Young Women's Writing

Pleae enjoy these samples of our Young Women's writing.

Blue Shivers by Shanna Harvey

Purple caffeine pumps through my engraved veins
A sweet relief to aching bones but 
It’s better to have shaky hands than shaky thoughts
Purple is my friend.
 
Yellow reality drops through the holes in my mind
A cold remedy for the pain
It’s a long way home but it’ll help on the journey back
Yellow is my friend.
 
Red lines shoot through my once innocent tired eyes
A sudden rush to clouded senses
But there are worse things hiding behind the curtains
Red is my friend.
 
Green epiphanies spread through my fingers and toes
A sharp sensation and it’s gone
Gone away with no trace, taking its baggage with it
Green is my friend.
 
Orange horizons set through my trains of thought
A burst of reality joins them
Contrasting night from day in a sad, sad way
Orange is my friend.
 
Blue shivers trickle through my worn ribcage 
A large symphony of regrets
Blurring the lines between right and wrong
Blue is not my friend.

Beautiful Women - Avery Smith

   I feel her bravery radiate from her, because I cannot see it. Moreover, I do not need to see it. I can be blind in her presence, and nothing will have changed. Her body will not transform based on who looks at it or who is close to it. Her body does not need to transform. Her body is too strong to transform. I feel her braver in every bone.

   She knows what a fine line is, too. She knows what choice is. She can be soft and she can be unyielding. She knows herself well enough to know what is best for every situation. She knows that to hold up others she must first be strong enough. She is aware.
   She can be relied on. She can be relied on because she is honest with herself and with others. When there is too much, she says that there is too much. Because she knows how to steady herself, she can steady others, too.
   She asks for help. She cannot do everything, or anything, alone. She makes mistakes, and cannot correct them all. She has people near her that can come to her aid. She needs help. She is not perfect.
   She is fierce, though, and her protection (of both herself and others) is strong. It is built on differences, not similarities, and is built over her whole life, not one day. Most importantly, she is still moving, and her intentions and values and choices may change. Her fierceness and protection will journey and transform likewise—expanding or shrinking appropriately.
   She is full of contradiction and realization. She knows her responsibility, and allows others to know it. She trusts and is therefore strong enough to realize that if she crumbles, or falls, or is crushed, she can be built up again.