Author Archives: theatala

The first time I was in the air, I thought I was going to die. Starcraft cabins are so much smaller than I expected, and the noises it was making under the Gs reminded me of a can getting crushed and I wasn’t exactly thrilled by the prospect of becoming the soda. If training wasn’tContinue reading “I Need Space”

Cyrus walked further into the forest, his hand around the girl’s waist. She was huddled next to him, her breathing off. He hadn’t meant to take her out for so long. He simply wanted to take Clementine out to a flower field he saw once during his daily walk— a geranium field, she told himContinue reading “The Foxglove’s Request”

An ekphrastic poem is inspired by a work of art. “The Allure of Home” is inspired by Georges Seurat’s painting, Port En Bessin The Outer Harbor Low Tide. Salty wind pushes at the falling tide. Blue serenity veils the town as a melancholy buzz flows through the idle docks. A boat pushes through the harbor:Continue reading “The Allure of Home”

Mushrooms play a vital role in the ecosystem as decomposers; in their absence, the nutrient cycle and the food chain would fall apart. Despite their great importance, their negative reputation doesn’t follow suit. Similarly, Emily Dickinson often incorporates the fact that Nature can be deceiving by revealing contrasting features to note the duality of (human)Continue reading “Dickinson’s “The Mushroom is the Elf of Plants”: Subverting Social Expectations”

Since the formation of the political spectrum, liberalism and conservatism have existed on opposite ends. Where liberalism places emphasis on equality over the law as well as social freedom, conservatism places value on tradition and maintenance of societal status quos. At their core, however, the two political beliefs hold many common tenets. For example, bothContinue reading “The Dichotomy of Political Ideologies in “The Handmade’s Tale”: An Argument for the Validity of Centrism”

Even the summers were undeniably hot at night, but eerily cold. Not like the cold that meant we had to wear jackets, but the cold that put enough weight on the environment that it could drive one to suspicion. The abandoned alleyway reeked of moldy lunches and urine. The lights were strung low and flickered.Continue reading “…All Day Long You Will Have Good Luck”

Alzheimer’s: they forget how to move, walk, eat. ALF: assisted living facility. Rehab rehabilitation to postpone inevitability. PT: physical therapy. Hospice: where they go to “peacefully” die. The wake: a gathering held before a funeral. Apparently, you’re supposed to wear fancier clothes at this event. The viewing: where you’re expected to go, walk up. SpeakContinue reading “Reaper’s Vocabulary”

Abby Santos is finishing her sophomore at Pembroke Pines Charter High School, where she has been taking 2D Studio Art 2 Honors. Abby enjoys working with graphite the most. “Rainforest Resident” was made with charcoal and graphite.

Sticking my teeth together With gum. I can’t smell the lavender on My tongue, Only the mist of Japanese Cherry blossoms on my skin. Oh Dionysus! I’ve come to swim in Your pools of wine I’m off to find this passion of mine. I’ll cry tears of gold joy When sparks fall as my feetContinue reading “Scenic views of life and death inspire me to say yes”

‘Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.’ How often had Mirabelle heard that phrase repeated to her in broken Spanish? First from her Abuela, then her father, and now her mother. Well, she thought that was a pretty crappy response to give to a girl. Like seriously, whoever cameContinue reading “Finding Happiness”