Eleven

by Grace Moon
ES, USA

When we turn a year older
we expect to feel more mature
or grown up

but
growing up is more of a journey
than a sudden change

growing up is like climbing a giant mountain
even though you have a long way up,

you are still 11 points higher
Each point is you getting a little older each year
And all the hills in between the points
are the months and the weeks and the days
that are passing by

Standing at a new peak
means that you conquered hills of the year,

each day each week
each bad side, each happy side in year
All that memory from the past few years
while you were growing up, makes you, you.

A mountain reminds me or stuff reminds me that
each layer or hill or anything is just me
and what makes me in a journey of mine

Inspired by the story Eleven by Sandra Cisneros And the quote “ but they don’t understand about birthdays and what they don’t tell you is  When you’re 11 you’re also 10 and nine and eight and seven and six and five and four and three and two and one. And when you wake up on your 11th birthday, you expect to feel 11 but you don’t.”

Original drawing by Grace

A Letter to Give to Mom

by Eunsol Song
ES (K to 3), Korea

Mom, you say all I can do is play games, right?
Why do you get angry over just that?
Don’t you know my IQ is 100?

Now, I’m going to hate you, Mom.

Since you said your stomach hurts,
I bring you warm water and kimbap.
so why don’t you smile?

Now you are so annoying. I hate you,
You’re so mean, I can’t stand you.

Original drawing by Eunsol Song
Original in Korean
Original drawing by Eunsol Song

엄마, 게임만 할 수 있지
왜 그런다고 왜 화를 내?
난 아이큐가 100인지 몰라?
난 이제 엄마를 싫어할 거예요.

엄마가 배가 아프다고 해서
따뜻한 물이랑
김밥을 갖다 주는데
왜 엄마는 웃지 않냐고

이제 엄마가
짜증나고 싫고
나빠 죽겠어 !

Rainbow

by Eunsol Song
ES (K to 3), Korea

Rainbow, rainbow,
a rainbow with clouds,
such a pretty rainbow!

Butterflies flutter, flutter,
happy and glad.

Let’s look at the sky
and feel beautiful.

Even when we’re bored,
let’s cheer up and cheer each other on!

Original in Korean
Original drawing by Eunsol Song

무지개, 무지개
구름이 있는 무지개,
너무 예쁜 무지개!

나비들이 팔랑팔랑
기쁨이 좋다.

하늘 보면서
아름답게 우린.

심심해도
힘내서 응원하자!

KYLE BUSCH

by Jinho Jung
MS, USA

K
nown for winning 232 times across all three NASCAR national series.
Y
oungest-ever NASCAR pole winner at 19 years old.
L
egendary for his versatility, excelling in all three national series.
E
arned two Cup Series championships, in 2015 and 2019.
B
roke records with 24 wins in a single season across all series.
U
ndefeated in consecutive seasons with at least one win.
S
uccessful team owner with Kyle Busch Motorsports.
C
elebrated for his philanthropic efforts through the Bundle of Joy Fund.
H
olds the record for most wins in both the Xfinity and Truck Series.

Apple

by Grace Moon
ES, USA

An apple so sweet
A nice tasty treat

With a bright red color
That shines on the tree.

The apple swiftly moves
with the leaves

Bones

BONES

Skull and crossbones

by Ryan Pak
ES, USA

Bare bedbugs buzz around the broken bed.

Odd owls observe over the oak tree.

Nocturnal nutcrackers nibble pieces of noodle.

Electric eels enjoy eating ermine.

Soggy spiders slice snakes in six pieces.

Skull and crossbones

Bell

by Lea Zimmerlin
MS, USA

Ding, ding, ding
Ring, ring, ring

When the sun rises
A ray of light shines over the town

When everyone in the town
wakes to start their day

Yawn, yawn, yawn
“Good morning”

Ding, ding, ding
Ring, ring, ring

When the moon rises
the blanket called night

covers that pink coral
orange-red sky

Then everyone, big and small
tall and short, goes to bed

Deeply
falls asleep

Original in Korean

종

딩, 딩, 딩
링, 링, 링

해가 떠오르면
한 줄기 빛이 마을을 비춥니다

마을의 모든 사람들이
하루를 시작하며 잠에서 깰 때

하품, 하품, 하품
“좋은 아침이에요”

딩, 딩, 딩
링, 링, 링

달이 떠오르면
밤이라는 이불이

저 분홍빛 산호색
주황빛 붉은 하늘을 덮습니다

그러고 나면 크고 작은
키 크고 작은 모든 사람들이 잠자리에 듭니다

깊이
잠이 듭니다

Monday morning

by Lea Zimmerlin
MS, USA

Ding, ding, ding
Yawn, yawn, yawn

“Wake up!”
Mom says.

“Oh dear,”
“You’ll be late!”

Monday morning
is truly the worst.

Original in Korean

월요일 아침

딩, 딩, 딩
하품, 하품, 하품

“일어나라!”
엄마가 말씀하신다.

“아이고”,
“너 늦겠다!”

월요일 아침은
정말이지 최악이다.

PIANO

by Lea Zimmerlin
MS, USA

It makes a beautiful symphony
It makes you feel SO many emotions

As your hands move your fingers like a mechanical doll
Your fingers move one by one on each hand

The keys go down as you press
It makes a sound

Then they go up when you release
And the sound fades away

It is like the night sky turning into
The shining morning

The piano is a mystical instrument
Used by all kinds to make a picture

The picture of a single note
And that single note shows thousands
And even millions of notes

Photo

by Lea Zimmerlin
MS, USA

When you take a photo you capture something
That something is:
time

And when you look at that photo ten or so years after you took it
It looks like you are looking at a stranger

When in reality you are looking at yourself
From a different time

From when you were making bad choices
Doing things you weren’t supposed to do

And when you look at a photo of your friend group
From when you were 13

You look at it and wonder
When was the last time you saw them

And some you remember you will never see again
And some you remember they will never want to see you again

That is what a photo is
An emotion captured for eternity