A River of Tears
A River of Tears
Every day when we stand for the pledge, I feel like a curtain has fallen over me,
holding me down.
I remember who is president for the next four years.
And I want to cry.
I want to sit down and cry a river of tears.
Because sometimes dread and fear grip me, and I want the world to stop and let me be sad.
I want the world to let me cry a river of tears.
Then when I am done, I want the world to know that I am now ready for anything they hurl my way.
I want the world to know that I can do anything I put my mind to.
And that they should not underestimate what this generation can do.
What we WILL do.
And I believe that to be: Try our best to make the world a better place and never give up.
The Voice
November 2025
The Tomorrow Project Awards and Honorable Mentions
This issue of The Voice marks the completion of the first phase of The Tomorrow Project – with sincere congratulations to the many writers and artists who contributed a record 430 submissions to the p...
Writing: We (Are) The People
This poem by Popcorn, 14, of Vermont, was written in response to the writing challenge, We the People: The Constitution belongs to "we the people," and collectively we can make it work for us, argues ...
Visual Art: Who I Am
A self-portrait painted by writerfromva, age 17, of Virginia, in response to the visual art challenge, Values: Kindness and empathy are powerful forces. Look around you. Where do you find kindness? In...
Writing: And What Must They Think of Our Golden Door Now?
This poem by OverTheRainbow, age 12, of Vermont, was written in response to the challenge, Liberty: The Statue of Liberty, originally called "Liberty Enlightening the World," has stood as a symbol of ...
Visual Art: Deforestation and Its Impact on Wildlife
Sopyus, 18, of Florida, painted this piece, "Deforestation and Its Impact on Wildlife," in response to the visual art challenge, Climate and Our Earth: Create art that explores the many impacts of the...
Writing: Sparkler
This poem by IceGalaxy, age 17, of Virginia, responds to the challenge, The Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed...
Writing and Visual Art: Kindness, Accidentally; and Common Ground
Swimspotter, 18, of Vermont is being doubly recognized for her poem, "Kindness, Accidentally," and for her illustration, "Common Ground." Her writing submission was in response to the challenge, Value...
A River of Tears
Every day when we stand for the pledge, I feel like a curtain has fallen over me, holding me down. I remember who is president for the next four years. And I want to cry. I want to sit down and cry a...
The Only King We Want
Restrain the roaring voices to prevent the foreseeable fights filled with rage and hatred that could permanently appall the people of this world. Lips must sculpt more smiles, for strangers to see and...
Love, Like Light, Like a Rose
Love Is like light Is like a rose Growing from the darkened depths Of a blackened bramble Climbing through the soil With shadowed claws, Defeated by Our love: Beautiful because Of its strength, Risin...
Unfinished
They gather in shadow beyond the monuments, no longer chiseled names, but men again, haunted by what they see, each bearing the weight of his vision now worn. Washington stands first, his hands once ...
What Does It Take to See?
What does it take to see the dandelions blooming in the spring, yellow manes bobbing in the wind?What does it take to see the sun slanting through the windows, to hear the tree frog's chorus in the ni...