Issue 6
By Lauren Kim
Optimistic Nihilism
Most beliefs are shattered before they can solidify into faith.
I walked into the woods with a man who barely loved me.
From afar came the howls of the wolves.
Or perhaps it was not wolves at all,
but only the mountain birds instead.
We hunched over to gather the fallen, broken branches.
Beyond that mountain, they said, stretched a plain where 400 deer,
struck by lightning, rotted under the open sky.
Did the 400 deer, even for a moment, merge into a single being?
Carrying a bundle of shattered branches,
We resumed our walk along the mountain trial once more.
Like pilgrims along an endless loop,
we moved slowly,
without haste.
Lauren Kim is a high school student with a fervent love for both poetry and visual art. Her work delves into the intricacies of identity, the nuances of nature, and the emotional currents of teenage life. Through her poems and mixed media artwork, Lauren seeks to capture and convey the beauty in moments of introspection and everyday experiences. When she's not writing or creating art, she enjoys exploring the outdoors, reading contemporary poetry, and experimenting with new artistic techniques. Lauren's work has been influenced by her diverse cultural background and her deep connection to the natural world. She aspires to continue growing as an artist and a writer, sharing her unique perspective with others.