Hello! So excited for the 2023 Arrow – Hackley Middle School’s Arts & Literature Magazine!!!
Stay tuned for more posts to come over the next few weeks and then keep an eye out for the hardcopy, published version coming soon.
Here’s our latest post of 2023 student work:
Torii, alone
by: Anya M. ’29
…I am alone
I oversee the gorgeous mountain path
I see thousands of people almost every day
And yet, I am still alone
Tourists come walk along the path
They seek the beloved shinto temple
My wood no longer is red, but brown
I no longer smell of the old Niwaki tree
Instead, there is an irresistible musty stench.
I am dull, and lifeless
I see no sunlight, only darkness
The dense forest and treetops cover the beloved sky.
Remembering looking up at the heavens when I was just newly made
Feelings of pure wonder and curiosity
Why have those things gone away?
I have no reason to exist now
I am tired of looking at the same path. Over and over again.
The morning dew’s scent is fresh. I smell it day after day
I am tired of the constant repetitions
I spot new faces daily, my perception of time changes
Except one elderly man, who cares for me deeply
He scrubs the dirt off my long legs
Stains that have lasted thousands of years
He usually comes often.
I appreciate him.
But he hasn’t come in a while
And now, once again…
…I am alone