PERCEPTIONS SAINT JOHN'S SCHOOL 2023-2024
This issue is dedicated to all of those who remember to be fair against injustice; to those who find light amidst adversity, and to those who dream of a better world. May words take us there. Cover photo by Amro Hijaz (‘25)
7th-9th Grade Literary Works
03 MY SONNET Alexander Van Noort 04 COLLECTION OF HAIKUS ABOUT RANDOM INANIMATE OBJECTS Romi Jao 01 ODE TO COSTCO HOT DOGS SanSan Wu 05 POEM Sofia Junco 09 BUEN PROVECHO: THE TOMATO CRISIS Adrián Mera de la Torre 06 EVE'S DELIGHT Cristine Tacher Rodríguez 11 THE WELLERMAN Gabriel Soto 07 TERRA INVICTUS Benjamin Ravitch 12 THE NIGHTMARE Leah Semper TABLE OF CONTENTS Art by Diego Ortiz Goldeors (‘25) POETRY SHORT STORY DISCLAIMER: Young ones, read with caution!
15 SUPERHEROES AREN'T THAT SUPER Elsa Besser 17 WHY WE SHOULD IMPLEMENT COMMUNISM AROUND THE WORLD Alexander Van Noort 14 THE FOOD PARADOX Eva Finelt ESSAY
10th-12th Grade Literary Works
19 CAMERA Alejandro Rodríguez 21 LOVE / FOREST FIRES Tatiana Santiago 24 WOMANLY REVELATION Mariola Lugo 22 LETTING GO Tatiana Santiago 24 THE TWILIGHT UNDERNEATH Ignacio Pedraza 20 PRUNING Emilio Solé 23 A RESPONSE TO “TO CRAVE WHAT THE LIGHT DOES CRAVE” BY KEVIN GOODAN Cyrus Wunker 14 IN THIS UNIVERSE Sofia Abreu 29 POEM José Jaime Sánchez 27 SILENCE RESONANCE, NAVIGATING LOVE’S BURDEN Ariana Rosado 24 TEARS AFTER SUMMER Lola Luna Ramos 28 ALWAYS THE FOOL Anonymous TABLE OF CONTENTS POETRY Photo by José Carlos Olivera (‘24) 31 COUCHES @ SENIOR LOUNGE Sofia Abreu 30 MISERY LIKES COMPANY Camilla de Iraola 30 HATE LETTER Elliott Giraud 33 A SAFE SPACE TURNED OUR SAFE SPACE Viviana Ramos Myatt 32 THE SEA AND ME Laleigh Piñeiro
34 OH, MY BELOVED MASJID Zara Akram 39 THE WHALE AND ME Anonymous 35 + = Anonymous 40 PIGEONS Sofia Abreu 38 GOLDEN EAGLE Anonymous 36 THIS WEEKEND I WENT TO THE ZOO Laleigh Piñeiro 42 THE WATER RODENT Hannah Mebarak 37 THE CROW Zara Akram 43 AGUADA Anonymous 44 PUBLIC CLASS JAVA Laleigh Piñeiro 45 GRACIAS A DIOS Sofia Abreu 47 WHY I CAN'T MULTITASK Lorenzo Núñez Nazario 46 LA CONFUSIÓN BETWEEN LANGUAGES Viviana Ramos 48 BLESS ME Anonymous A SH*TWICH Laleigh Piñeiro 50 HERE I AM Lorenzo Núñez Nazario 51 VICES Sofia Abreu DISCLAIMER: Young ones, read with caution! 49 53 BEING REBORN Viviana Ramos Myatt 54 THE QUOTE Hannah Mebarak 52 EMBERS OF BELONGING Zara Akram
55 “EL HOMBRE CAIMAN” Hannah Mebarak 56 ODE TO MY CURANDERA Hannah Mebarak 65 AT THE DONUT SHOP Gabriella Maldonado 67 FORGOTEN MELODY Gabriella Maldonado 57 UNTITLED NO. 1 Isaac Carrión 58 PUERTO RICAN RESILIENCE: LEGACY OF COLONIALISM Adelaida Siaca Ortiz 64 RACIAL EQUALITY Didier Japhet Cherubin ESSAY SHORT STORIES 74 TIL’ THE COWS COME HOME Isaac Carrión 80 THE MYTH Laleigh Piñeiro 71 THE WAGER Isabel Bringas 83 FADING INTO TECHNICOLOR Natalie Dalmau 88 WATER OF THE WOMB Isaac Carrión 91 EN POINTE Angelica Fortuño 103 THE LIVES OF ALPHONSE W. DURHAM Christopher Kit Jackson 89 UNFORGIVEN Wyatt Wunker
111 THE ILLUSION OF EL DORADO Lorenzo Núñez 128 REGRETS Anonymous 114 THE MYTH OF CREATION Sofia Abreu 133 HEART OF A PLAYER Sebastián Vázquez-Guillemard 123 THE GOLDEN PEARL Jerry Chen 117 I CALLED HER LILLY Sophia Silverberg 139 WHY THE PACHUCOS Sara González 121 THE AMERICAN DREAM Isaac Carrión 144 A RIVER MYTH Michael Ubarri 148 THE SNAKE Zara Akram 154 A COQUÍ TALE Viviana Ramos 158 A CHANCE ENCOUNTER Isabel Bringas *COVER PHOTO Amro Hijaz *7TH-9TH GRADE TABLE OF CONTENTS Diego Ortiz Goldeors *10TH-12TH GRADE TABLE OF CONTENTS José Carlos Olivera 3 JOVIAN CRUZ 13 JOSÉ CARLOS OLIVERA *THANK YOU PAGE Juan E. Rueda ARTWORK 19 JULIANNA MURRAY 26 KASIN OBARSKI 32 GABRIELLA MALDONADO 34 ZARA AKRAM 37 ZARA AKRAM 38 GABRIELLA MALDONADO
46 ALEXANDRIA LUGO-NEGRÓN 52 ZARA AKRAM 59 CARLOS LEVIS 66 GABRIELLA MALDONADO 70 GABRIELLA MALDONADO 79 VIVIANA RAMOS 70 GABRIELLA MALDONADO 79 VIVIANA RAMOS 91 JAYDEN RIVERA 110 ELLA ÁLVAREZ 122 MARCOS RIVERA 153 ADRIANA MARRERO 157 ADRIANA GARCÍA
PLEASE CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PUBLICATIONS AT: HTTPS://WWW.SJSPR.ORG/SCHOOLLIFE/PUBLICATIONS OUR FAITHFUL PERCEPTIONS MEMBERS: GABRIELLA MALDONADO MORALES OUR AMAZING FACULTY: There is a special place in my heart for all the teachers who helped motivate students to send their work & those who acted as judges for the Creative Writing Contest. I want to especially thank Monique Heiser & Querube Suárez for guiding their students to our submissions! This issue would not be possible without you! ¡Gracias! PERCEPTIONS MAGAZINE ADVISOR JACQUELINE JIANG, M.A. & ALL OF HER AMAZING STUDENTS WHO MADE THIS ISSUE LOOK ESPECIALLY GORGEOUS, INSIGHTFUL, AND CREATIVE. ILANIT EDRY SPECIAL THANKSTO ALEJANDRO RODRÍGUEZ Art by Juan E. Rueda ('26)
If you have received an email from me at some moment of my time here at Saint John's School, you know I love me a lengthy email. As an ELA teacher, I feel it comes naturally to me to see words and to use them to make a mountain. Even when sometimes, my email could have just been a “Thank you.” Creative writing, for me, has always been my biggest passion in life. As a high school student, I loved participating in anything that had to do with the written word, and I had great teachers that helped guide me along the way. Today, as a published author, academic, and educator, it gives me immense pleasure to be in a pedagogical space that fosters this love for liberal arts. Seeing students demonstrate their affinity for writing has been one of my biggest pleasures here. Having the blessing of working with such excellent colleagues who help our student body along their paths to success has been another immense pleasure of mine at SJS. Each student whose work is published here today has been guided by someone: a teacher, a friend, a family member; to work towards finding their way to writing. I thank you all, both authors, and guiders, for all you do. May we continue writing and molding our own mountains! FROM THE EDITOR JACQUELINE JIANG, M.A. PERCEPTIONS ADVISER
01 Ode to Costco Hot Dogs by Sansan Wu Oh, Costco hotdogs, you are delicious and tender, Succulent and mildly flavorful! Your brown paper blanket rests on my palm, As I make way to the counters with dispensers Ketchup, mustard, and relish; The condiment choices in the dispensers are certainly impeccable! I spin one eighty degrees, And head to one of the white, red tables One flops on the picnic tables at the food court, Took a bite out of the frankfurt Mhmm! The piquancy was juicy and delightful, The combination of the meat snugged in the buns is blissful! After a long day, you, a toasty hotdog makes the perfect nourishment You provide protein, carbohydrates, and vitamin B12 Leaving me satisfied, and feeling full of aliment Two simple ingredients causes me to dissolve The perfect bite, and your scrumptious taste What more could we ask for? The ultimate food, a feast for every mouth It brings us joy and pride! It is paramount
02 As I finish up my last few bites, Looking around, I feel the warehouse atmosphere Shelves stocked with merchandise and bulk products I, too was eating a 1⁄4 pound plus, all beef hotdog from Costco The greatness of you, the hotdog, is your incredibly affordable price, Certainly it causes great relief to consumers’ pockets The workers, incredibly nice! All around are heavily discounted large quantities of items Behold, the eminence of the Costco hotdog is far superior The mighty hotdog tramples all! It is the elite emperor, And that is final.
MY SONNET BY ALEXANDER VAN NOORT 03 Podría ser en win que lo hacemos Creo que lo hacemos después de la escuela Why are you spreading lies to people I hate you We can't play for a while Pero quiero hacer algo el jueves I feel bad for you Tu eres tan volátil You are the crazy one I can't Thanks Felicidades Lo botaste Te amo ART BY JOVIAN CRUZ (‘26)
Collection of Haikus about Random Inanimate Objects by Romi Jao The corn tortilla Natural taste of dirt Quesadilla, yum Ye ol’ shoe Smells of blue cheese, bad odor Tis thrown in trash My pookie wookie Smells of clean, fresh, warm laundry Likes dishwasher soap Fresh pomegranate Fresh fruit, smells like my grandma. My mid-winter love 04
Poem by Sofia Junco “I wish I were older,” I said I was seven years old I wanted to sit in the front “one day” my mom would tell me “When your older” “I wish I were older,” I said I was ten years old I wanted to have a phone “One day” my mom would tell me “when your older” “I wish I were older,” I said I was twelve years old I wanted to wear makeup like the older girls in my school with their long eyelashes and glossed lips “One day” my mom would tell me “When your older” “I wish I were older,” I said I was 14 years old I wanted to drive and go out with my friends “One day” my mom would tell me “when your older” “I wish I were older,” I said I was 18 years old I wanted to get my own place and get a job “One day” my mom would tell me “when your older” I’m 27 years old I want to sit in the back I want to be free from social media I want to not have to wear makeup to work everyday I want someone to drive me so my hands stop cramping I want to move back in with my parents and quit my job “That's in the past” My mom said “You're old enough now” “I wish I was younger” I said. 05
Eve's Delight by Cristine Tacher Rodríguez In the heart of a bustling city, nestled between two buildings, stood a quaint little café named “Eve’s Delights.” It was run by the ever-enthusiastic Eve. With her bright smile and boundless energy, Eve had turned her café into a beloved neighborhood gem. One rainy afternoon, while rummaging through the cluttered shelves of her pantry, Eve stumbled upon an old cookbook tucked away in the corner. Its faded pages seemed to beckon her, whispering tales of ancient recipes and forgotten flavors. Intrigued, Eve flipped through the pages until she stumbled upon a recipe that caught her eye - a recipe for a dish called “Flavor Fusion Elixir.” Excited to try out this new ingredient, Eve carefully unclasped the vial and added a few drops to her soup simmering on the stove. As soon as the elixir touched the broth, the aroma filled the air, and the soup began to bubble and swirl with vibrant and divergent colors. As Eve continued to experiment with the Flavor Fusion Elixir, she discovered new ways to use its power, crafting dishes that touched the hearts and souls of all who tasted them. And with each creation, Eve’s reputation as a culinary grew, ensuring that her café would always be filled with excitement, wonder, and of course, delicious food. As Eve served her customers, something magic happened. With each spoonful, they were transported to a different place or time, experiencing memories and sensations long forgotten. Ella had realized that the Flavor Fusion Elixir had unlocked the ability to evoke emotions and memories through her cooking. With each dish she created using the elixir, she could weave tales of adventure, love, and nostalgia, turning her café into more just than a place to eat, but a portal to different worlds of experiences. Word of Eve’s enchanted cuisine spread quickly, and soon people from all over the city were flocking to her café to taste the magic for themselves. Eve’s Delights became not just a cafe but a destination, where every meal was an unforgettable voyage. 06
Terra Invictus We fight in the dark, so humanity can stay in the light. This is the motto of the humans. The galactic community had only learned of the existence of humanity 25 standard galactic years ago, turning into what we thought was an empty sector of the galaxy into the territory of a strong species. They called themselves the Terran Federation. The Terran Federation had discovered FTL space travel instead of being uplifted by another species, which was abnormal as of itself. The openness of the humans was the most surprising to the long-standing galactic community though because no other species had been this open to joining. Of course, there were some in the community who took this openness as a weakness. The Iridni, for example. They were openly suspicious of them from the start. They only got more suspicious when a key shipyard near human territory suddenly had their power systems destroyed. There was no sign of attack from the outside, but they were clearly sabotaged. They made some bluster on the galactic stage, but ultimately their complaints fell on deaf ears. However, they never openly aired their suspicious again. However, there was one species who really liked earth as a planet and wanted it for its own. The Terminids. They launched a full-frontal assault, traversing the hyperplanes at maximum speed. The Terran fleets put up what the Terminids thought was a quite lackluster defense. They were driving directly towards the human's cradle world after all. They found fiercer and fiercer resistance until Alpha Centauri, where they found their first major human presence. Alpha Centauri held for 6 months of constant Terminid charges until it fell. The Terminid fleets Scourge and Extinction were sent into earth expecting resistance, but they never expected to see what they saw. The planet Pluto was converted into a giant gamma laser installation. Additionally, they saw over 10000 warships in various orbits around planets and moons. No survivors arose from that fleet. The greatest Terminid minds came up with the strategy of charging at the enemy, trying not to die. And so into the system of death flew the 50000. Humanity repelled the attacks, but not until they lost many fleets. The names of those service members who gave their lives to the cause are engraved on Europa, for all to see. by Ben Ravitch 07
The Terminids had thrown all they had into the meat grinder, and they had run out of steam. Quickly regaining all the ground they had lost, the Sol fleet pushed the Terminids all the way back to Arakis, where the high lord gave his surrender. From then on, nobody incurred in the Sol system uninvited, and humanity gained the nickname Invictus. 08
Buen Provecho: The Tomato Crisis by Adrián Mera de la Torre I don't recommend this story for vegans, but here we go, I am a tomato, a tomato might be too general, to say more things about me, I'm a ripe tomato on an industrial field. I currently live in Florida, and I'm on my way to somewhere in the Caribbean. Not only that, but I love being in the sun and my favorite drink is water. I have 3 brothers and my parents are two types of tomato hybrids which are “gone”. I definitely haven't grown in “perfect” conditions, but I'm getting shipped today to a new place. I’ve always dreamed of becoming a delicacy. People from Tomato Halo (The acre I live in) talk about all the possibilities we can turn into. The farmers always took good care of me until it was time. They ripped me off the vines, they took me away from my home, and put me in a basket, more of my friends got put in until it was filled to the very brim. I was one of the lucky tomatoes on the top, so I wasn't squished, but my friends at the bottom were screaming and crying about the agony. We quickly were thrown into a conveyor which brought us to a huge sparkly machine. When I entered the machine it was almost pitch black, I could hear tomatoes screaming and crying, but I had never heard about anything like this. The machine had over 20 paddles with sensors which picked the perfect tomatoes. Most of the tomatoes were sorted out and classified as rotten, I was classified as ripe, so I passed on to the next area stained with red tomato. I got dumped into a bucket of water with preservatives, it felt relaxing, but after it felt very cold like if we were in a fridge. After a day or so, we got loaded into crates that displayed “FOOD IN CRATE, HEADING TO PUERTO RICO”. One time, the farmer's kid went outside to study for his geography exam, and we heard him say some places near the Caribbean. I faintly remember him mentioning Puerto Rico. He said a bunch about the history about it, but also about that it's a tropical island with a lot of delicacies. I knew I was heading to the right place. Sadly, the other tomatoes did not agree. They couldn't do anything about the place we were going, but rumor quickly spread around the crate that we were about to get squished. 09
Suddenly, we got thrown out of our crate into a giant machine, but it felt weird there were many parts to it. Then I heard it, in Tomato language we have certain ways of expressing ourselves but being squished has its own code. We then saw a circle of metal coming down at us at a very slow pace. On top, it read, “Danger: Can cause serious injury to human”. The tomatoes were all trying to say something, but it was too late. I was squished, I was gone, I never knew what I was to become, my life had come to an end, my adventure gone, but wait, I didn't feel pain, I was alive, and so were most of my friends. The piped us into plastic bags labeled Tomato Sauce, we were boarding the plane when my friend's bag broke, all their dreams “crushed” away in a moment. Sorry, I say jokes to cheer myself up, but that wasn't happening this time. I had just lost almost all my friends just to follow my dreams. This wasn't right. I had lost all desire and determination to follow my dream to become an amazing food, and felt defeated. I missed my younger brothers and staring into the stars with them. We finally arrived, we got loaded up into a random truck and word was that we were going to our final destination. We had already arrived in Puerto Rico, the gorgeous mountains, the clear blue oceans, the eye taking sand. I had never seen something like this, it felt refreshing and safe. Before the nightfall, we were brought to a place called Domino’s. I had no idea what that was until I entered. I saw all the other foods and felt alive again, hope had dawned on me, but for everyone else it was just a day closer to being someone's meal. Likewise, I had never known how to feel about that, after the whole journey I felt it was unfair how I had lost my friends to just be eaten by a few humans while I had lost hundreds of friends. But I always knew i could be something more, something greater, than just a tomato, I needed to show appreciation to the family of farmers that grew me and took care of me all these months. Suddenly, I saw light coming in from outside the storage room, I was picked up and put into a container. I was then grabbed and but into a circle of dough. Then cheese went on me and so did peperoni. Me and the other ingredients talked for a few minutes and also talked about how special this moment was. When we got put into the oven it felt like a sauna. It all ended though in 10 minutes when we were packaged for a family to eat, together, just like I was with mine, happy, and free, like we always say, “Buen Provecho.” Fin 10
It was the year 1643, in the middle of the Wars of The Three Kingdoms. There was a ship that was put to sea under the British flag called the Billy O' Tea. This was no ordinary ship. It was one of the biggest in the fleet and it was used to hunt and sell whales for money to fund the war. But, there was one thing that made it unique from them all, it was said that he who calls himself the Wellerman haunts that very ship. Of course that did not stop the daring Nathen Evans, a daring adventurer that wanted to take on his dad’s legacy as a whale hunter. So as soon as he got the Billy O' Tea and his crew he was off. It was very slow for the first two weeks and just about when everyone was going to head back home it began thundering. Soon after, a whale's tail attacked the ship. Everyone was surprised until the captain said to everyone, “All hands on deck!” but under his breath he swore he'd take that whale in tow. His crew harpooned the whale but before the ship hit the water the whale dived down low. Then suddenly the Wellerman possessed the captain and told them to let go, and just like that the whale disappeared to the depths of the ocean. For forty days or even longer the crew still sailed to find another whale. Along with them walk amongst them is the Wellerman’s soul to help the crew on their journey. To this day they never returned but some still say that the fight for a whale still goes on. THE WELLERMAN by Gabriel Soto An echo of the sea shanty 11
One day when this girl named Violeta was sleeping. She had a nightmare of this strange figure whose face was not visible. It was all dark and creepy, but even if she wanted to wake up, she couldn't. She ran and ran away from it but it kept appearing behind her. When suddenly she kept hearing something, but then everything went blank & she finally woke up, relieved to wake up. She stood up and noticed the sound she had heard was her alarm. Noticing this, she calmed down and saw that she was late to school & had to walk to school. But she keeps getting a feeling that someone is watching her she looks back and there's nothing there she finally tries to forget what she had dreamed of and kept with her day but when she went out of the classroom, everyone was gone for a minute and she then saw the faceless figure from her dreams. When she blinked, everything went back to normal. She then freaked out noticing this isn't normal she then tries to tell her friend about it but they don't believe her they say she's just joking and probably just tired. Scared to walk back home, since the faceless figure could appear she ask one of her friends to walk together, when arriving home she quickly shut her door and hopped on her computer desperately searching for the faceless figure to see if she is the only one who has seen it before and to our surprise she isn't the only one people have said that they once saw it and felt like it was chasing them. This left her to wonder what might have happened to them so she decided to reach out to one of the person that had seen the figure she saw before she sent this person a message asking them when did they see the figure and what happened and after 1 hour of waiting for a response from this anonymous person she starts researching about what happened with the anonymous person by his/her username and apparently she HAD DISAPPEARED last things she had sent before disappearing was the stuff about the faceless figure. She thought about it & it all went back to the faceless figure after finding out about this Violeta was even more scared about the faceless figure that appeared everywhere she decided to go to sleep but this time she didn't have a nightmare; nothing had happened, maybe it was just her overreacting about a weird dream? But she was sure everything happened. She forgot about it and walked to school but when she opened her locker written in blood... 12
She slammed her locker & hid to think of what to do because what if she disappeared too... wait, WHAT IF SHE DISAPPEARED TOO-- it was a great idea she could go prepare and safe the other disappeared people who knows how much people could be there to save so Violeta prepare herself got ropes, knives, etc .All the needed survival stuff just in case she needed it. Violeta went out in the woods to wait for the figure to come but nothing happened. Disappointed, she went back home and went back to sleep but when she woke up in the middle of the night she saw the figure in a corner of her room so she acted asleep and decided to attack this figure. She got a vase and started attacking the figure with it but it didn't even seem to be flinching. The figure suddenly disappeared and everything went black and she was somewhere unknown that had help written in BLOOD. This was already scary enough for Violeta but she wasn't going to give up that easily. When the figure left, Violeta tried to wander around and see if she was the only one there. But when she was walking she saw this woman who looked like she'd been there for a while. Violeta decides to wake her up and ask her if she was the girl who disappeared without warning. When the strange woman woke up she was so glad to find someone to help her out of there. Violeta gave her water from the stuff she had brought and they decided to escape at midnight when he would leave. At midnight the girls looked around to escape; they found an air pocket in one of the walls where they could try to escape. After lots of tries to escape, they managed it & all managed to get home and the news of them escaping was viral. They were all okay and safe back home But 7 years later she saw the figure pass by her back door... PHOTO BY JOSÉ CARLOS OLIVERA ('24) 13
The food we eat is as important as the air we breathe. It goes into our bodies, nourishing our minds and souls, and out. The food we eat gives us energy to do the things we love. Natural foods are grown from the soil of the Earth, sprouted, watered, cared for by our own planet, and then eaten by different animals and creatures. I want to close your eyes, and imagine eating ripe fruit on a hot summer day. Nice, right? Fruits have natural sugar that makes our bodies release endorphins and make us feel a sense of happiness. They contain important vitamins, stored in the citrus and juice. The beautiful colors that protect the fruit like a fort around the fruit make it even more appealing. Other things that are grown and nurtured by nature and Earth are vegetables, animals, and water. Vegetables, similarly to fruits, have important nutrients. In our day, most children hate vegetables, but sooner than later, you get that feeling of refreshment after eating a healthy, super food. Animal produce is nothing less important to our bodies as fruits and vegetables are. Meat has protein, milk has calcium, and the fur of animals turns into leather. Our Earth gave all of these resources to our ancestors to survive and more so, thrive. Then answer this: Why did we ruin it all? Take a moment to reflect, and ask yourself this: when was the last time you really ate a ripe, juicy fruit, that made you feel happy, and energized? Or frankly, and food. Personally, I cannot remember. The food we once ate is not the same food we eat now. We destroyed the food with things we made to make it ‘better’. But did it really make the food better? If you really look, the food we eat wasn’t given to us by our Earth. Now, I want you to close your eyes, and try to remember the last time you ate fast food. I wrote this essay to try and show how we are taking advantage of what we are given. The next time you go to the grocery store, maybe avoid the frozen dinner section, instead of the fruits and vegetables. Nourish your body, and your soul. TTHHEEFFOOOODD PPAARRAADDOOXX by Eva Finelt 14
Superhero Stories Aren’t That Super by Elsa Besser Everybody has idolized a superhero at some point. Wearing billowing capes and swooping in to save the damsel in distress, superheroes and the stories about them rarely vary from the same old plot we see every single time. The truth is, the world isn’t as black and white as these books make it out to be. Superhero books should have more variety. As entertaining as they are, should kids everywhere be taught to wait for a guy with a red cape and blue suit to save them? Should little girls be taught that the hero is usually the man? Should children be led to believe that life is completely one sided; that there is always an easily identifiable good and bad person, and no gray area? DC is disastrous. One of the most popular superheroes of all time is Superman. Statistics states that, as of February 2015, Superman was leading the world in comic books at 600 million units sold. But the truth is, despite his super-popularity, Superman might be the worst superhero of them all. At the end of every original Superman story, we see the words, “A physical marvel, a mental wonder, Superman is destined to reshape the destiny of the world!” This is ridiculous. How can a single person reshape the destiny of the world? Also, the art right next to this ludicrous slogan is Superman in his cheesy and unrealistic Spandex suit, breaking out of chains. This 1938 action comic book which cost 10 cents (current value is two dollars) is definitely not a book I would buy for any young child I know. 15
Another part of traditional superhero books is that most of them, especially Superman, portray women in a meek, helpless light. In every story, Superman has to swoop in just in the nick of time to save the day and the woman. In a 1938 Superman comic, Lois Lane is on a date with Clark Kent when some other men want a dance with Lois. She refuses to dance with them and leaves. The other men go after Lois and kidnap her, and she is helpless in stopping them. In the second frame of page nine, Lois says, “Let me go!” and the men respond to her by saying, “Get in the car and shut up!” Are women so helpless that they do everything men want without a fight? How was Superman such a popular comic if it portrays women like this? This kind of writing might have been acceptable in 1938, even though it should have not been okay, but the way this was written will never be accepted again. Superman, apparently “champion of the oppressed, the physical marvel who had sworn to devote his existence to helping those in need” is yet again unrealistic in the fact that someone alone can save the world. Nothing is truly defended or won alone. The American Revolution wasn’t won by George Wasington. It was won by the entire continental army, fighting for the country they wanted to create. Women didn’t get the right to vote just because of Susan B. Anthony. It was because they all convinced enough men to do the right thing. Kids worldwide should know that we won’t get anywhere if we wait for someone else to save us. Superhero books should demonstrate that, in fact, it does take a village. The old Superhero books are flawed in many ways and new heroes should emerge because the heroes in the spotlight are fading away from the realistic things we want to teach modern-day children. Books like Renegades by Merissa Meyer are a great example of a hero book gone right. Not only is the main character a girl, she’s also the bad guy. She infiltrates the good guys and the complex plot makes you not want to put it down. This, I believe, is and should be the future of superhero books. The future looks bright if we stop reading flawed superhero books, and read our way into the world of the new ones. 16
Born Karl Heinrich Marx, to Heinrich and Henriette Marx in may 5, 1818, Karl Marx was a German philosopher, sociologist, economist, historian, and journalist, commonly known as the father of communism. Karl Marx is often known for his socialist ideals, which laid the groundwork for communism, in the communist manifesto. Communism is an economic system in which wealth is distributed evenly between all citizens of a country, so the population is classless. Communism is a system that has almost never been done right, because communism only works if every country in the world does it. There are many countries that believe that with communism comes suffering, due to communist countries imitating a totalitarian government, but these countries. The most popular case of this being the current state of North Korea, with the government being largely criticized due to negative media portraying citizens as malnourished and living in poverty. Websites like YouTube have only helped spread this negative message showing videos of North Korea being empty in its capital Pyongyang, and showing people living like it's the 1900’s, which is objectively wrong. This system has never been done right, it is a theoretically perfect fair system, which has been ruined by human greed, which is largely embodied in the opposite of communism, which is capitalism. In a perfect world, humans would not be greedy, and political classes would not exist. Why should another person be included in different social circles and have more tangible objects just because they were either born into a rich family or were just lucky? In our modern world, the biggest problem is discrimination. This problem has been fueled by our capitalist society, as people are discriminated against because of their income on a daily basis. This is why I believe that the worldwide implementation of communism would help all. With people owning almost nothing, and everyone being equal, just like in a utopia. If I were president or in a position of worldwide power, I would definitely adopt many communist ideals, as the bible-esque paragraphs of the communist manifesto would be something to live by. Note- It is hard writing in favor of something that you do not believe in. I do not love communism, I just wanted to challenge myself to write. I don't believe this is very good but I am glad to practice. WHY WE SHOULD IMPLEMENT COMMUNISM AROUND THE WORLD by Alexander Van Noort 17
10th-12th Grade Literary Works
19 Camera by Alejandro Rodríguez I exist purely to see beauty Seconds, minutes, hours, they wait, Waiting to capture the perfect photograph. I have seen impeccable skies, mountains, places, and people. Yet, what is bliss without unpleasantness? I am tired of the exemplary portrayals of the world, I am tired of the constant removal of imperfect shots, I am tired of beauty. I want to see the flawed parts of the world, The unprepossessing, The grim, The revolting, The grotesque, The unlovely. Because without imperfections, Beauty has no meaning. photo by Julianna Murray ('26)
In the garden of being In the garden of mind A tree stands tall Even through the fall Yet burdened by the weight of its sins that befall It longs for renewal A clean slate To begone of its cruel With care and steady hands, it shears With the quiet of repentance, it clears Each errant branch, each thorn, each leaf gone bad Now all scattered remnants of a long-forgotten past With every cut, a whisper of release And now with a clean slate Time comes to enter spring Time to flourish Time to see what the world brings PRUNING BY EMILIO SOLÉ 20
LOVE BY TATIANA SANTIAGO 21 Forest Fires by Tatiana Santiago Yellow, red, and orange blazes through the sky The pungent smell of charring lingers throughout Mother Nature's weeps are heard all around People run, people cry; their pain joins with Mother Nature’s The loss of loved ones and the special place called home Unity is found
LETTING GO BY TATIANA SANTIAGO 22
A RESPONSE TO “TO CRAVE WHAT THE LIGHT DOES CRAVE” BY KEVIN GOODAN BY CYRUS WUNKER 23
24 Picture this: it’s a parallel universe, and instead of father and daughter, we’re coworkers. He patronizes me then so shamelessly as he does now. He explained one more thing to me that I’d already explained to him, all for the sake of not having to admit intellectual defeat to a girl. But I wouldn’t be obligated to hide my ever present disgust. In this universe. I could explain to him in explicit detail why I'm right and he’s wrong, and I wouldn’t have to care for his (extremely delicate) ego. In this universe, that isn’t my problem. In this universe, he insults some woman he doesn’t even know behind her back, some random woman who happens to look a little like me. He criticizes her hair, her weight and her clothes. to then scowl at me for not laughing along, this time I could spit in his face. I could tell him he was being mean. Mean as opposed to cruel or horrible, mean in a way that makes me feel like a small little girl again, all without fear that I would make him feel like a bad father. In this universe, if he’d dare to casually insult my moms appearance as if it were some harmless joke, I could do something that would get me arrested, a toothy grin on my face as the cold shiny handcuffs are tightened around my wrists. But now, in our current reality, I find myself stumbling upon him smiling to himself at old pictures. Specifically one where I am 5, giving the widest gap-toothed smile I can muster to the tallest and strongest man in the world, him. After that, I have no choice but to pretend I never saw him and casually offer to watch a movie later. In this universe, I feel an irresistible urge compelling me to sit next to him on the couch and watch his TV shows with him. What I really want to do is sit in my dark room and use my phone, but I know soon I’ll only have to begrudgingly stand Primera Hora during the holidays, and soon after, I won't have to at all. And in this universe, right now, we’re in an overwhelming college information session. I observe his shoulders slump under the pressure of queries from other parents. A bony, manicured hand sticks out of the sea of tired and indifferent faces, “Does the admissions committee accept superscored SAT’s? He barely knew what an SAT was. I put my head on his shoulder. At this moment, I need my dad to know I couldn't care less that he's just as clueless as I am. College talk is boring anyway, and I couldn't be happier he's not boring. I find myself smiling, a warm feeling filling my heart and tummy. At this moment, in this universe, I couldn’t be happier he’s my dad. IN THIS UNIVERSE SOFIA ABREU
Air, light, cruel wind my field, my song A cloudless tower waiting for me A summer blue saying goodbye A life ended here And a new one starts now Tears After Summer by Lola Luna Ramos Its unique side, You, your body. Pain, soaked with salt. Accept help you need. Scream across the street. Don’t act differently, revel. Talk your mind, the pain. Womanly Revelation by Mariola Lugo Potent and strong Full with the ripeness of strength The twilight of the moon In dark forgotten places Crushes and squeezes The aching life That has been kegged and shut away Takes away our grief And reveals our hard enduring strength underneath The twilight underneath by Ignacio Pedraza 25
Art by Kasin Obarski (‘27) 26
You yell, I stay silent Me being quiet, even though I was taught to speak up When I talked back, I said sorry, Because I knew it was a lose-lose I choose love for my person To keep us workin’ It is always up to me, Even though it shouldn’t be I take the blame because you want me to I think my dynamic is stable Even though it makes me a maniac Your excuses cause me abuse Choose love, be a bigger person To keep us workin’ Take the blame, want me Even though I think it’s over I need closure, so switch You are a burden, Admit the truth, Ane be a bigger person Even though you break me, I always take the blame, Because you want me to Silence Resonance, Navigating Love’s Burden by Ariana Rosado 27
Foolish one, I show you my cards, and you patiently keep me waiting Your cards were never shown, yet I know how to act like I'm fine Just enough attention to keep my hopes to high, And in the end, I will be the fool with just your longing glances Foolish one, Always waiting for confessions of love, that will never gonna come My lesson will be learned the hard way, instead of just walking out Foolish one, Our situation is delicate, I will wait for your calls The voices in my head think I am the exception and you are the one I will make myself bulletproof since I still can't call you mine And I never did Foolish one, Now I'm punishing myself for not seeing the signs, No calls, no messages, just goodbye screaming in the silence And my voice telling me, why am I always the fool? Always the Fool Anonymous 28
Upon the verdant meadow, soft and fair, Where shadows dance with the evening There blooms a flower of gentle grace, A scene of nature's sweet embrace. In whispers hush, the brook does sing, A melody to the blooms, it brings, And in this quiet, enchanted glade, A story of love is gently laid. The sun, a golden orb in the sky, Watches as time goes softly by, And in its warm and tender light, Love's passion burns, ever bright. Oh, sweetest muse, with voice so clear, Sing of love that knows no fear, For in this meadow, hearts entwine, A timeless tale, forever mine. Poem by José Jaime Sánchez 29
Hurt likes hurt. Hurt likes to know others are hurt too. Likes to hurt others and sit with them in the hurt together. A hurt that shouldn’t be mutual, one that shouldn’t sit together, that shouldn’t be shared. See beyond the hurt and know it’s not yours. It’s not worth feeling and understanding when it’s not yours. Speak up, and don’t let it hurt you. MISERY LIKES COMPANY 30 by Camilla de Iraola The ways are unfair to his roaming feet, And he makes no friends His words ring sour like a lemon And I wish I’d never met him He’ll live his days where the light doesn't shine Nor could storms or wind move him And I wish somebody’d shoot him HATE LETTER by Elliott Giraud Talavera
31 COUCHES @ SENIOR LOUNGE SOFIA ABREU Permeated with a wonderful, comfortable quiet or the faraway buzzing of my peers or the occasional shriek of elementary That you’re compelled to turn to every once in awhile because it’s annoying and makes you wonder if you ever screamed that loud and makes you wish you had enough soul left in you to. Feet up short nap giggle and gossip and the tap tap tap of NYT puzzles It’s hard not to find comfort in the sunlight filtering through the big tree above the semi-soft slightly scratchy cushions solitude and occasional company from my better halves
A spot for many where the waves echo and lull, tranquility washes over top of me. Fearlessly with Her i speak, proud. But beyond her, he stays, Unpredictable h-he is. i never anticipate him. He lurks, but she stays And the small, great sea Guards for Me. My sea. 32 THE SEA AND ME LALEIGH PIÑEIRO Art by Gabriella Maldonado ('26)
A Safe Space Turned Our Safe Space In Natalie Doron's office, I find peace, It’s a sanctuary where my anxieties cease. It's not just about the physical surroundings, But the comfort she provides with her presence so astounding. Her yellow chair, is my usual spot, But when taken by Laleigh or some intruder. The green couch and white chairs are what I got So I sit there to pout and become ruder. But it's not about where I sit or stand, It's about the understanding she lends and her helpful hand. At first, I trembled, unsure and shy, In a college counselor's office is where fears run high. But Doron's guidance helped me on the way, Assuring me that I’m okay. Her snacks, a gesture of her love and care, A sign to us that our needs were aware. So in return, I reciprocate, With granola bars, crackers, and popcorn, too. Each is signed by yours truly, a personal touch, Cause I wanted to promote how it means so much. Each empty container is proof of our complete reliance, In this exchange, we formed a mutual alliance. In moments of crisis, she stands by my side, With unwavering support, she acts as my guide. Because Natalie Doron's office is more than just a space, It's a haven for all the crazies bringing us a comforting embrace. Grateful for her presence, I'll always be, Because in Natalie Doron's office, I find me. So thank you Doron for your love and support, I don't know what I would do without All our conversations going back and forth. VIVIANA RAMOS MYATT 33
The call to prayer goes off, A personal invite for me, Beckoning me to you, Oh, my beloved masjid. First thing in the morning, you are on my mind, I begin to rush to you like a mother rushes to her child who was found after being lost. As I pull in, my eyes finally rest upon you, My heart fills with love anew, For you, Oh, my beloved masjid. You stand with simple elegance, Not as ornamented compared to others like you, Yet your sight still captivates my being. To this second home of mine, I send my salams to you Oh, my beloved masjid. You greet me with your heavy door, I greet you with my heavy heart. The green carpet once soft, now worn, Bearing the footprints of those who walked atop it, Yet as I prostrate, no other carpet in the world could be more comfortable. 34 OH, MY BELOVED MASJID ZARA AKRAM ART BY ZARA AKRAM A rectangular room painted white, reflecting divine light Illuminating the space but also my heart, Bringing me the ease that I so desperately sought, And for that, I am forever thankful to you, Oh, my beloved masjid. Though our relationship had a rocky start, As I spent day after day ignoring your call, You continued to wait, knowing that I would soon be back in your embrace. Now there is no other place I would spend my morning, noon, or night than with you, Oh, my beloved masjid. Now as I await our soon departure, I reflect on how you’ve made me grow. Hours of reflection, worship, and service, Shaped me into the person I am today. The eyes tear and the heart is pained, But, I will continue to love and long for you, Oh, my beloved masjid.
Small, round, furry, with whiskers, Maybe unnecessary and high-maintenance, From South America, that’s right I’m Latina. I come in many different forms and varieties, Abyssinian, American, Peruvian, and Skinny. Occasionally gay when necessary, What a weird creature you may be wondering. Am I from Guinea? No. Am I a Pig? No. But yes, that is who I am, I am thee Guinea Pig. The injustices I’ve fought against have made me smarter, Being poked and prodded, in the name of science. I'm but a subject, confined to gloom, But my survival instincts fight this doom. 35 So when I’m taken from Petsmart and all the watchful eyes, I find some freedom and see the skies. With a new family and brother too, Were named after cookies, Cookie Dough & Cookies and Cream But still, I find this freedom untrue. Forced to run around and around and around, In wheels, in balls, in cages. It’s driving us crazy. At first, loved and cherished, Now seen as a nuisance who wishes to perish. It is time we go to a new home, They say they know a man who seems alright. 3 days later we were fried, He said we tasted quite divine. At least now we feel true freedom, Away from all the ungrateful humans in our tiny guinea pig kingdom. They never knew our true purpose, But did we ever need one? + = ANONYMOUS
This weekend I went to the zoo I saw a seal. She was small and silly and filled with joy She swam belly up and cried Begging for the zookeeper's sardines. She didn't have to hold her breath under the water Or when she flopped around on the fake ground given to her. She was as free as a seal in captivity can be. She cant leave, can't grow, can't experience The way her cousins in the arctic can. But does she know what she's missing out on? Does she know what’s out there? If she dreams of leaving is she scared of what may happen When she’s on her own? Perhaps she does, but after all, what can I do For only this weekend I went to the zoo. 36 THIS WEEKEND I WENT TO THE ZOO LALEIGH PIÑEIRO
THE CROW ZARA AKRAM 37 Your bright eyes gleam against your dark fur, A beauty, But they have labeled you As basic, As common, As strange, If only they knew. In every caw, a story unfolds, Because truly you are a creature of old. For some, a symbol of ill fate, For others, a mark of wisdom, So, what are you crow? You are a figure of intelligence, Able to adapt and overcome, Soaring through the skies, Clothed by the darkness of the night, Like an olive, Not of the Orient or the Occident. So dear reader, don’t judge by what you’ve been told, Rather see for yourself, if you pay attention, Then you might begin to notice the shine of her feathers, The point of her beak, And curiosity in her stare. For those who pause and truly see, You'll know it’s because of the truth she keeps. ART BY ZARA AKRAM