Maranda is twenty-five years old, has purple hair, a nose ring, and big blue glasses. She’s a trained opera singer, having graduated from...

The magnolia raises her petals, Embraced by the Carolina sun. Skins soaks in its rays, darkens by the afternoon Like honey tempting the...

Willow Park was empty when she arrived. The thin strip of orange sunlight was melting at the bottom of deep blue. She stepped over an...

This world has outgrown us outpaced and outlasted us left us in the rear view mirror waved goodbye with a middle finger advised us our...

The summer that I was seventeen, I worked for my uncle and aunt at their rustic cabin resort in northern Minnesota. They gave me my own...

Phone calls to the kitchen during service were a nuisance, so I was gruff when I answered. I regret that now. “Kitchen. Chef.” “Raych,...

When you say it like that, you make it so believable, I say. I can still remember the scenery. The sky is blue, the sunlight passes...

When we were young We treasure hunted Under plum trees For what our arms Couldn’t reach, Our joy ripening As we picked Amongst the mushy...

This piece is part of our “Tails + Tales” teen summer writing initiative inspired by the 2021 national summer reading theme chosen...

This piece is part of our “Tails + Tales” teen summer writing initiative inspired by the 2021 national summer reading theme chosen...

This piece is part of our “Tails + Tales” teen summer writing initiative inspired by the 2021 national summer reading theme chosen...

This piece is part of our “Tails + Tales” teen summer writing initiative inspired by the 2021 national summer reading theme chosen...

This piece is part of our “Tails + Tales” teen summer writing initiative inspired by the 2021 national summer reading theme chosen...

This piece is part of our “Tails + Tales” teen summer writing initiative inspired by the 2021 national summer reading theme chosen...

This piece is part of our “Tails + Tales” teen summer writing initiative inspired by the 2021 national summer reading theme chosen...

This piece is part of our “Tails + Tales” teen summer writing initiative inspired by the 2021 national summer reading theme chosen...

On Aug. 8, 2011, the temperature in Dallas was expected to soar above 100 for the 37th day in a row. The big question was whether we...

This piece is part of our “Tails + Tales” teen summer writing initiative inspired by the 2021 national summer reading theme chosen...

Tides rise and walls fall A system built to keep muddy water from collapsing white walls Infrastructure made to keep fish in their barrel...

This piece is part of our “Tails + Tales” teen summer writing initiative inspired by the 2021 national summer reading theme chosen...