The ELM

By Scarlett Contreras-Montesano

It’s been a struggle

Turning on the tap

50 gallon barrels of water cost a lot

The price is going up next month

Water gushed into the barrel

By Trudy Farrell
 Navajo Nation  “The United States” 

The U.S. has been contaminated

We knew no one would tell us

She counted her dimes and nickels to pay for water

By Siena DeMink

My brothers are in the living room goofing around, and I am in my bedroom; it is the only quiet place in the house. The family dog, Buddy, comes bounding playfully into my room. “Hi, Buddy,” I say.

By Alex Gordon

There’ll be no hiding soon

I force air into my lungs

There’ll be no hiding soon

My fragile calm explodes into nerves

Almost there

I’m convinced they can see through

By Evey Slavik

I’ll tell you stories
You might not enjoy them much 
But you should still listen

You might learn something
A valuable lesson
A joke to tell friends

Gather round to hear

We experience moments absolutely free from worry. These brief respites are called panic.
- Cullen Hightower

Panic is a sudden desertion of us, and a going over to the enemy of our imagination.