Poetry Corner
once upon a time
Yasmine Benabderrahmane
curled against the blaze of a dull fire,
streaks of light, shadows dance against her skin.
gathered hands for a heat to inspire,
and yet the cold and warmth here act akin.
night, she prayed for a chest with hinges,
a body with doors full of coal to blaze.
evening, she prayed for a hand that pinches,
that awakes her from the truth of her days.
she craved the kiss of the sun on her lids,
craved the stubborn smell of salt in her hair.
instead, she was met with the frost of wind,
with the cold that bit her cheeks and nose bare.
so, she curled by fire and closed her eyes,
wished of a past of poetry and rhyme,
of her mother snug and stars in the skies,
wildly wishing for a once upon a time.
Home
Hannah Grace Wang
Why are we here, mommy?
What is going on?
I miss home.
I miss the
crackling of the heater. The
space to run free.
Why are we here, mommy?
Where is home?
This place smells funny. This place
doesn’t feel the same.
This place is
foreign.
I miss home.
Sea Moss Bites
Kuicmar Phot
Toes crash through the moss of midnight wilds until wept in grains of sand
Hollow eyes stare into the blooming night like sun-seekers in a perpetual chasm
But the sun hides in trepidation, and dread swaddles my thoughts
The tide whispers my name, and I tumble into its arms
I dance into the sea adorning a rotten heart and rotten teeth
Clothes waltz with corals, and fish serenade limbs like canopies
Streams flow like molasses, conquering canyons of oxygen
The lighthouse beacon quivers through the eyelids of the tide
My fingers waver toward the algae as my body sways down into the reefs
And I melt into sea foam like sinking ships in the cavity of a storm
My heartbeat grows silent like November’s foliage of anemones
Cradled in stones, I slumber at the bottom of the ocean,
Collector of sorrows,
Where solace greets nadir,
And sea moss bites
Associate Opinion Editor (Volume 50) — Yasmine is a third-year student, majoring in History and Anthropology. Her writing is best described as sometimes sarcastic, sometimes radical, and always an excuse to bring up her heritage (and colonialism). She hopes her work with The Medium will inspire conversations, debates, and a path to abandon our deeply rooted stubbornness. In her spare time, Yasmine enjoys reading, knitting, arguing with uncles on politics, and fangirling.
Staff Writer (Volume 49) — Kuicmar is completing a Forensic Biology specialization and a Creative Writing minor. This is Kuicmar’s first year as a staff writer for The Medium. She usually writes for the Opinions and Arts and Entertainment sections. She can’t wait to share her thoughts, opinions, and poetry. When she’s not studying or writing, you can find her watching movies, shooting arrows in archery, updating her Letterboxd, watching F1 content, reading NASA articles, or listening to music. You can find Kuicmar on her Instagram and Linkedin.
Arts & Entertainment Editor (Volume 50); Staff Writer (Volume 49) — Hannah is in her final year double majoring in Communications, Culture, Information and Technology (CCIT) and Professional Writing and Communications (PWC). In her spare time, Hannah runs her sticker shop The Aesthetics Studio and listens to podcasts while drawing. Hannah’s previous publications include PWC’s official journal of creative non-fiction in Mindwaves Vol. 15 and research in Compass Vol. 9 and 10. She also served as an Associate Editor for Compass Vol. 9 and Vol. 10. Hannah was a Staff Writer for The Medium Vol. 49 and 50 before becoming the A&E Editor. You can connect with Hannah on LinkedIn.