VOLUME 8 DELAWARE LIBRARIES' TEEN MAGAZINE (cover) Skylark by Myly Huynh age 14 watercolor, acrylic & colored pencil 2 T ABLE OF C ONTENTS COVER SKYLARK BY MYLY HUYNH 57 EAGER BY MACKENZIE RUIZ 5 THE VALUE OF WORDS BY RAPHAEL KIM 58 A BILLION STARS BY GIANNI LOGAN 6 BEHIND THE MASK BY SAMARA DURGADIN 60 DUSK AT THE WHALE ROAD BY RAE FU 7 A POETRY TRIO BY DORCAS OLATUNJI 61 LIFE IS AN OCEAN BY AISHANI KASHYAP 9 MY ROOM BY RHYS COTTLE-VINSON 62 HANDSOME EBONY BY HANNAH YE 11 COURAGE BY JANE BURNS 62 FINGERS FLOWING BY ARIELLE FLAHERTY 11 THE SHOT BY SAMEER VIDWANS 63 APHELION BY CASSANDRA FANTINI 12 BRANCH OUT LITTLE ONE BY SHYLA OOMMEN 63 HELIOCENTRIC HEART BY CASSANDRA FANTINI 13 SLIDING INTO THE D.M.S BY DEBORAH OLATUNJI 64 TEAR OF MY EYE BY MACKENZIE RUIZ 14 BE TRUE BY EMILY CALLAHAN 65 THE UNSEEN BY GRACE BENTLY 15 SANDY SHIMMERING SUNSETS OFF OF THE SHORE 66 FREEDOM @ LAST BY DANA TOWNSEND BY SHYLA OOMMEN 67 THE RED ONE BY JAMES STOKES 16 THERE IS NO ACHILLES’ HEEL BY CASSANDRA FANTINI 68 MAGGIE BY AMBER BARLOW 17 LESSONS OF BASKETBALL BY JACKSON REDD 69 MY HAPPY PLACE BY ALEX BRENNAN 17 DON’T THINK BY CARTER ROSS 69 THE FASTEST GAME ON TWO FEET BY JAKE BRYSON 18 A DARK WINTER NGHT BY EVA DOLDE 70 GREEN WITH ENVY BY PAIGE O’BRIAN 19 ICE BUBBLES BY JACKSON FOX 70 CITY VIEW BY DORCAS OLATUNJI 20 DARKNESS BY HANNAH CAMPBELL 71 UNTITLED BY ROHIT DHARMADHIKARI 21 LIFE: AN ONGOING FIGHT BY AARTI ITIKIRALA 72 THE BOAT BY LARISSA GUILFORD 22 AFFRICAN WILD DOG BY MACKENZIE RUIZ 73 THE SPACE BETWEEN BY SAMM MARVIN 22 HORSES BY DILLON REBURN 74 IMPRISONED BY CHRISTINA LAW 24 LIFE IS A TREE BY ANAUM ALLIMULLA 74 DOUBT BY PHOENIX GRIMM 25 NATURE IS MAGICAL BY ANDREW MARQUEZ 75 FLOODED FIELD BY HEATHER SHARP 26 ONE MORE STEP BY RAPHAEL KIM 76 THE FLOWER BOY BY ADONTÉ DUNN 27 IT’S TIME BY BROOKE HARRISON 77 SPRINGTIME BY AMBER BARLOW 27 DREAM… BY RAE FU 78 SUMMER SCHOOL BY STEPHANIE BOYS 28 ALMOST BY MUKTA KANTAK 79 AN AUGUST FOUNTAIN BY JACKSON FOX 30 DON’T TOUCH MY HAIR BY EMANI LARKIN 80 THE UNWANTED GIFT OF SYMPATHY BY AARTI ITIKIRALA 31 YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE BY JULIA PHILLIPS 81 BEAUTY IN THE RAIN BY LAUREN MCAFEE 33 SPRING FLOWERS BY ASHLEIGH UMBRECHT 82 DEAD MEN BY BEN MURPHY 34 WHAT ARE YOU BY REBEKAH MARVIN 82 THE CURRENT BY RYAN HUSTEDT 35 SELF REFLECTION BY ASHLEIGH UMBRECHT 83 BYE BY SARAH METCALF 36 I.D.E.N.T.I.T.Y. BY DEBORAH OLATUNJI 83 EMOTIONS BY SYDNEY SCADDEN-LORENTZ 37 IT’S COMPLICATED BY SHYLA OOMMEN 84 THE TRUTH UNTOLD BY ARUSHI SHARDA 38 LOVE IS A CANDLE BY EMILY CALLAHAN 85 BREEZE OFF THE LAKE BY AMBER BARLOW 40 THE PICTURE BY KAITLIN MERRIMAN 86 MEGHAN’S MULTIPLICITY BY MEGHAN THOMAS 40 FAMILY BY CARTER ROSS 87 THE FIELDTRIP (A NOVELLA IN SIX PARTS) 41 IMAGINE… BY RAE FU 87 CHAPTER 1: BRYAN’S STORY BY MIKAYLA DAYTON 42 MY ULTIMATE COMPANION BY MADELINE ROWLAND 89 CHAPTER 2: ALYSSA’S STORY BY MIKAYLA DAYTON 42 WHAT’S OUT THERE BY ANDREW MARQUEZ 92 CHAPTER 3: MEGAN’S STORY BY SAMANTHA OLIVER 43 THE TOMATO QUEST BY JOJO KASTRINER 93 CHAPTER 4: REESE’S STORY BY NIKKI LOOMIS 44 THE GREAT GRAPE BY MEGAN ATHEY 95 CHAPTER 5: STEVE’S STORY BY MARISSA HAWTOF 45 THE SALAD WAR BY SOPHIE HERRING 96 CHAPTER 6: KIT’S STORY BY LIA LLOYD-WOOD 46 BROKEN XYLOPHONE PLAYER BY PHILIP TOWNSEND 97 DELANEY’S MULTIPLICITY BY DELANEY WENNER 48 BROKEN GLASS BY SINDHU SIVASANKAR 98 WHAT LOVE SHALL BE BY SHYLA OOMMEN 49 THE SUBJECT BY TALIA MCCANN 99 VIEW BEYOND THE SEAS BY DEBORAH OLATUNJI 51 INQUIETUDE BY SAMARA DURGADIN 100 DULCE ET DECORUM EST BY MALLORY SNOVER 52 LOVE BY REBEKAH MARVIN 101 OPIUM BY SAMARA DURGADIN 53 LOVE IS NATURAL BY SHYLA OOMMEN 102 THE FACTORY BY JAMES STOKES 54 TICK. TOCK. BY HELEN LIU 103 TRASHY FASHION, MADE ENTIRELY RECYCLABLE BY SHYLA OOMMEN 54 MORNING FLOWERS BY JACKSON FOX 55 LOST BEAUTY BY CHRISTINA LAW 55 MOTHER’S DAY PRESENT BY KATIE RHOADES 56 ERYSICHTHON OF WISCONSIN BY DOMINICK FIGLIOLA 3 4 The Value of Words by Raphael Kim age 14 Words are priceless Precious as gold In bestselling books Or stories untold. Without any words We could not talk Upon creativity There would be a lock. Words are needed for change The blood of society Instead of rebellion Only propriety. In short, words are crucial Written and spoken Without speech, without change Our lives would be broken. 5 Behind the Mask by Samara Durgadin age 15 watercolor & colored pencil 6 A Poetry Trio by Dorcas Olatunji age 16 Seared soul Aching acceptance i wake to a new day like ordinarily my phone blips the windows are open— another message from the same people, the sun brilliantly blind my mother sharing another post my eyes flicker toward the door my family telling another story, ordinarily starting a new day from my rise another cautionary tale i walk to the bathroom i walk the halls looking at a reflection scrolling, turn on, turn off one that never changes there’s no one else texting one that is always there no one else cares i hit a wall some days she’s beautiful anyone would be lucky to have her… my mind feels stuck but most days she’s not but the solution couldn’t be clearer her dark circles closing her in, transparent truth in front of my eyes those deadlines, never letting her win dangling out of my control decisions all in my control she used to care about her appearance fretting about too much hair on one side i try not to text and walk fretting about too much acne but something inside always impatiently claws fretting about too many scars there’s another task to complete fretting that she’s still alone another opportunity running away not another door closing— this society preys on a girl’s confidence assuring her that it was all fun and games why aren’t I welcome you shouldn’t look that way why do the doors keep shutting you shouldn’t dress that way why why why why why why— the never ending pursuit there’s no one answering no one ever answers I MUST FIT IN I MUST FIT IN i sit on the porch, I MU— the cold night dim, i must survive. waiting, just waiting for another light to ping on my reflection laughs at me again someone let me in the third time I’ve attempted to fix it it resists my compliance someone let me in! my sinking self esteem We don’t talk to strangers 7 Rigid requirements i’ve learned to take no. rejection, misperception of my personality but what about what i have to offer what about my contribution it’s not about your skill No one cares about that it’s not about your will Not one person considers you. my reflection is always there, those dark circles closing me in... u don’t look like us y do u look like that? well if you won’t change We’ll label you a murderer a thief, a terrorist, a bug in the system our precious kids can’t play with you you’ve trapped me in a box labeled the exit but hid that, too you’ve made me believe the doors will never open how do i compete with a system that sears my soul a system that makes me ache for acceptance society hates everyone still we follow it’s rigid requirements never questioning its validity dictating EVERYTHING. fretting about too much acne, too much color sinking self esteem, stop searching. there’s nothing here for you. 8 My Room by Rhys Cottle-Vinson age 17 My Room. Mi Casa. Like a Super 8, but with slightly worse room service. I spent more time growing up there than I did almost anywhere else. All those weekends with nothing to do, just sit- ting atop my bed with my computer in front of me or a heap of LEGOs® beside me. All that time, just relaxing and being generally creative. So many minutes and hours and days that most would consider wasted, cooped up in my room. But I relished in every bit of it. My room in our old house was big (about the size of this classroom). It was rectangular, with a small alcove for a closet. My older brother James’ room mirrored mine, except that from his door was a straight shot to the stairs down to the study. Also, mine was closer to the bathroom. Being younger netted me the privilege of choosing first, and I distinctly remember that the bath- room was the reason behind my choice. When we were deciding how our rooms were painted, James suggested dinosaurs. Living amongst the dinosaurs! So, the first layer of paint was applied sky blue. Then we added a layer of dark green near the baseboards, to look like grass. We never had the attention span to paint on the dinosaurs. We each had one bunk of the bunk bed we had in our old room; if memory serves, I had what was formerly the top bunk. The wood was plastered with stickers of dinosaurs, Star Wars characters, and those LEGO® mini-figure stickers they includ- ed in the Visual Encyclopedias.