The old man in the brown, buttery leather chair’s 
eyeglasses are fogging up, but his eyes remain 
closed as he listens to the sound machine’s bird calls

I give him a nod for showing up—my father hasn’t
People come in and out, the doors shutting tightly
behind them. I memorize their faces until my short-

term memory empties them, but the old man remains
as he sits back, keeping his eyes closed. His name
is called, and I’m stuck waiting alone.

I hope you enjoyed this super short piece! I actually found it when looking through some poems I wrote over a year ago, and it’s crazy to see the differences in my writing– the different topics I was drawing inspiration from, the different forms and styles, etc. I like this little piece, but I definitely am proud of the positive progress I’ve made with my writing since writing this. Please feel free to leave feedback and writing challenges in the comments. Stay safe and healthy out there.

Brooke

We have waited for so long,
are still waiting
for life to feel "normal"
again. What I do not know,
what none of us know,
is what normal really was,
and what normal will be
going forward. We keep moving
forward, trudging on,
just like we would in any time,
any crisis. Back outside now,
more people in the streets,
masks peeled off 
our sweaty faces in the summer
heat, it is time to smile, chat
with strangers again.
Not everyone is ready
& neither am I. 
I am sitting here, the wheels
in my brain moving a mile a minute
thinking this does not feel
normal
anymore.

I hope you all enjoyed this piece! Now that restrictions have been lifted where I live (in California/in the US in general), life is returning to “normal”, but that doesn’t mean that everyone’s completely comfortable with that, or that this global health crisis is over. If you are in a country/area/state where COVID cases are still high, please stay safe and healthy– stay safe and healthy out there, no matter where you are. I hope you are all doing okay.

Brooke

And I'm not just talking about sunsets--
although I do love a pink-orange sky cutting
through grey clouds settling in--
I love hugs and being surrounded by people
I love and certificates printed on thick
cardstock and "see you later"s because
we don't know where our paths will lead us
or if they will cross again but we know
change is coming, new chapters are starting,
new memories are ready to be filed away 
in our brains. I love endings because
they are really the same thing as beginnings,
and the chaos of transitioning in between
is what we (perhaps unknowingly) anticipate
with every shift.

I hope you enjoyed this little piece, even if it’s cheesy! Don’t mind me getting a little emotional at the end of junior year 🙂 I hope you all are having an amazing summer and/or amazing end of your school year! Please feel free to leave feedback and writing challenges in the comments. Stay safe and healthy out there.

Brooke

So much has changed in so little time
and yet we are still here; seems to invalidate
our progress, doesn't it? Hair longer,
the new plants in Mom's garden sprouted,
our favorite fruits back in season.
Contented sighs of more to-do lists
checked off, days crossed off on the calendar
and under our belts. And yet, that only
makes me feel more out of place. Ready
for the next thing, the next year, always moving--
where to next? I am tired of sprinting in place.

I hope you enjoy this short piece! It was inspired by the upcoming end of my junior year (absolutely insane), which despite being jam-packed full of hard work and occasional meltdowns, still felt uneventful because of all the time spent at home and/or alone. I hope you all are finishing/have finished your school years strong. Please feel free to leave feedback and writing challenges in the comments. Stay safe and healthy out there.

Brooke

I only dream of journeys,
various point As to their matching

point Bs. No longer a passenger,
both hands must stay on the wheel,

eyes on the road, foot jiggling
carefully as it hovers above

the accelerator. I see accidents again
and again-- I can't count the amount

of times per day on my fingers.
Is there not a better way, an emptier

road, to get us where we need to go?
Always asking the wrong questions--

I do not know, maybe have never known,
where I am headed. So I go on,

in control of the car I fear so much.

I hope you enjoyed this little piece! Half of the inspiration I get these days is from my daily drives to and from school… although I am no stranger to car rides, driving so much more often is a bit intimidating. There’s a ton of construction on the freeways and other roads where I live and it’s really brought out the craziness in people. Feel free to leave feedback and writing challenges in the comments. Stay safe and healthy out there.

Brooke

I long for a distant summer, 
wandering around the arcade,
eating a bowl of shaved ice the size
of my head with no other responsibilities.
Empty streets in the dead heat
were miserable for too long,
yet now I miss the sun's attention,
so focused on the dirt roads
and me. Maybe it's too small
of a place, could drive you crazy
after a while, but right now, 
it is quiet and green, all I am hoping
for. Ice cream is sweeter, 
and every day seems to bring
a series of old-fashioned comfort
food served on wood picnic tables.
We can live in a photo of the old
American dream for a while, can't we?
Even if only for a day.

I hope you enjoyed this piece! I’ve been feeling pretty nostalgic lately for a variety of reasons– realizing I’m almost a senior in high school, realizing it’s finally summer, and realizing both how far I’ve come and how far I still have to go before becoming an adult. Feel free to leave feedback and writing challenges in the comments. Stay safe and healthy out there.

Brooke

Eyes heavy, sky finally dark
It's time to end the day but

when I close my eyes, I am haunted. 
Rapid eye movement underneath

closed lids, the room is spinning
and I can feel it twisting and turning

around me. It is too late for this,
body too droopy and brain much too

drowsy. We are almost always so ready
to head to bed. What about when

our bodies don't give in? I am being
kept awake, held prisoner in my bed,

forced to think about how odd it is
to sit here, lie here. There is so much

potential, even strength, in learning
how to let yourself go-- to have full control.

Isn't that all we hope for?

I hope you enjoyed this short little piece! It was inspired by a few nights ago when I was having trouble sleeping and became all too aware of just how my body felt while trying to force it to sleep. Please feel free to leave feedback and writing challenges in the comments. Stay safe and healthy out there.

Brooke

I hope to walk this path alone
just for a little while, to appreciate

the quiet, become the faint rustling
of the leaves as they brush back

against branches. It is tiring 
to be among others for so long; 

the wish for rest becomes necessity.
I have never been camping before,

but there are days when I understand
the appeal. I, too, would like to escape.

Green has become one of my favorite
colors-- wouldn't it be something special

to look up and see green in the sky?
Perhaps that evokes a sinister image

of chemicals and superhero movie villains,
but I see calm spreading like a blanket

over me, and me alone. 

I hope you enjoyed this piece! Life is getting super chaotic since I have all of my AP tests coming up and the school year is almost over– it’s crazy to think about. This piece was inspired by my self-reflection regarding my introverted ways. I’m really craving some solid alone time and relaxation right now… good thing summer isn’t too far away. Please feel free to leave feedback and writing challenges in the comments. Stay safe and healthy out there.

Brooke

I see this road differently in the dark
The freshly painted white lines glowing

Each traffic light blurring as I zoom past
Does everything move faster at night?

Fifty-five feels like eighty-five now
and I, an avoider of adventure, could drive

on forever if each stretch was like this one.
No one is out-- or so it seems, until

the next light turns red and a sea of bright
headlights finally catches up. I wasn't flying;

I was out of my comfort zone, 
out of the house, and on the road. If only

every road mimicked this one, at this time,
stayed dark forever, I might get out more.

I hope you enjoy this short little piece! I’m writing this as I got back from a friend’s house on a late (for my early bird self) night drive home– there’s something special about a quiet, late night drive. Please feel free to leave feedback and writing challenges in the comments. Stay safe and healthy out there.

Brooke