Summer

The glass leaves a wet ring,
 the table stains darker, holds it.

Grass burns under soles,
the porch boards remember the 

shade.

Laughter spits from the shallow end,
somewhere, a rope groans 

alone.

Smoke from the grill sticks to shirts,
ice from the cooler bites through knuckles.

Boards creak after the bodies leave,
the hammock still rocks without weight.

Some things burn loud enough to echo,
some cool slow enough to forget.

And still,
both leave marks.

Across the dark canvas

The cracked lens seizes the sun,  

Shards of light slices through the 

dust–

Stretches long on the rippling dune, 

Feet sink in the dry grit, 

A crease in fabric flutters against the heat, 

Figures stand on the 

edge–

Softened by a 

gust– 

Scatters the

pebbles–

Spiraling towards the shadow of our feet, 

The sun lowers behind the barren, 

Orange light glows..

Shadows sink beneath the ground,

The night falls cool and heavy, 

A brute curled tight, 

Patterns darken on skin, 

Lines winding like rivers, 

Drying in the fading light, 

Faint sparks of cold fire

scattered–

Across the dark canvas,

Blending into the night

This Old House

Worn smooth beneath every step,
splintered in places where shoes have slid.
It absorbs spilled sauces and dropped rice grains,
the heavy shuffle of customers coming and going.
It holds echoes of whispered deals and laughter,
silent but alive beneath each scuff.

Frame bent from years of use,
legs uneven, scraping the floor.
Its seat sags just enough to feel familiar,
cracked leather peeling like old skin.
It’s been leaned on, kicked, ignored,
but it stays, stubborn as the walls.

Hanging over the kitchen entrance,
threadbare and soaked with steam and grease.
Its edges fray like forgotten memories,
blocking the world beyond with a soft, heavy hush.
It moves only when the cooks pass through,
bearing the smell of garlic and smoke.

JK Kim is an ambitious student at Virginia Episcopal School in Lynchburg, VA. His interests lie in creative writing, particularly in short stories and poetry. During his free time, he enjoys playing golf and pursuing photography as a means of expression and inspiration.