of the quiet yet significant connections that sustain us all.

May this edition of the Pierian Spring inspire you to cherish those small moments, to share your oranges, and to embrace the beauty of imperfection.

Sincerely,

Mika Nitu, Editor-in-Chief 2023-2024

8 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Writing

Made to Fade - Brishen Ehmann ‘25

Risk - Hannah Vu ‘27

The Lake - Addison Flick ‘25

House of Ghosts - Miranda Papez ‘25

On a Sidewalk in the City - Brianna Burgoz ‘25

Flourishing City - Isabella Rhodes ‘25

Shots - Veronica Jess ‘25

Haiku - Anastasia Angulo ‘24

An Instant - Chloe Beery ‘25

Lovesick Girl - Hannah Vu ‘27

Showdogs - Campbell Brown ‘25

What the Eyes See - Vivian Amoia ‘25

Self Serving - Delaney Buckel ‘25

Smile for the Cameras - Alondra Castaneda ‘25

Beyond the Summit - Sarah Corl ‘25

Unseen Lives - Adelina Marquina ‘25

Weapons of War - Sadie LaMagna ‘25

returning home - Isabella Cucchetti ‘24

Reflection - Payton Farley ‘25

Tick Tock - Chloe Tang-Hynes ‘25

Reign of the Butterfly - Kalani Hernandez ‘25

sweet 16 - Lucia Sugich ‘26

13 - The Skull and Tinkerbell - Malena Lebedeff ‘25

16 - Insanity - Anastasia Angulo ‘24 18 - Me, Myself, and I - Sophia Holtson ‘24 19 - Self-Judgement - Sophia Holtson ‘24 20 - Breakthrough - Sophia Holtson ‘24 22 - Side Effects - Anastasia Angulo ‘24 23 - Drive Away - Addelyn Pederson ‘25

23 - Don’t Leave - Addelyn Pederson ‘25 24 - Baby Bella - Bella Adams ‘24 24 - A Drawing of Frank - Audrey Schaub ‘24 25 - College Tours - Malena Lebedeff ‘25

28 - Cuff Bracelet | Spinner Ring | Cabochon RingOlivia Robinson ‘24

31 - Sleep and Debate - Chloe Chun ‘24

32 - Pandora’s Jars - Kasia Smigielski ‘24

32 - Snowy Sahara - Erika Kraseman ‘25

32 - Koi Fish Vase - Madison Ballecer ‘25

32 - Smells Fishy - Charmaine Phillips ‘24

33 - Gray - Abigail Camou ‘25

34 - Korean and American Food - Chloe Chun ‘24

35 - Displacement - Chloe Chun ‘24

39 - Surface Tension - Chloe Chun ‘24

Sisters - Chloe Yoon ‘25

Made to Fade by

Brishen Ehmann ‘25

Like blades of grass on land

As a society we stand Be different, but not too different Talk, but know when to be silent Share your gifts, but don’t boast And make sure to always give your most

People, hand in hand Be grand, but don’t demand Be tall, but be short It’s a shame I can’t contort

How do we beat the contradiction It’s all quite a competition

As everyone becomes one

Risk by

Hannah Vu ‘27

Anti-charismatic, Bleak, blunt, and reused. I am nothing special, and the fact is, Is and always will be, That the moment that you chose me, Even in my darkest blues, And heart imprinted in purple, An apple dropped over dozens of times, Covered in deep rigid scars,

I truly believed.

I believed and I knew, I knew that if you left, the scars that just became marks, Would reappear again and never leave. The bruises would never cease, But I took the risk.

And let you in my rusted gates.

And if one day you decide that my storm is too much, Too much to handle, too much to love, I want you to know that I kept my heart locked, Sheltered behind my flimsy ribcage. And you’ll always have the only key. -End.

”See that wipeout?” “Ruff!” - Lucy Bullington ‘24

The Lake by Addison Flick ‘25

I take my place on the dock And cast the boat off

I peer down to ordered chaos, bass and algae I gaze up to an untouched sky, sprinkled with stars I look straight and see shining faces

Dancing on the boat beneath mars

House of Ghosts

by Miranda Papez

‘25

In the tired, haunted house

That creaks with fights and pains, The haunted hide their ghosts away, Afraid to let them stay.

Just like their guests who seldom find The family wrong. “One of a kind.”

Yet in the house the smallest sound can lead one out of line, And to the gate, so filled with hate, where love one cannot find.

So cry your tears, sweet haunted child

For not a soul to see. For look, the ghosts, all in their madness Stop not to kill you for your sadness.

The house, now different, weary, staid, Once used to be where children played. Though now without the time to ponder, Of the ghosts they grew much fonder.

Is it not better to feel so numb and not a thing, Than wear your pain as a fiery ring?

‘Tis not this what the ghosts allow? Dead, you cannot have emotions now.

The Skull and Tinkerbell - Malena Lebedeff ‘25

On a Sidewalk in the City

by Brianna Burgoz ‘25

Phantom features confined by neon beams, Figures obscured by tunnel vision: Apathetic souls roving Asphodel fields.

Flourishing City

by Isabella Rhodes ‘25

I know what… a crowded city looks like

When the… sidewalks are filled with people in a hurry

When the… cars slowly move through the crowded city

And the… clashing subways are booming

When the… shops are overflowing

And the… cars are honking, and the birds are chirping

I know what… a crowded city looks like

I know why… the crowded cities flourishing

When… the streets are filled

When… the cars are honking

It is… indeed, a sign of a crowded city

But a… city in a hurry is a beautiful thing

But a… beautiful thing, it is

I know why… the crowded cities flourishing

Perfect Band | Movies are Forever

- Lucy Bullington ‘24

Shots

by Veronica Jess ‘25

Tear drops and shots, The war carries on. Burning liquor flames the tongue, Held breath until dawn. The taste of embers sear our lunges, Bodies sewn into lawn. Stains of our fallen sons, Memories faded, not gone…

Haiku

by Anastasia Angulo ‘24

Perfect life darkened by the whispering black night chaos blooms again Insanity - Anastasia Angulo

An Instant

by Chloe Beery ‘25

Sudden barrages of thunder

The war-torn man begins to pace No longer in his refuge Now back in that place

Facing his reflector

Looking into those eyes

He has two options now: To run or neutralize

He has nowhere to go Stuck in times now gone

Reality he does not know The man is just a pawn

Lovesick Girl

by Hannah Vu ‘27

Pull apart all my heart strings, Stretch them farther and farther apart, Just to reach you.

Reach you because my arms weren’t long enough. Far enough to reach you in the distance.

Leave me stranded and I promise to wander the 7 seas

Just to have my arms wrapped around you once more.

I’ll seek you even if you fade like the sunset, Hiding beneath the mountaintops until next dawn.

Loneliness crept on me like a beetle, Leaving trails of footprints along my arteries. I can feel my blood bursting, Immersed in isolated despair. Morning dew soaks my back, as I try to grasp a shard of you.

Me, Myself, and I -

Sophia Holtson ‘24

Play me like a fiddle, Pluck my strings apart and scratch my soul. Control me like a puppet with a notion of your touch.

Under a hypnosis of your words. Your wish is my command,

My wish is you.

A snapshot of heaven’s view, a glimpse of the forbidden sight, Wrap my love around your finger and pluck my heart, Burn it and embrace it once more just to tear it apart.

Quench my thirst, my longing for your company, Because even light years apart you’d be the star I’d forage for, In the celestial deep blue skies.

Self-Judgement

Sophia Holtson ‘24

Breakthrough - Sophia Holtson ‘24

Showdogs

by Campbell Brown ‘25

Little drawings of my friends litter the desk like a prayer for clarity: her face frames every outline of every letter on my math exam, stenciled pencil checkers dotted lines in the corners of the test. Her name kept in my mouth in every plea for a good grade, she’s fallen into the good graces and now I’m guilty by association. Dress shoes click on tile after every practice: You should make NFTs, he says, shiny new advice: other times stock tips, most times college. To them, it’s all Ivies or the end of the world.

I can’t blame them: it’s what they’re bred for, a limitless bloodshed spectator sport– apologies, unfamiliar with this game. Mothers take their hands in endless spending so one day they can swing a free ride. Eavesdrop on conversations in the crowded college-town bookstore, late night in Cambridge: dim lights, expensive leather, hard-cover political theory handled sleepily heading to the secondhand section, past the posturing, scrutinized swaying under the weight and the smell of incense and cozy ignorance, ambiance. Just here to watch, see him blazing in the bathroom after shining too hard on stage: burnout breakdown.

Lead you past the smell of burning silicon; they sniff about technique, past the tall-bred young men in crisp suits when the blank-faced pale teenagers quote their own academic papers back at you where they lean against sharp white walls, be careful not to get cut on the edges of progress, pushing through to the paper cranes that weren’t made for a portfolio: going home to the people they flash gleaming teeth at, silver tongues left at the school door, walking backwards; I wonder what will happen to their charities when they graduate. Step out of the bookstore; you might catch a chill from the world outside.

Pierian

What the Eyes See

by Vivian Amoia ‘25

Side Effects - Anastasia Angulo ‘24

The eyes do not see

They see skin

Drink more water

This pill will help

They see Skin Nose

Nothing to do about that Grab the scalpel

They see Skin Nose Hair

Dye Dye Dye

They see Skin Nose Hair Body

Run more Eat less

The eyes do not see

Drive Away - Addelyn Pederson ‘25

Self Serving

by Delaney Buckel ‘25

I have received the promotion that was up for grabs.

That I now realize you were vying to have.

I’m sorry but the raise is large and oh so needed.

Smile for the Cameras

by Alondra Castaneda ‘25

Pride a distant memory

Consumed by bitterness

To the world a perfect-woman

In the mirror a bRoKen-child

Smiles and laughter trail behind All end once doorshut happens

Embodying undeniable-freedom

Behind lies Disgraceful-Discontent

Don’t LeaveAddelyn Pederson ‘25

Baby Bella - Bella Adams ‘24

A Drawing of Frank - Audrey Schaub ‘24

College Tours - Malena Lebedeff ‘25

Beyond the Summit

by Sarah Corl ‘25

The climber makes their way up the most difficult mountain, Each step becomes steeper.

Avoiding the near-death of wild animals and sudden drops

The climber perseveres.

Looking for an end to and event he does not know, Looking for an answer to a question he doesn’t understand. Unknowingly losing himself and everything he cares about in the journey

When he eventually reaches the top, He only sees a mirror In which he cannot recognize the image.

Pierian Spring

Unseen Lives

by Adelina Marquina ‘25

In the corners of life, we stand— Silent, unnoticed, yet alive. Shadows in a bustling world, Whispers lost in the noise. We move unseen, Footprints in the dust of those seen. Seeking not glory, but a nod— A sign we too exist.

In our silence, A world unseen unfolds. Through invisible eyes, we witness The unguarded truth of living.

Pierian

Roller Coaster - Siena Magruder ‘24

Cuff Bracelet | Spinner Ring | Cabochon Ring - Olivia Robinson ‘24

Weapons of War

by Sadie LaMagna ‘25

A man holds a gleaming sword in his hand

One given to him by —His father

A woman holds an axe

One she won through

—The game

Both weapons - equal in strength and ability

One was won

The other gift to a son

Both weapons stained red

The sword-a coppery rust

The axe-fresh with crimson

The man holds his sword with pride

The woman bears her axe and feels the weight it carries

These weapons of war

Are meant to create peace

Men fall away from the madness of the sword

But they scoff at the axe

The man carries a sword of past power

A swing — — — — — — — — The man crumples

returning home

by Isabella Cucchetti ‘24

returning home

after nearly a month gone strange, ever still subtle movements less than i expected.

the “change filter” light on the fridge still blinking the notorious candle collection of my mom still growing the sunset shining through huge glass windows still breathtaking.

not sure what i expected, life carried on without me little brother still splashes in the pool older brother still practically lives at the gym.

but as i sit in my chair that i always choose to sit in (rightmost at the kitchen counter) and i get used to the smell of our house i melt back into my place in this tiny, intricate world in my tiny, intricate world.

San Francisco - Lucy Bullington ‘24

Sleep and DebateChloe Chun ‘24

Reflection

by Payton Farley ‘25

The water

Creating reflection

Another image of myself

One that is almost unrecognizable

Watching The water grow tear by tear

Pierian

Pandora’s Jars - Kasia Smigielski ‘24

Snowy Sahara - Erika Kraseman ‘25

Smells Fishy - Charmaine Phillips ‘24

Koi Fish Vase - Madison Ballecer ‘25

Tick Tock

by Chloe Tang-Hynes ‘25

He awakens to it by his side, She goes to sleep because of it

Regulating their lives like a shallow prison, confining but normalized It is left to manage business calls and doctor appointments it could choose to be 6 am or 11 pm, it’s unfair, they spend so much of their lives putting effort into it and it falls short tick tock

He goes for a hike valuing the daffodil petals lifting as the sun rose She’s on the line with her best friend from home laughing and gossiping till her lungs slowed Realizations are made, it’s 7:45 he’s missed his train! It’s 9:18 she’s late for work! tick tock

A temporary falter on both of their parts as the milliseconds go Bustling crowds are parted as she runs, as he runs, as all of society runs tick tock

A trinket, a mere sphere with wound up hands could do this much damage

Korean and American FoodChloe Chun ‘24

Displacement - Chloe Chun ‘24

Pierian

Reign of Butterflythe

by Kalani Hernandez ‘25

Caterpillars lay resting on a bough; isolate themselves and grow They blossom when they meet; and their burning flames for wings complete Unaware of their desire; they light their world on fire Storms across the world grow larger; thunder, lighting, flames go farther The flames of hell arise and scream; growing growing growing their dream

ButterflySiena Magruder ‘24

Oblivious they are; desire blazes, hate arises, So young and naive; one finally leaves; So there they stand; the desire masquerade; The reign of the butterfly lays betrayed.

Hi, Xavier. - Valeria Rosas ‘27

Forever Young - Addelyn Pederson ‘25

sweet

16

by Lucia Sugich‘26

they say you start to see the world the day you turn sixteen the day that you’re not a kid anymore, the day you get to be free

The day sticky sweet childhood turns into a lullaby

The day you get your license

That also made me cry

Such an iconic age, so young and so free

The age we all dreamed upon since we could breathe

But do you ever think you’ll do it wrong

Not make enough mistakes

Not make enough memories or have a heartbreak

And someday look back in regret and long

And say to yourself, oh how i did it wrong

Surface Tension - Chloe Chun ‘24

Pierian Spring is a student-run literary and artistic publication showcasing the creative talents of the students of Xavier College Preparatory. The Pierian Spring staff promotes student expression and works together to produce a printed magazine for the enjoyment of the community.

PHILOSOPHY POLICIES

Pierian Spring solicits art and writing submissions over the course of the academic year via contests, public announcements, promotional flyers, and class assignments. Submissions are accepted via Google Forms until mid-March, at which point the evaluation process begins. Pieces are evaluated for the contests and magazine based on a rubric encompassing visual and literary technique, originality, and overall appeal.

Pierian Spring reserves the right to edit content for appropriateness and pledges to address any changes with the original author.

COLOPHON

Adobe InDesign CC was used to create the 2024 print issue of Xavier College Preparatory’s Pierian Spring literary and arts magazine. The dimensions are 8.5 inches by 11 inches. The cover art was created by Chloe Chun. The body copy font is Museo Sans in 16 pt. The title fonts are Big Caslon CC and Coquette. Printed by James Palmer and Daughter Printing.

All rights reserved. No parts of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without permission. All images and literary works are property of the respective artists, reproduced with the permission of the student.

MANY THANKS TO...

Moderator

Editor-In-Chief

Art Director

Graphic Designer

Communications Manager

Arts Editor

Writing Editor

Xavier English Teachers:

Kelly Hubbard

Alison Mead

Brian Mostoller

Dani Richter

Xavier Art Teachers:

Special Thanks to:

Alison Dunn

Catherine Robbins

Zachary Carlson

Nissa Kubly

Sister Joan Fitzgerald, BVM

Sister Joan Nuckols, BVM

Sister Lynn Winsor, BVM

Jennifer Tesdall

“A

little learning is a dang’rous thing; Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring: There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, And drinking largely sobers us again.”

Alexander Pope, “An Essay on Criticism.” 1711.