Piece by peace Alice giggles

You want peace? Alice giggles. Her lips reach for her ears, I don’t think you understand. Young Writers Project receives hundreds of submissions on youngwritersproject.org but don’t quite make it. Crows land on the Peace isn’t a slice of pie, from students across Vermont, the U.S. and beyond. We select the best work from folds of skin beside her eyes and print the baked just for you. local writers and photographers for publication in this newspaper each month. Today, marks of their feet on her face. Peace is something you work for. we present responses to the challenges, Peace: Where do you see the greatest oppor- She was hunched over, but now stands Peace is something you revise. tunity to create peace in your community or the world? and General writing: Write Peace is something you fight for. straight and tall like a redwood, or at least, about anything in any genre. Read more at youngwritersproject.org. that’s how tall she thinks she is. Peace is a mindset, Now she is looking at the grass with such a societal agreement. awe and wonder, you would think it was the But you ask for it… About the Project Thanks from YWP appendages of a green anemone, or the crush no, beg for it Young Writers Project is an indepen- YWP is supported by this newspa- rings of Saturn. as if it’s a toy in a shop window, She bends from her ankles and carefully some object that can be bought or sold. dent nonprofit that engages students to per and foundations, businesses and write, helps them improve and con- individuals who recognize the power teeters over her own knees. A small finger How can we have peace nects them with authentic audiences in and value of writing. If you would like reaches out to touch the grass; after frightful- when a difference in opinion newspapers, before live audiences and to contribute, please go to youngwrit- ly making contact, it recedes back to safety. is a fistfight of words, on web sites, youngwritersproject.org, ersproject.org/support, or mail your Eyes as brown as dark chocolate pud- people trying to punch each other’s faces so vpr.net, vtdigger.org, and medium.com. donation to YWP, 47 Maple Street, ding glance back at me. Questions flow out hard YWP also publishes The Voice, a digital Suite 106, Burlington, VT 05401. of her eyes. I nod, a sign of approval. She that they forget what they’re “debating” magazine with YWP’s best writing, Special thanks this week to then turns back to the tiny forest before her about? images and features. To learn more, go and carefully selects a blade of grass. Alice to youngwritersproject.org or contact Vermont Student stands up once again and stretches her arm Nowadays words are used as weapons YWP at (802) 324-9538. Assistance Corp. up, and up, to grasp my palm. My palm since our bombs don’t currently speak. opens like a flower opens to the sun; in it, We don’t use words to solve problems. Alice places a single shard of grass. We use them to disagree. We use them to suppress and discriminate. Photo of the Week “For you,” she says, her blonde curls wav- ing at the wind. How can you and I “Thank you, Alice.” advocate peace when our words are nuclear bombs - Shannon MacDonald, Sheldon leveling the cities of calm discussion and civilized debate? You ask how I advocate peace A royal address and my answer is this: How does one construct a tower, Forgive me for not kneeling when you passed the tallest in the world? by. I forgot You can’t start in the middle. whose presence I was in. You can’t begin with the most glorious part, the tip of its majesty. Forgive me, your highness, No, you have to start at the foundation, for not waiting for the scepter to lower build it strong and proud. for you to grant me permission to speak.

You build it with respect and courage, Oh please forgive me! with sacrifice and friendship. I didn't see the purple robes. Lay down your differences I didn't know I was in the presence of royalty. like knives from your hands, and instead pick up your tools If you can't forgive me, I understand. as only we, fellow humans, can. Tear me apart with knives. Photo by Shannon MacDonald, Sheldon Lay me on a bed of sharp nails. If you rush the work to reach the top, Poison me with toxic venom. then the tower, Let them see red blood in the streets. weakened by its poorly planned work, sometimes two. Tight. will fall to the Earth that you neglected to Braided laces It's what I deserve isn't it? build on. How dare I not bow before the queen? Peace doesn’t stay, but The laces of her sneakers lingers here and there - Alexander Haag, Sheldon - Sara Young, Sheldon braid in the severed smile of the moon’s mare the ideas of members or in the ribbons of one’s hair. of the United Nations. Peace lingers upon the shoulders of The contrast between the sole and tongue, chaos, Saying goodbye slipping controversial words of wisdom, riding its turbulent sails across the vast ocean yet engraving a forsaken mark into the fragile only to reach land. I thought saying goodbye earth, Peace is there. would have been significantly compressing the shadows For harder than it was. of the past and the decree of the future. peace cannot exist until one is willing (I thought that the words Union is simple. to tie another’s shoe. would build up like smoke It should be easy, right? Peace cannot exist until one understands the in my lungs and burn my The bunny ears, made with world’s throat on the way out.) n i m b l e fi n g e r s , t i e i t t i g h t . B u t perplexing nature. But to my surprise Peace. Is different, confusing. Peace cannot exist until one acknowledges I barely felt it when I said them Incomplete. when (the words fell from my mouth Peace is missing her laces are tied. and you were gone before I an idea, theory, or theme, was entirely sure I’d said them.) a practice, and/or notion. It’s missing. - Abigayle Domingue, St. Albans I thought I’d regret it more, too, Something. To say the least. that the nights following The stains of green, black, brown would be void of sleep on the lace’s blank canvas blend (with me fighting myself to nationality together in take it back, half of me saying it one long, pivoting course, Read more great writing at could be better) but somehow manipulated, twisted, lost, untied heck out I’ve never slept better. dragged ... youngwritersproject.org C across the ground, coming to two dis- YWP’s Digital Magazine - Dan Gregory, St. Albans connected ends, & Go to youngwritersproject.org only to be tied together again in one knot, The Voice to get your FREE subscription!