Time to sweep up a room that has never been used. Sweep and mop up a dead living room. A sofa that’s never sat on. A television that’s never turned on. A Christmas tree only appreciated by the cats who enjoy laying under it when they’re not on the sofa. The room decorated for no one.

By Carli Toney

Last weekend wasn’t too bad. Our dog Bagel and I waited in our car listening to music while Tim cleaned the snow off the car. Next day he helped the neighbors clean the rest of the street.  I stayed inside playing videogames.

By Riley Martin

I am wearing a uniform now pretending to be someone I’m not. I’m doing my best to act as though I care. I do what I’m told. I try my best to pay attention but sometimes thoughts seem more entertaining. I don’t want to be noticed. I don’t want to be talked to.  I just need a distraction. I need to escape this uniform, the pattern that I’m stuck in. maybe I just need something new. But new things get old pretty quickly.

By Cristina WilCraft

Fighting with yourself when the words don’t come out. Force them and they’re wrong. Embarrassed but you act like you mean them. Fighting with yourself to be more open or to stay closed off. One seems right but the other feels more comfortable.

By Milo Clark

I wonder what will happen next. I daydream about the past, wondering what I could have done differently. I stress about the present.

I worry what’ll happen if I lose a part-time job without finding a new one.

I feel rushed, but I always feel rushed, stressed, and a failure before I have actually done anything.

The flies are driving me crazy. It’s hard to concentrate with them around me. Now I can’t drink my coffee. Not when I keep catching one sitting on the cup. Persistent bugs annoying me. Killed one at least.

By Cristina WilCraft

I wish it wasn’t so hot and sticky. I wish I had more energy to stay awake. I wish I could take a nap.

I wish I could sleep better at night. I wish the cats didn’t fight every morning while I’m still trying to go to sleep.

I wish his headaches went away. I wish he was happy. I wish we were living on our own. I wish I had a better job.  

I wish my parents were happy. I wish my sister wasn’t so stressed out. I wish I wasn’t so stressed out.

I wish I were writing. I wish I had a story to tell. I wish I were more interesting. I wish I could scratch that writer’s itch.

By Mary Glenn

“I won’t do that anymore.”

“I won’t do that anymore.”

I tell myself each time it’s around me.

But it doesn’t take long for me to break.

I do it anyway.

“This is the last time,” I promise again.

“No more unhealthy snacks.”

But chocolate always wins.

By John Roach