2025 Spring Issue: JabberWrites Competition

Poetry

“I was an exhibit

If I behaved well

Civil like and white
Because God forbid I acted my age
Maybe I’d get praised and told
“You’re one of the good ones”
As if I should be proud for not representing my glued together family tree”

– Icarus

By: Chrisette Coke

Icarus
(WINNER)
By: Chrisette Coke

Through my Old Eyes
by: Brooklyn Massó

Addicted to rhyme
By: Charlie Groth
(Arts Criticism Editor)

In Color
By: Brooklyn Massó

When I look in the mirror
By: Ava Kenneally

How We Die
By: Brooklyn Massó

Wasted Time/Useless Space
By: Diego Soto

Oil Slush
By: Noah Rand
(Poetry Editor)

To the people who wouldn’t survive the flood
By: Naima Benoit

The Bereavement of Wonder
By: Val Miller
(Copywrite Editor)

Fiction

NOT DAD
By: Fowsia Yasin

In A Stranger’s Eyes
(WINNER)
By: Kalea Krauthoff

“His cold stare out of the attic’s window as the rest of the house went up in flames. The red and orange reflection in his light eyes as he met the darkness everyone was told to fear.” – In A Stranger’s Eyes

By: Kalea Krauthoff

Arts Criticism

Epic the Musical: The Ithaca Saga
By: Lucy Arons

Why Jerry Spinelli “Star Girl” is a dystopian
(WINNER)
By: Reagan Massó

“To make such a strong claim that a book is completely lying about its genre, I should first explain the contents of both the dystopian genre and the young adult genre.” – “Stargirl” Critical Review

By: Reagan Massó

Visual Multimedia Art

(WINNER)
Just When I Think I’m King…

By: Brooklynn Massó

Medium: Collage

Description: “The text is from the song Sat In Your Lap by Kate Bush. It is inspired by the album cover for the single. The piece is a surreal self portrait meant to reflect the shame that comes with having an inflated sense of self, only to be brought back to reality by your own folly.”

“Evel Knivel Never Died”

By: Liam Perino

Medium: Acrylic Paint

Description: “This painting was inspired by my frustration with the recent election and the growing disconnect between the government and working-class people like the writers, construction workers, and plumbers. I wanted to convey my feelings creatively while staying true to my style. I experimented with collage and oil sticks, adding energy and texture to the piece.

The goal was to create something vibrant and bold, like a sign in Las Vegas, with a message that’s impossible to ignore. I used specific colors and shapes to achieve this effect while incorporating signature elements of my art like the large figure staring into the distance, wrestling ropes, and a panther. Through these elements, I expressed my concern about a system that forgets the people who keep it running.”

“Liberte”

By: David Dang

Medium: Color pencils

Description: “My surrealism art piece is called Liberte, I made it to voice concern about the ongoing issues throughout the world. Showing how many people are repressed/silenced and how we affect them with our actions.”

“Inspired by the war in Ukraine”

By: Kalea Krauthoff

Medium: Graphite Pencils

Description: “This surrealist piece is inspired by the war in Ukraine. The color is all gray to represent the loss and hardship during such an unfortunate time. On the right Zelenskyy is depicted and on the left Putin is shown.

The soldiers in the middle show the struggle of the war between Ukraine’s people. This piece is very significant to modern day and shows the emotions many people have been feeling.”

“Best of Luck”

By: Andrea Depina

Medium: Digital Art

“I drew my cousin”

By: Edeline Morisset

Medium: Graphite pencils

In this limbo she makes a ghost friend and they frolic the city together for a day. There is no real dialogue, only lyric-less music.

“Ghosting”

By: Joyce Ruiz
Chief Editor & Web Designer

Medium: Silent Film

Description: This is one of the main pieces of my portfolio. It’s a short four minute film about a girl who gets into a hit-and-run and becomes a ghost.