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Deciduous Trees and Fire Hydrants
Zhang, Michael
The poem compares life's transient nature, symbolized by deciduous trees and stationary fire hydrants, to human experiences of fleeting happiness and enduring melancholy. It emphasizes the beauty of genuinely feeling, remembering, and cherishing moments, especially amid loss and sadness.
War Games
Shi, Eddie
Two friends discover the online military game they've been playing may secretly control real combat robots fighting in a deadly war. As suspicions escalate, they decide to expose the truth, unaware of how dangerous their role has become.
to those that remain far apart
Liu, David
The poem reflects on distance and emotional tension, capturing the silent internal struggles hidden beneath calm exteriors, and highlighting the intensity felt by hearts separated yet connected by unspoken feelings.
Monarch
Lawrence, Brook
The speaker contrasts youthful innocence symbolized by butterflies with current darker, troubled thoughts represented by moths, revealing internal struggles with belonging and acceptance, and a longing to escape into dreams.
The Year my Grandmother Died
Jiang, Joanne
A narrator recalls a quiet walk with her elderly father, reflecting on family tragedy and lost loved ones. Amid silence and unanswered questions about love's irrationality, memories resurface, carrying sorrow, uncertainty, and unresolved grief.
Memory
Zhang, Mile
The passage illustrates how recalling past events can derail into random tangents, veering from belugas and their squishy foreheads to submarines in Manhattan, then jumping to zoo visits and breakdancing in Sydney. It highlights the unpredictable, meandering nature of memory.
Korean Basement
Ying, Bobby
The narrator travels to South Korea in pursuit of a girl he barely knows, driven by insecurities and a desire for validation. Along the way, he grapples with self-deception, yearning for acceptance and heroism, only to realize that the real journey lies within himself.
Renewal
Liu, David
The protagonist repeatedly flees past mistakes, believing new environments will cure his inner turmoil. On a ship’s edge, he realizes genuine change means facing and forgiving his failures, steering his life’s course with resolved will—transforming flight into purposeful direction, anchored by the lessons of his past.
Grim
Lawrence, Brook
Phoebe, a naive peasant girl seeking hot cocoa, follows a suspicious old man into his caravan. He reveals himself as a tooth-collecting witch, trapping Phoebe inside. The story ends with a grim moral: always heed your mother’s oddly specific warnings, and never miss your appointments.
The Johan Syndrome
Jiang, Joanne
Drawing on Jonah’s biblical tale, the author discusses “Jonah Syndrome,” where fear prompts us to dodge responsibilities, then fault God or others. A personal account of isolation in the U.S. shows how confronting challenges, rather than retreating, leads to personal growth.
August, Someday, Moonlight
Zhang, Cayden
The author reflects on their newfound connection with the moon at Stony Brook, contrasting it with the artificial lights of Guangzhou. The moon becomes a source of solace, tranquility, and introspection during moments of uncertainty, offering a quiet refuge from life's pressures. Despite the ever-changing nature of the moon, its constant presence brings comfort, even as the author recognizes the inevitable return to the sunlight and the crowd.
Slumber by the Sea
Vesey, Mackenzie
The piece explores the elusive nature of peace, found in dreams and moments of escape, like reading, adventure, or the beach, where tranquility and calm replace life's uncertainties.
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