Blake is a fourth grader at Mackintosh Academy in Boulder, Colorado. She enjoys art, spending time with friends, writing, and reading. Blake especially loves creative writing and poetry as ways to express herself and share her imagination with others.

Bea Townsend is a fifth grader who lives in Maryland. She enjoys reading, writing, art, games, and sports.

Hi, I’m Katelyn Kuo. I am a 13 year old poet and I write poetry to express my feelings and to understand the world around me. Sometimes my poems are about loss, sometimes about small moments that teach me something new. I hope that when people read my poems, they might feel the same things I do—or find a little comfort and hope in them.

This poem is about destructive cycles, generational trauma, and my perspective on living with it.

Elliotte is an eighth-grader at Casey Middle School in Boulder, Colorado. She enjoys reading, writing, and drawing. She mainly uses poetry as a form of self-expression, as well as an outlet for her creativity and emotions. Inspired by her family and friends, she is an innovative individual with a love for creative expression.

I am 13 years old and in 7th grade. I have a passion for reading and writing.

Alexis Wu is a 13-year-old poet from NY. She co-authored Under the Deep, a poetry collection exploring buried truths. Her works are published in Commuter Lit, Yin Literary and Aorta Literary Magazine. She also serves on the Write Cause newsletter team. She should probably stop romanticizing her life and start living it—but where's the fun in that? Find her on Instagram @a.w.underthedeep.poetry.

Emily Yang (she/her) is an eighth grader at The King’s Academy who has been studying creative writing since the age of eight. She mainly writes poetry but also enjoys fiction and memoirs. Emily has participated in newspaper clubs throughout middle school and has been published in Eunoia Review. Outside of writing, she enjoys singing and playing golf.

I am a 14 years old girl in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Living with a happy family of 7 where I am the middle child and a grade 8 student at Gibson School System. My inspiration of writing poems came from my love of turning my feelings into creative and artistic expressions. Nothing could ever describe my feelings more beautifully than poetry.

Ananya is a 14-year-old poet who loves finding magic in ordinary moments and quiet acts of persistence. She began writing to make sense of her thoughts and feelings, and poetry has become her way of exploring identity, growth, and hope. She believes poetry can help people notice life more carefully, find hope in unexpected places, and embrace the hidden details of everyday life.

My name is Kaileigh Cesaire and I am 14 years old. I’ve been passionate about writing since 5th grade because I've always wanted to prove my teachers wrong. I aspire to become a lawyer/attorney in the future. Writing is a way for me to let my feeling out without it personally coming from me.

Alicia Chow is a high school student and an aspiring writer with a passion for storytelling and creative expression. She is dedicated to developing her independent voice through literary arts.

This free verse poem is about the hope and joy of being young. The hope and pride of the young generation is so freeing and has made me relize as a poet that I took my childhood for granted.

Bella Frisbie is a sophomore at Interlochen Arts Academy in Northern Michigan. Her specialties are comedy, poetry, and short fiction. She likes sparkling water, small ferocious dogs, and the sound chalk makes when it breaks in two.

Anish Gajendran is an avid writer who loves writing poems and short stories. His hobbies are playing ping pong with his younger brother and riding his bike. He attends Ridge High School in Basking Ridge, New Jersey and is currently in 9th grade.

Eden Hitchcock is a freshman at Lincoln High School in South Dakota. When not immersed in the thrilling world of poetry, she leads a boring but content life centered around school, church, and the library.

I often study neuroscience and biology not just to research, but to see the greater view of how the brain can work. I aspire to become a doctor one day, and I continue that path with my nonprofit, dedicated to advocating for brain donations to research, and service projects, which helps others see the importance and significance of advancing medicine.

Rohan Mahapatra is a high school freshman based in the Bay Area, California. He is drawn to a myriad of forms of the written word, including academic writing, journalistic prose, and all things poetic. His work has been recognized by the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, and he has studied poetry with the Sewanee Young Writers' Winter Conference and the Juniper Institute for Young Writers.

Reachell is 15-years old. She has loved writing since the age of 9 and enjoys exploring different forms of writing. When she grows up, she hopes to show her love for writing as a journalist.

Allison Mendoza Rodriguez, a 14-year-old writer, has had a creative spirit from a young age, truly putting it to practice in her preteen years. The art of writing serves as her translator, working as a tool for self-expression. Her writing aspirations are centered around connecting with readers, exploring unique experiences that that are often overlooked or misunderstood in one’s own life.

Presley is a writer attending New Orleans Center of Creative Arts who works with feeling and memory. She explores themes of reflection, connection, and change. Her work is inspired by everyday moments that feel larger than they seem.

Bella Srivastava is a poet from the United States. When not writing, she enjoys playing the piano, because every key on the piano creates a sound that feels like unwritten poetry.

Adelynn is a 14 year old who began exploring words and music three years ago for fun. She enjoys turning feelings, stories, and small everyday moments into poetry, finding inspiration in life around her.

Faith Choe is an Asian American writer and poet that was born and raised in Northern Virginia. Her work has been recognized by the Alliance for Young Artists and Young Writers. She has works published and/or forthcoming in JUST POETRY!!! and Apprentice Writers. She founded her own literary magazine, Temple Lit Mag, which focuses on publishing voices of Asian American teen writers.

Olivia is a 15-year-old poet and musician. She finds inspiration in music, daily life, and quiet moments of reflection. Her work finds meaning in both the ordinary and the overlooked, and often explores identity, hope, despair, and the small sparks that help us carry on.

Hi! My name is Layla Dwelle, and I am a 10th grade student located in Virginia. In my free time, I enjoy reading, performing in theater, and creating clothes for my friends. I would like to thank God for the many blessings He has provided me with!

Annabella Graffius is a communications major at Chattanooga High Center for Creative Arts. She has been published for her poetry around her community and hopes to share more of it. Along with being in multiple writing classes, she also manages her school newspaper’s Instagram page. Though she is only fifteen, she aspires to one day publish a book.

Evie Halloran is a high school student based in Oregon. Currently, she serves on the leadership team for her school's Mock Trial club, where she applies her literary skills to active civic education. Evie volunteers locally and at the state level, and has made her education a priority. She is also in the process of founding her own creative magazine.

Adel Kandil is 15-years old. He has had a passion for writing for a year, but hopes to continue his writing journey and further expand his vocabulary. Writing is a platform for him to express himself and he uses it as a therapeutic outlet.

Polina Korobitsyna is a student poet from San Jose, California. Her poetry explores intersections between gender, society, and family. When she isn't writing poetry, she enjoys long walks with her friends and listening to music.

Juliana Pan is a poet, writer, and visual artist from Bellevue, Washington. She has received the Foyle Young Poets Award from the Poetry Society of the United Kingdom and a Silver Medal for Poetry from the National Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, and her recent work has appeared in Gigantic Sequins and Roanoke Review. She was born in Honolulu, Hawaii and loves her grandma’s cooking.

Leena Rajkotia is a writer from Bethesda, Maryland. She is a freshman studying creative writing at Interlochen Arts Academy.You can find her work in her school’s on-campus literary magazine, The Red Wheelbarrow.

Indira Raparthi is a Sophomore at the Spence School in New York City.

Austen Smith is a kind, athletic, and strong student writer who writes poetry and short stories. Her writing explores anxiety, body image, and moments pulled directly from her own life. Writing is how she makes sense of things they struggle to explain out loud—a way of turning feeling into language. She enjoys running and talking to Jesus.

My name is Nina Stroup and I am from Parkville, Maryland. I am a sophomore at Maryvale Preparatory School in Lutherville, Maryland. In addition to writing poetry, I also enjoy playing soccer, badminton, and piano, watching baseball, and listening to music.

Alma Adi is a Syrian American poet based in NYC, and her work has been shaped by the flourishing spoken word community in New York. As a first generation immigrant and a teenager, a lot of her work explores the complexities and nuances of her communities and the marginalization of both herself and her friends.

Kate Bradley is a student poet who writes to explore emotion, global issues, and the stories we inherit. She is passionate about amplifying youth voice and believes poetry offers a way to be heard when other doors are closed to young perspectives. When not writing, she reads, plays volleyball, and practices guitar. Kate hopes to continue growing as a writer and pursue writing in the future.

Marin is a high school sophomore in Atlanta, Georgia, where she plays clarinet in wind ensemble and marching band, does tech theatre, is a staff member on the Unmasking literary magazine, and also is a member of her school's creative writing, feminism, and math clubs. When she isn't writing, Marin can be found reading, knitting, or dreaming.

Al Brooks is a queer biracial artist, singer, poet, and streamer who writes about their struggles in life and what they see happening around them. Their poems often have themes of injustice and hopelessness.

I am a creative from Columbus, Ohio, who has always been consumed by the need to build through art. I wrote "Above the Mountain" to honor the collective struggle I see around me. Whether the mountain is economic, social, or personal, we are all trying to reach the top. This poem is for those of us who are climbing with nothing but our tools and a dream.

Noah Casteel is a 16-year-old student from Gonzaga College High School in Washington D.C.

Emily Cheah is a teen from San Jose, California. Outside of journalistic writing, she enjoys creative writing. In her free time you can find her sipping green tea and rereading her favorite poems.

Lauren Cho is a junior at Herricks High School. She has a strong passion for drawing and volunteering at the animal shelter in her free time. She has been published into the 43rd issue of Apprentice Writer as well as in "Writing Ourselves Into Existence," a youth poetry anthology.

Claire Davis is a 15-year-old writer from Utah who is currently studying Creative Writing at Interlochen Arts Academy. She writes fiction and poetry inspired by her personal experiences and often explores the teenage experience in her work. In her free time, she workshops her novel with chocolate nearby. Her work has previously been recognized by Scholastic Art & Awards, and Operation Literacy.

Hi, my name is Ian. I am a 16 year old from Oklahoma, and I aspire to be a published author and movie director. I have only been writing for a few months but I believe I have what it takes to become successful in my field. Thank you for your consideration.

Alex Hembree-Padgett is a New Orleans bred poet. They especially enjoy the dark, weird, and obscure. They are in an arts conservatory, focusing on creative writing and have been published in "Umbra," "The Weight Journal," and have been a finalist for the Patty Friedman Competition. When Alex isn't dwelling on the nature of the universe they are spending time with their devilish cat, Circe.

Hi! My name is Sofia Kerim, and I am currently a Junior in High school. Thank you so much for this opportunity, and I'm elated to share my piece called 'A Token to You, Hope.' This poem uses a creative outlet to express my personal experience with hope and hopefully one others share with her as well. Lets explore the journey hope follows us through together, and love her the same as she does us.

N.E Kiullczar is a 16 year old aspiring poet who is heavily inspired by beat poetry. This will be his first time published in a actual book, although he has submitted many poems to various litterary magazines. He hopes to publish his first collection of poems by March, 2027. Along with his poetry, he also writes short stories, and is in the earily stages of writing his debut novel.

Eryna Le is a Vietnamese-American writer inspired by the unspoken of her surroundings. Confronting the flaws of herself, the fragments of what she holds dear, and the experience of being a teen, she bleeds on pages.

Kristen Lee is a high school writer from Long Island, New York. She has been recognized by NCTE and the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, and is forthcoming in Apprentice Writer. Last year, she competed in the Poetry Out Loud Regional Finals. Other than the literary arts, Kristen also indulges in catching Mets games and cuddling her dog, Penthesilea.

Reese Lesage is a writer/poet from Massachusetts who has been previously published in the Inlandia Institute and Adolescent Voices. While all of his public work has been poetry, his true passion lies in storytelling: Stories of human experience and the emotions that haunt it.

A story of a shared experience many can relate to.

Carly Mathas, born and raised in New Orleans, is mostly found spending her time writing non-fiction essays and poems about her childhood, her mother, and her daunting fear of what life has to offer. If she is not writing, then you can find her reading everything but the assignments she is given. She has won a silver key in scholastic for her short memoir and is apart of UMBRA literary magazine.

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Maia Mohsen is a poet from New York. She aspires to perfect her craft.

Gulsanem, 16, from Nukus, Uzbekistan, a dreamer who believes in the power of words to light the future. Through poetry, languages, and creative ideas, seeks to inspire hope, challenge limits, and turn every small spark into something brighter.

Hello! My name is Ditza R. Lopez, and I am a high school junior at Riverdale High School. I am a first-generation student in the US living with a Mexican family. I love visiting new and exciting places that bring me joy, with sunsets. I also love drinking coffee and black tea. <3

Bruno Shapiro, 16, is an award-winning student journalist from Southern California, having won newswriting and editorial writing contests in the JEA National High School Journalism Convention and the CalSun J-Day Convention. However, his real passion lies in poetry. He found his love for poetry in elementary school, describing it as “anarchy of writing.”

Caroline is a junior in high school based in Southern California. By weaving themes of social justice and racial equity into her work, she hopes her poetry can be a vessel for change. She participated in the Iowa Young Writers Studio, and her work has been recognized by the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Her poetry appears in Eunoia Review and is forthcoming in several other publications.

Talan Tee (he/him) is a Taipei-based poet who writes to remember in an increasingly forgetful world. A purveyor of morning meditations, he reflects against the grain of noise and hurry. When not reading or writing, you can find him solving math problems, pursuing excellent matcha, or working out at the gym.

Dave Thompson is a student-poet/artist at Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan. He's been recognized by Young Arts and Scholastic Art and Writing. When he isn't writing, he likes to curl up in his bed and read or eat copious amounts of ice cream.

Hi, I'm Denzel. I write poetry and draw some art varying in slightly different levels of quality. I like watching the same sad movie over and over again while studying and eating sour candy. I enjoy sappy romcoms and sad books that make me cry.

Gouri Unnikrishnan is a 10th grade student who resides in Texas, USA. Her ethnic roots lead to her families in Kerala, in South India. She enjoys writing, art, dance, and music, and she wishes to pursue a career in Engineering. She performs as a percussionist in her high school marching, and concert band, and she enjoys many creative forms of writing such as poems and short stories. Thank you!

As a lover of all things literature, Katherine Villalobos has aspired to become a writer for as long as she can remember. A 16-year-old girl in high school, she is currently a sophomore who is passionate about all things creative, and enjoys participating in local clubs and volunteer events.

Olivia Walters is a 10th grade student at Bow High School in New Hampshire. She is a Scholastic Awards Regional Silver Key recipient and National Library of Poetry Student Contest finalist who has loved and appreciated literature her entire life, feeling that the act of participating in it allows her to contribute to an essential human institution. (P.S -- I don't have a Twitter or Facebook!)

Mariya Williams is a Black writer, musician, and singer/songwriter born and raised in Missouri. Her work revolves around ideas such as religion and the complexity of feelings. She studies creative writing at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, and her poetry can be found in UMBRA and The Weight Journal.

Chloe Zhang is a Chinese-American writer from New Hampshire. Her work has been recognized both regionally and nationally by the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, as well as published in the Blue Marble Review. She is a 2026 recipient of the NH Teen Poetry Prize, and an alumna of the Juniper Institute for Young Writers. Outside of writing, Chloe enjoys dancing, baking, and listening to music.

Eliza Basch is a high school junior who lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She enjoys reading, writing, and playing tennis.

I'm a senior in high school who is very interested in psychology and music. When I'm not blasting tunes through my headphones, I'm likely either trying to learn an Oasis song on guitar, or practicing the piano. My weekends are devoted to hula dancing and the occasional reading from my list of books. I also love to watch Marvel movies, and have a special place in my heart for Spider-Man.

Alex Bigsby is a hobbyist poet who uses poetry to keep him calm and guided. To him poetry is a passion that allows him to hear, so many perspectives and wonderful stories. He hopes to learn more and create more on his poetry journey.

My name is Noah Bowman. I am 17 years old and I love writing stories. I’m currently working on a novel and have lots of ideas for writing. I hope this will be a great start to my writing journey.

Kyndal Chaney is an African American poet and non-fiction writer based in New Orleans, Louisiana. Her work has been published to Teen Ink, Umbra Literary Magazine, and has been the recipient of multiple awards, including first place for the Pinkie Gordon Lane Contest and bronze for the NAACP Act-so awards.

Born and raised in New Orleans, Mailynn Debouse is a high school senior with an interest in fantastical works. Her surrealist poem, ‘My Dearest Heart Complication,’ and poetry series ‘Tranquility and Turmoil,’ have been recognized in the Scholastic Awards, gaining a gold key and silver key respectively. When not writing, she enjoys drawing in her sketchbook or listening to music.

Victoria Cai Deckard is a poet from Bloomington, Indiana. She is a junior at Interlochen Arts Academy, and in her free time enjoys listening to Sydney Rose and teaching herself to play pop songs on the piano.

Gabriela Duharte is a 17-year-old Cuban American poet and artist whose work carries a predominant focus on history and the Romantic period. She has been published in several youth-led digital literary magazines, including Culterate, The Etoile Gazette, and The Meadow Collective. When not writing, she can be found re-reading her favorite historical fiction novels.

Geneviève is a high school student and aspiring poet, artist, and conservation biologist. She's been writing poetry for 4 years as of 2026, and in that time created a fully illustrated and interactive poetry book with over 25 poems. She owes her ongoing passion and respect for the written word to her freshman and sophomore year English teachers, and her best friend Lily.

This poem is something that I've been working on for a while. Recently, in my senior year, we have been honored to have the opportunity to look at past work, and I've decided to connect and bridge the voice between my past self and my future self and not cringe at my old work. I've vamped it up a little bit, and I think that it has the message of hope because I still chose to believe.

Chelsea Guo is an emerging poet and writer from Lexington, Massachusetts. Her work has been recognized or supported by the Kenyon Review and the National Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, among others. She reads submissions for Aster Lit and The Adroit Journal and writes novels in her free time.

Hunter’s community service efforts in rescuing over a million meals from landfills and diverting them to those who are food insecure has been recognized on the regional, state, and national level. He has also spoken about environmental issues at the 2025 Food Waste Summit (in Seattle, Washington) and the 2024 Clean Energy Summit (in Washington, DC). Hunter is the youngest person from Fairfax County Public Schools to earn an AA degree, having graduated from Northern Virginia Community College (summa cum laude and as a Presidential Scholar) when he was just 16 years old. In the fall of 2026, he will attend Brown University.

Alejandra Guzman is a 17 year old writer at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts. Born in San Antonio, Tx to two Mexican American parents, she uses her cultural roots to empower her writing. She dreams of driving through the valley in a bright green jeep, holding a Chihuahua in her purse.

Hanna Han grew up among books and stories, and now spends her days thinking about mothers and daughters, language, and what it means to leave or stay. Her work appears in Empty House Press, Stone of Madness Press, Tiger Leap Review, and Penelope Review, among others. She spends most days thinking in poems, or on the verge of a dream she hasn’t quite written down yet.

Curiosity killed the cat, but it nurtures mine. I juggle advocacy, academics, and ambition while on a unicycle that is on a tightrope, which is also on fire. My soul’s aspiration? That when someone from a background like mine sees my name, they don’t think “she’s making history,” but “we can make history too.”

Aden Hwang is an emerging poet from Cambridge, Massachusetts, and a student at the Cambridge Rindge & Latin School. His work explores various aspects of his culture and lived experiences and has been recognized by Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, DePaul’s Blue Book: Best American High School Writing, and Narrative Magazine’s Annual High School Writing Contest. Aside from poetry, Aden is passionate

Ubongabasi Iyanam is a poet, saxophonist, and law student. An ardent believer in the liberation of the mind, he is a member of the Writers Community Africa, a collective for young African poets with unshakable literary voices. He is currently working on his debut poetry album, Blues From A Broken Vinyl. When he is not writing, he is playing chess or listening to music.

Hi! My name is Francesca Joella, and I’m a homeschooled high school senior from Delaware. I love nature, technology, and writing, and I’m the founder of a local poetry club called Teen Poets of Southern Delaware. I live with my family and my two cats, one of which is my 17-year-old writing buddy named Sugar. I plan on studying computer science in college.

Katie Kim is a student attending Deerfield Academy in Deerfield, Massachusetts. Her work has previously appeared in Saranac Review, Little Patuxent Review, Thin Air Magazine, and elsewhere. She is an alumna of the Sewanee Young Writers’ Conference, the Juniper Institute for Young Writers, and the Adroit Summer Mentorship Program. Katie enjoys visual art and playing the oboe.

Jiyoo Kim-Jung is a high school student from the United States who writes poetry and short stories in order to explore her inner thoughts. She has been writing stories for around nine years and has been writing poetry for a little over one. In her free time, she can be found playing the piano and drafting poems about playing the piano.

Ava is a junior in high school and has been writing poetry and stories for many years. This is her first time sharing her work with the public and she really hopes you like it. Thank you for reading.

Jashmitha M is a 17-year-old poet from Telangana, India. Her writing explores the intersections between emotion, reflection, and resilience. Through poetry, she seeks to capture fleeting thoughts and the unspoken depth of human experience, often finding meaning in simplicity and silence.

Dear Editors, Please consider my attached poems for 1455 Literary Arts’ Movable Type. I am Tigran Paranyan, a 17-year-old poet from Armenia. My work explores memory, displacement, and emotional landscapes. These poems are under simultaneous consideration. Thank you. Best regards, Tigran Paranyan Yerevan, Armenia Email: (tigran.m.paranyan@gmail.com)

I am 17yrs. I am in 12th Grade at Gonzaga College High School in Washington, D.C. From the perspective of a teen near the end of High School and attending college this fall, Hope is the thing that simultaneously fuels and exhausts me.

Kel Rojas, also known as the tech support for the Creative Writing department, is a hispanic writer, filmmaker, and indie video game developer living in Louisiana. Kel is one of the editors of the UMBRA magazine. They were also a finalist for the 2025 Patty Friedmann writing contest.

Hi, my name is Rishika. I wrote "The Cost of Rain" to convey a story in a narrative yet concise tone. Basically the premise of the story is a futuristic, clean world from the perspective of an individual whose family member lost their life to saving the planet. The last bit, "You are not gone / You are growing" characterizes hope, showing that despite their loss, life goes on and is celebrated.

A short poem about the pain of humanity and accuracy of a lack of connection, but yearning for it. It leads with dark, but relatable themes to those who know. After all, "Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable" - Cesar A. Cruz. Poetry shall be no different as it is art among art.

Henry V. Tomb (17) is a writer and distance runner from Ohio. A member of the Hope Squad and founder of the JustWrite creative team, Henry believes that hope is not a passive wish, but a discipline of endurance. He has authored a full-length novel manuscript and is currently compiling a hybrid collection of poetry and essays titled The Sound of Glass Singing.

Hana Tsai is a writer and violinist studying at Spence School and Juilliard Pre-College in New York City. Her work explores memory, womanhood, and belonging. A National Gold Medalist in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, she was also Grand Champion in the Walt Whitman Birthplace poetry contest. Her writing appears in Crab Orchard Review, American High School Poets and other literary journals.

As a North Carolina high school student who is quickly rising to adulthood, I think it is important to understand the complicated world of adolescent and adult life through the lens of poetry. Poetry allows me to capture the themes of my life in order to call for hope and reflect on challenges to hope as no other artistic medium can.

Grace Yang is a Boston-based writer and poet whose work explores identity, memory, and the intersections of culture and place. Her writing has appeared or is forthcoming in Taxi Society Magazine, Evanescent Magazine, and the 2026 SFWC Anthology. She is passionate about crafting stories that linger in the imagination and spark conversation.

Yan Zhang is a writer from Hangzhou, China. A Pushcart Prize and Best Small Fictions nominee, her work has appeared or is forthcoming in Salt Hill Journal, The Ex-Puritan, Shō Poetry Journal, RHINO, Wildness, and The Emerson Review, among others.

My name is Emily. I am an 18 year old college student. I’ve been writing poetry forever but never really had plans of getting published. I saw this ad on instagram and had a poem I thought would fit well. It’s about the resilience that appears surprisingly after you let go of things that are not good for you.

Victoria is an eighteen year-old poet and fiction writer. She had a rough childhood growing up in downstate New York, which is the inspiration for much of her writing. She currently lives in Michigan with her family, and enjoys writing, anime, and painting.

Victoria Bogatz is an environmental activist, student journalist, and the current Nebraska Youth Poet Laureate. Her work has been honored by the Nebraska Scholastic Writing Awards, the Opera Omaha Poetry & Music Project, and the Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Contest, among others. She aims to use writing as a way to connect people from all backgrounds and initiate change.

Keeva Cavanaugh is a senior at South High in Worcester, MA, and aspires to double major in Psychology and English. As a member of the Tri-M Music Honor Society and the Vice President of her school's Concert Band, Keeva has been highly involved in the world of music and creativity. Outside of school, Keeva exercises this same creativity in her writing, whether in poetry or short stories.

Zion Lonette is an artist who enjoys expressing herself in many forms, whether it’s cooking, dancing, taking photos, or writing. She’s originally from Seattle but moved to New Orleans in 2022. This move is often reflected in her work along with themes of love, past and present, the future, and her shifting identity.

Aspiring poet.

Ellen is a senior at Chancellor High School in Fredericksburg, VA. She is going to attend Christopher Newport University after graduation and intends to play field hockey and major in elementary education.

Sofia Terèse Glantz is a writer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is currently an undergraduate student at Victoria College in the University of Toronto. Sofia attended the Kenyon Review Young Writers’ Workshop and Denison University’s Reynolds Young Writers Workshop. She currently serves as the Associate Arts and Culture at The Strand and as a staff writer for Mixtape Magazine.

I am an 18 year old writer, who wants to take on the world with words. I aspire to inspire those to chase their dreams and never give up on themselves. I love to be around my amazing friends and family. Also I enjoy music, thrifting, and writing poetry in my free time.

Cam Guider is a high school senior from Littleton, Colorado who plans to go to college for Environmental Sustainability and International Development next year. This poem explores the emotions, changes, and altered perceptions that come with a loved one suffering a significant brain injury--as well as the hope it brings for betterment.

Liam Hancock is a serial daydreamer and first-year student at the University of California, San Diego. When he isn’t writing, Liam can usually be found watching reality television or wrangling his four-year-old menace of a pit-bull terrier through long walks on the beach. Liam’s previous works have been featured in Stone Soup Magazine and recognized by the National PTA Reflections Arts Program.

Ahja Hawkins is a 18-year-old living in Gretna, Louisiana. She is a senior at NOCCA.She’s the regional winner of Poetry Out Loud, has won a silver key in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, received runner-up in the 2024 Patty Friedman Writing Competition, and won third place in the Pinkie Gordon Lane Poetry competition. Ahja is passionate about performance poetry.

Felice is a current undergraduate student at MIT studying computation and cognition and minoring in literature or philosophy or anthropology or French (lots of choices to be made!). She loves writing poems in her down time, especially back home in New York City on the subways. She looks forward to expanding her poetry knowledge!

Ruchel is a poet and eventual author who has been and will be writing for her entire lifetime. She believes that introspective and experimental, at times abstract, storytelling has helped her grow as a person and better understand the world around her. She hopes that as a young poet, she can use her voice to help others find their own.

Meredith Lo is a programmer with an affinity for poetry. She obsesses over the recursive aspects of human nature and enjoys exploring the way typography controls meaning. Her goal is to capture, clarify, and crystalize the transient moments of everyday life.

Cambridge Lutece is an aspiring writer and storyteller from the San Francisco Bay Area. Studying for an English degree, his journalism has been featured in the Bay Area Current. His short film and poetry work explore the subtle absurdism of life.

Hi! I am Alicia Martinez I am 18 and I go by Eldritch Grey for my poetry and I am a recently published author through Amazon kdp my book is titled Eldritch Beauty Of A Spotless Mind. I am so excited submitting this I would absolutely love to get my poetry more out there and I love the theme you guys chose. I hope you like my poem. Thankyou.

My name is Uche Mba, and I am a poet based in Worcester, Massachusetts. I write about the human condition through death, violence, love, loneliness, rage, faith, and oppression. Influenced by Cleansed by Sarah Kane, my work treats suffering as a way of seeing the beauty and burdens of our world. My work has appeared in Worcester’s Three Decker, Gypsophila Magazine, and Apricot Journal.

Primarily a student journalist, Laney has learned the importance of persistence, teamwork, and strong coffee. Through journalism, he's been reminded of the power of the written word. Though news coverage is vital for cultivating knowledge, storytelling, she's learned, is critical for fostering empathy. Laney loves writing for this reason and doesn't plan on stopping anytime soon.

Hey, I'm Ashton or Ash! I'm almost 18 and I have been writing poetry for many years but only a year ago did I start showing the world. I post my poems on a website called All Poetry! A lot of my poems have emotional turmoil as well as a philosophical touch to them. This specific poem came to me while I was doing dishes, thinking about all of the "What ifs" and then this appeared within a day.

Honora Muratori is a 18-year old New Yorker and a first-year student at Johns Hopkins University. She grew up with her mother and little sister, reading in New York public libraries and in Riverside Park. She loved her first poetry unit in middle school and has been writing and reading poetry since. In her free time she enjoys taking pictures, going for long runs, and listening to David Bowie.

Ziyoda Murodilova is a young writer from Uzbekistan. She studies English Philology at Fergana State University. She speaks Uzbek, English, and Turkish. She has experience working with international organizations and actively participates in cross-cultural literary projects, focusing on poetry and short stories.

Izabell Newman is a poet, writer, and musician from Minnesota. She takes inspiration from voices of the past and present, which manifests itself in her work as something between an ode to the human spirit and a call to action. When not working on her art, she can be found watching video essaies.

Ishani Oldham is a high school senior from Apex, North Carolina. She loves long walks, talking to friends, and time with her family. She also spends most of her days in the ballet studio. You can usually find Ishani studying or reading anywhere and everywhere.

Jade Rothbaum is from the San Francisco Bay Area and is a recent graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy. She is fascinated by the human experience and how we occupy different types of space. You can find her in the coldest room in the building.

Sonali Angelica Sathish is an undergraduate student pursuing political science. She writes about history, modern anxieties, and whatever fascinates her. When not writing, she draws and explores New York City, and counts on small miracles to pull her through.

I am a college student with a love for poetry and literature.

TG Sparks is an author, poet, and playwright from Seattle, Washington. He is the author of The Last Siren. His work has been featured in Misty Mint Magazine, and The Panel Jumpers Live! His writing is an exploration of memory, and the importance we place on the things that happen to us. In his free time, he enjoys playing DnD with friends and painting miniatures.

Mallory Thompson is a freshman studying journalism and mass communications at the University of Kansas.

Alys Traylor is a poet, writer, and journalist in North Carolina. Traylor is a 2025 CHS Poet Laureate Finalist, 2025 2nd place winner for poetry for the Orange County Pauli Murry Contest, a 2026 Poetry In Plain Sight feature, and serves as the Celebrator of Original Works and Co-Social Causes Lead for the CHS Poetic Justice League. She published her first poetry collection in September of 2025.

My name is Kirsten Trihy and I am a first year at Santa Clara University. I am in the Honors Program, and I'm an English major. I have always loved to read and write, and poetry is an outlet for me to say what I cannot articulate verbally.

I am a very introspective and creative person, and this manifests in my writing. I like to write about reality, a reality displayed in its rawest form: my truth.

Keira is a Freshman at SUNY Geneseo where she is double majoring in Psychology and Creative Writing and minoring in Queer and Sexuality Studies. She is passionate about writing about her mental health struggles so that she might possibly help someone feel less alone.

Chloe Weng is a writer based in Houston, Texas. She edits for The Hyperbolic Review and is the author of the poetry book Archived Nightmares. Her work is published in The Account Magazine and Words With Weight, winning a Scholastic Gold Medal, an NCTE Achievement Awards in Writing First Class Distinction, and a Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Contest Bronze Award.

Ariel Zhang is an Asian-American poet from California. She is a VONA Fellow, and her work appears or is forthcoming in International Human Rights Art Movement Press, Frontier Poetry, The Louisville Review, and more. She is fond of sunsets, photographs, and warm bagels.

Chelsea Zhu is the 2025 Maryland Youth Poet Laureate. Her work has been recognized by Adroit Prizes, YoungArts, and the Poetry Society. Short note: I apologize if I had previously sent a submission; I wasn't sure if the submission gone through due to technical errors but I would love confirmation. Thank you for this opportunity!

Phoebe Zivkovich is a senior at MacArthur High School in Levittown, NY. A high honor roll student, she excels in all subjects, showing an affinity for science. Out of the classroom, Phoebe's been devoted to community service, contributing meaningfully to helping local organizations with their largest fundraisers. She is entertaining acceptance letters from a handful of colleges to study chemistry.

Ever the plant-lover, bug-admirer, and bird-enthusiast, Moira spends her time wandering her native hills---searching for moments of reverence amidst the wondrous calamity of this whole, wide world (or, if nothing else, a white-crowned sparrow). She is a student at the University of Wyoming, where she enjoys the company of her best friends and her dog, Winona.

I am a 19 year old Ghanaian America poet. I’ve been writing poetry and music since I was 14 and am a passionate advocate for artistic expression in all its forms.

Sophie Clarke is a West Palm Beach based poet who publishes under the pseudonym Frankenessence on Substack. Alongside her writing, she finds creative joy in baking and painting. She is currently studying English literature at Seminole State College of Florida, where her passion for Gothic literature continues to shape her academic and artistic ambitions.

Josiah Coronado is a student and emerging writer based in Nevada. His work explores themes of yearning, hope, love, and escapism.

Emi Farmer is a student of psychology and criminology who searches for beauty in the simple and authentic parts of everyday life. Her work draws inspiration from contemporary poets such as e. e. cummings and Virginia Woolf, as well as the quiet influence of her faith.

Catherine Foster is a 19-year-old poet and engineering student from Cincinnati, Ohio. Her work has appeared in Carmina Magazine. She enjoys reading, singing, and spending time with friends and family. Some of her favorite poems are Ulysses by Lord Alfred Tennyson, Wild Geese by Mary Oliver, The More Loving One by W.H. Auden, and Catullus V.

CKash is a young poet who is a Nigerian-American woman, was born in the U.S., and has parents who immigrated here from Nigeria over 20 years ago. From a young age, she has always loved reading, watching TV shows and movies, writing, singing, dancing, and listening to music. She admires and is inspired by the late Dr. Maya Angelou.

Maddy Joy Richardson is an Acting Major at the University of Cincinnati-CCM.

Isabel Salyers is a young writer and student with a love for nature. Much of her work is inspired by the wonders of the world and the beauty they hold. She was an avid bookworm before realizing her passion for creating her own stories, and she thanks everyone who has pushed her to pursue this dream.

Basil Valchine is a sophomore at Albion College studying English and Theatre. Valchine is working towards a career in journalism, and has had a passion for all kinds of writing since he was little. He has written short stories, plays, poems and articles. He enjoys reading the classics, especially anything written by Donna Tartt.

Writer Artist 19

Chenyue Wang is from Beijing, China, currently a high school student in Connecticut. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in Trampoline and Pictura Journal.

Judah Wanner is an aspiring writer from Lancaster, PA. he is 19 years old and plays guitar/bass as well as composing poetry and short fiction.

Jenna R. Xue is a proud feminist, author, thespian, singer, cinephile, and aspiring playwright-screenwriter born and raised in Southeast Pennsylvania. Currently an undergraduate student at Johns Hopkins University double-majoring in Writing Seminars and Film & Media Studies with a minor in Theater Arts & Studies, she creates stories, poems, and scripts that advocate, celebrate, unify, and inspire.

Taylor Zhang (she/her) is a sophomore in college from Houston, Texas. She studies archaeology and anthropology, and is a self-proclaimed fruit connoisseur and amateur chess player. Her poetry explores life on a spectrum; from the niche aspects of her Asian identity to a general sense of temporality that grows as people age, and everything in between.

Abigail Zheng is an aspiring author who grew up on folklore from around the world. Her poetry often explores topics like family, reconnecting to culture, science, and mythology. When she isn't studying for school, she likes to read, draw, and think of even more stories to write.

A.C. Belandres is an undergraduate of Literature, and has her works appear in several literary journals and small zines. She likes to read when she's not busy.

Alissa Berrie is a poet from Kansas City, Missouri. She has been previously published in the America Library of Poetry Student collection. She will graduate from the University of Missouri in Kansas City with a degree in English, Creative Writing in 2026. She was the recipient of a Scholastic Art and Writing award and the Michelle Boisseau Scholarship in Poetry.

My name is Ty Burgess. I am a playwright, poet, and creative from the Buffalo area. This piece explores how hope aligns with manifestation and takes the reader on a journey through soul. It reflects on the hope in little everyday moments. In which, internal change is sparked which prompts external change. Hope is the seed that grows into reality.

I'm James Butler, a junior at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. I am majoring in English and Communication, minoring in Education. I have a 3.4 GPA. I am from Spring, Texas. Outside of academic endeavors, I volunteer with Matriculate as an Advising Fellow, coaching high school students through the application process. I am in the LGBTQIA community. I host a music podcast called Rap It Out.

Abigail Cain is a 20 year old writer from rural Pennsylvania. Her work can be found in Eunoia Review, Jardin Zine, and more. Their debut novelette, Girls are Fish, will be released in 2027 through Girl Noise Press. When she is not writing, she is carefully curating a small corner of the internet for weird girl lit called Sardine Can Collective.

Gianna is a storyteller from the theatrical stage, called to the art of language by the mysterious creative worms in her head.

Eva Clark enjoys performing for various audiences, wearing cool jackets, and short walks on the beach. Some places her work has been featured include Purely Liminal, Occulum, Laundromat Literary, and Procrastinating Writers United; upcoming in Lacuna Vox, Le Culturae, Prosetrics the Magazine, and Venus, Darling. You can find Eva at evaclark.com, and hopefully can't find her anywhere else.

Hey everyone! My name is Brenden Driskill, and I'm from Memphis, TN. I'm passionate about creating relatable, encouraging literary art, exploring a wide variety of themes. My latest poetry collection, Stopping an Avalanche, focuses on overcoming struggles and finding hope in difficult circumstances. I plan to continue uplifting others through my writings across my literary career.

Riley Dunbar has always learned, loved, and lived in their surroundings. Writing, creating, and performing in various forms has become an expressive outlet that Dunbar loves to use to explore, feel, and express so much of what they see, know, love, and question. In each and every line, Dunbar hopes to draw in the reader into a world of what is new, what is loved, and what is ever so curious.

Faith is a 20-year-old writer studying game design in university and is currently working on their first full poetry collection. Their work was recognized by the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. Their main goal when writing is to blend genres and encourage readers to ponder about themselves and the absurdity of the universe. Outside of writing, they compose music for games.

I'm Grace, a 20-year-old community college student. I want to eventually pursue a career in the arts, but I'm just figuring things out right now. Writing (poetry *and* songs) is my one true love. It's been with me when I felt like I didn't have much else, and that's how a lot of my poetry is born. I hope it speaks to you.

Luis Garcia is a young poet whose work explores love, heartbreak, and emotional survival. His writing often centers on themes of longing, healing, and hope, and has been featured in Seasonal Fruits Magazine’s Winter Issue.

I am a sophomore in college studying literature and history and I’ve been writing seriously since the 7th grade. I have two completed, unpublished novels, and a multitude of poems, some published in my high school’s literary magazine Burning Glass and some in my college literary magazine The Scribblings. When not in school I work in a community library.

I am a young author based in Indiana. I enjoy writing poetry, being out in nature, and spending quality time with friends over coffee as I pursue a degree in English Education. I hope this poem touches those who are still living to tell their story, knowing that it has gotten better once and will again.

Andrew McKee is a sophomore at the College of William & Mary from Centreville, Virginia. His poetry explores memory, place, and their quiet transformations. He received third place in open-form poetry in the Columbia Scholastic Art & Writing Awards and placed first in Williamsburg’s collegiate student writing contest.

Naina Mishra is a student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She writes articles and poetry and contributes to several student organizations on campus. She is particularly interested in using poetry to explore personal narrative and lived experience.

Sandra Nuochen/诺晨桑璟 (she/her) is a Chinese American writer from Florida. She has been recognized by the Gibson Peacock Prize for Creative Nonfiction, National Scholastic Writing Awards, Columbia College Chicago, and Hollins University, among others. Some of her work can be found in the National Poetry Quarterly. Sandra attends the University of Pennsylvania. Find her on Instagram @sandranuochen

20 year old Trinity Sagert writes from Petrolia, Ontario, Canada. She is inspired by the highs and lows of life, nature, and music.

Erin Thomas is a twenty-year-old poet from Wilmington, Delaware. She's a junior at the University of Delaware and enjoys writing with experimental poetic forms and ideas.

My name is Anastaria Bianchi and I have lived most of my life thinking I was too emotional or sensitive. It has been such a wonderful journey that throughout sharing my poetry I have learned my sensitivity is not abnormal and that many feel the same as me. This feeling has motivated me to continue to share my writing and continue to create.

Molly Cashman is currently participating in her fourth year at Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) in Baltimore, and was born and raised in New York.

My name is Anahid Henriquez and I’m a lover of all things film, fashion, and food!

‎Henry Opeyemi is a writer, storyteller and a performance poet. He is the author of two poetry chapbooks 'Autopsy of Old Fractured Wound' (Ghost City Press 2024) and 'The Volume of Constant Screams' (Cat Courtyard Press 2025). His work has also appeared on Newman Press, Tempest, Orchid Press, Horror Scenes, Magic Press, City Press, Ghost City Press and elsewhere. When he is not writing, he is teac

I am a Texas born and raised and current college student in Minneapolis. After thrown a recent curveball, I have come to discover in ever-growing depth the ways in which hope can infiltrate even unique shapes of grief such as my own.

I am a senior at Harvard College studying Neuroscience and Music, with a secondary in Comparative Literature. I translate works of others into English and have published poems in local and national journals. Currently, I am working on a children's book that captures the essence of creative performance and the discovery of one's musical voice.