Celestial Inspiration

By: Logan Runk

Life is full of ups and downs,

constant struggles and problems make it oh so easy to drown.

Envision yourself as the brightest of stars

because in those times when life seems so hard

you must accept yourself as you truly are.

As accepting yourself is the first step in salvation,

because living in falsity can lead to damnation.

You must heed only to few opinions,

and you will find you have reached that of self-dominion,

just like an astral formation, you are one in billions.

Know your own self limit,

because sooner or later you are bound to hit it.

Learn to tell yourself no,

fail to do this and you yourself will become someone you do not know.

Do what enriches you, and learn to let go.

However, take note of whoever is around,

because you may not be the only one who is being decrowned.

Remove yourself from those who break your foundation, 

never numb your feelings using forms of sedation,

If you feel any form of self-deprecation,

refer back to the words of “Celestial Inspiration”.

Ice Blanket

By: Autumn Hoover

It’s so cold and empty,

All I feel is heavy.

My feet don’t want to move,

As if they’re chained to concrete,

But they’re free.

They are unfettered feet.

I kick them and try to beat the barrier in.

I punch it and feel myself weaken.

I don’t have enough strength for this.

My eyes feel like they’re on the verge of bursting out of their sockets.

I can see life on the other side but I can’t break through to it.

I’m trapped,

This is useless.

I see you walking through the forest,

You look so dejected,

So cold,

And hurt,

And hopeless.

I want to get to you,

To save you from your mind that’s so ruthless.

I kick harder,

I tear my knuckles open, fighting.

Fighting for you.

Fighting to see your smile,

And to distract your thoughts that get so hostile.

Suddenly, it’s there,

Stretched out across your face,

Your eyes get that twinkle.

And I see the ice crack in one place,

So slight but it’s enough to give me hope.

If I can just get to you, I can help you cope.

I punch harder,

Kick quicker,

I see you,

And the ice begins to splinter. 

But then I see her,

And I stop altogether.

She wraps her arms around you and kisses your smile.

I gasp as the realization hits,

Ignoring the water that chokes and makes me immobile.

You walk off with your arm around her as

The water fills my lungs.

I stop kicking.

The Fallen

By: Sabriel Von Kriegregan

Bullets rage, children scream, women cry, men die.
My eyes flutter open, viewing carnage and smoke.
The Battle recommences, My heart pounds, my pulse vibrates.
I charge into the field of battle, brothers, and sisters by my sides
Bullets fly, mothers cry.
Artillery pounds the ground, creating craters that will pool with the blood of the damned.
Bombers and fighters struggle overhead, a canopy of death swirling above our heads.
As the aircraft struggle to take superiority, a bullet takes me in the leg.
As I fall, I let my face lay in the sand, a deep, guttural groan escaping from the most primal part of my consciousness.
I manage to turn myself over and look at the sky.
I stare at the bombers and close my eyes, thinking to myself.
“What is the meaning of warfare?” I pondered to myself.
The green grass long since gone, replaced with the little red poppies, craters, and corpses.
The greenery shredded underneath bombs, artillery, boots, and corpses.
So Many Corpses.
Towns Destroyed
Lives taken
Cities obliterated.
Entire Races persecuted.
The Fallen’s dreams fade into a thin dust, their hopes and aspirations dying with them.
As their hopes and dreams flutter to the wind, ever-silent and never to be thought again.
Why do we continue to slaughter our brothers and sisters, our children, mothers, and fathers?
Have we Humans forgotten our own value?
Have we forgotten Honour, Courage, that men and women’s families will cry, burn, and die?
Some wars are indeed just — Fought to save lives, topple oppressive regimes, and save entire groups from genocide.
However, some wars are injustice —Fought with greed and self-interest in their hearts and minds.
Was my Life worthy to be thrown away over a political scramble, or gambit for power?
An artillery shell slams close by. Shrapnel fills my battered, wounded body.
The screams of wounded men echo around me, before falling silent as The Reaper takes his toll on their very souls.
The Pain slowly fades away, and I enter a warm lake.
The embrace of my lover.
My family.
My Children.
All those I fought for.
That damnable recruiter who claimed I would sleep in bed all day.
My pulse grows weary and my eyelids drag.
They slowly close over, and I feel my heart stop.
Was my life worth it?

A Thousand Year’s Time

By: Anonymous

“Don’t run so fast Eoin!” yelled my eldest sister Brigid. 

“Hahaha, you’ll never ca-”, the ground gave out before me as I fell into a deep hole. I landed on my rump with a sting throughout my body and a shiver down my spine. 

“Eoin, are you okay!” said the sacred voice of my sister. 

“Yeah, just a couple bruises here and there,” I replied to the frightened voice. It was very dark in the hole I fell into, except for the exposed area at the top. 

“Hold on, I’ll get a rope. Do not move!” Brigid yelled at me.

“Yeah, yeah I hear ye!” I yelled to her with a sarcastic tone. We were in the middle of a game of tag. I wasn’t going to let her catch up. As I looked around I started to notice the light didn’t stop at a wall to my left, but rather the floor. It was then I realized I was in a cave and had a chance to win our little game. I started to run down the cave as fast as I could, not thinking of what may lay ahead of me.

After what felt like five minutes of running I heard a faint, yet mysterious voice beckoned me. 

“Young one, why hast thou cometh?” It asked me. Upon hearing the old, fragile voice I shrieked. I didn’t expect there to be an elder in this mysterious cave I fell into. “Have thou not cometh hither on purpose, dost thou not come in seek for wisdom?” the shriveled voice asked me in a sad tone. 

“Might I ask of to whom you are?” I asked in curiosity. 

“Cerridwen.” said the elderly voice.

I didn’t believe them, “Could you please prove it?” I asked the elder. 

“Dost thou not believe me? Ask me anything.”said the self-proclaimed Cerridwen. 

“What happened during the creation of all living beings?” I asked confident she wouldn’t know. 

“Thou wish to learn how thou were created? Very well.” she said, “At first it was naught but land and sea, not even gods lived back then. It was the first, primordial god that created us. We know not of his name, but only that he was our creator. He created all by playing a melody in his breath, every note creating a different aspect of what we now call humans. Each melody created a different being. While many melodies were different, few were similar. Dogs and wolves were only a few notes apart.”

“By the gods!” I exclaimed,”You truly are the goddess Cerridwen!” Upon realizing my rudeness I gave a deep bow in hopes of forgiveness. 

“Thither is nay need to worry child. Now then thou must hurry, thy friends art looking for thou.” she said. It was then that I remembered Brigid going to get a rope. 

“I am truly sorry for the intrusion and and rudeness I have brought to you, but please excuse me.” I said turning to leave. 

“It’s quite alright, do visit again. It gets rather lonely sitting here all alone.” she said sadly. I took off looking forward to the next time I’d be able to talk to Cerridwen.