Artifice Magazine (2023)

things were supposed to turn out differently once there was a grand plan some way in which events were meant to play out with order and purpose but as you find out life is so much nothing scream your anguish into the void fill it up with sound

Will Kibel '23

Rule of Thirds

Annabelle Wagner '24

Theatre Kid

AndthentherewasaTheatreKidwaydown InNewYorkCitytoseeHadestown. Icedcoffeeinhandandwaitinginline, ThisTheatreKidbeamedattheBroadwaysign.

Andohhowupsetthesepeopledidget Whensheburstoutinsongwithoutasweat. Shesang“LaVieBohème”fromtheshowRent ToprovehowmuchtoherJonLarsonmeant. Shecalledoutrandomfactsthatnooneknows Orcaresabout.Theyjustsoughttoseeshows! “Larsonsangwhileindiapers,”sheproclaimed, Andthecrowdgroaned,wishinghertobemaimed.

Andthenshebegan,withajoyfulgrin, Tospeakofherownshowfromwhereshe’dbeen. “Ican’twaittoact:toputonthisshow. Iam,ofcourse,playingthelead,youknow. Wouldyouliketohearsome?Iknowyoudo.”

Despite groans from the crowd, she started to spew Excerpts from “Defying Gravity,” which Made the people in the crowd start to twitch. And as she sang, she remembered past nights, After performances in the bright lights, Of a Denny’s diner in her hometown, Where fellow thespians gleamed in renown. In her Hadestown shirt and her ripped jeans, This Theatre Kid was not like other teens. She waited desperately to go indoors, Eager to add to her playbill-filled drawers. Hyped-up for the show, she kept on singing.

Causing the masses’ ears to start ringing. And although the crowd continued to boo, She said, “I’ll be famous one day, shame on you!”

Megan Winakur '24

Eloise Khouzami '24

Eloise Khouzami '24

The Blazing Hills of Columbia, California

Ada Morris '24

Ada Morris '24

Annabelle Wagner '24

Gone Fishing

Abby Kim '24

Crossfire

The windows of the building in the quiet, rundown neighborhood rattle behind words being slung from mother, father, and son. You could always hear the harsh words you were told not to use because they can sting, penetrate, and leave a lifelong scar. The concrete sidewalk glistens under the sun as if it is new, but we all know it is only clean from the heavy rainstorm endured the night before. The long, broad cracks are still evident; it looks like it was purposely hammered. Instead it is just another sign that the neighborhood is broken-down.

Jenny is sitting on the worn porch steps outside of the family’s apartment although it’s no longer safe outside. The air is brisk and the afternoon sun is visible behind the haze of the clouds.

Jenny is wearing the lavender and green floral dress her mother bought her when she turned thirteen. Jenny’s birthday is today; she is sixteen-years-old. It is not the sweet sixteen-day she was expecting. Last night, after he was missing for over four days, the police escorted Jenny’s brother Mark home. Going missing and getting in trouble was nothing new for Mark. He is seventeen years old, has been kicked out of school several times, and when he is mad he causes harm to anyone in his path.

Jenny’s mother has had enough. She believes that brushing away the issues is no longer the way to survive. Mark remains close-minded, refuses to adjust, and continues to disrupt the lives of those around him without a second thought. Therefore, Jenny’s parents decide that today is the last day Mark will live in their house. They choose to survive; they will no longer be victims. However, Mark disagrees and chaos erupts. As Jenny’s mother screams that Mark’s behavior is unacceptable and would no longer be tolerated his father proceeds to remove his things from the home.

As Jenny sits quietly, longing for the attention from her parents it seems only her brother receives, the sun is beginning to set. Jenny is always the one that suffers the spiteful effects of the disagreements between the people she loves the most. They don’t see the impact it is having on her; after all she is the daughter that does everything right and is expected to succeed.

The door to the apartment building swings open. Mark and his dad are fighting over the suitcase containing Mark’s possessions. The number of faces peering out the windows of the surrounding buildings has grown. Everyone is watching the disagreement unfold. Mark’s mother contacts the police. Mark whistles for assistance from the neighborhood thugs he calls his friends. Out of nowhere, they arrive wielding weapons, prepared for a showdown. Jenny pleads with her brother to take his things and leave, but Mark doesn’t listen. Jenny runs back in the house. Seconds later she returns.

“Him or me,” Jenny screams, “Him or me?” Everyone turns to look at Jenny. Tears are flowing from her innocent eyes. The silence, although unimaginable, returns, only to be broken by the sound of a single shot. You hear a mother’s fierce cry, a father’s whimper. The sidewalk that once glistened under the morning sun is crimson. We’re left behind to live another day like the one before it never happened. Our faith is tested; our blessings destroyed. Those who love and are loved are caught in the crossfire. We’re all caught in the crossfire.

The windows of the building in the quiet, rundown neighborhood rattle behind words being slung from mother, father, and son. You could always hear the harsh words you were told not to use because they can sting, penetrate, and leave a lifelong scar. The concrete sidewalk glistens under the sun as if it is new, but we all know it is only clean from the heavy rainstorm endured the night before. The long, broad cracks are still evident; it looks like it was purposely hammered. Instead it was just another sign that the neighborhood is broken-down.

Chandler Julianelle '26

Crossroads

Ada Morris '24

Annabelle Wagner '24

Glittering Eyes

Brilliant eyes, they sparkle like opal; Blue in their nature, they steal my eye. His body, his shape, I feel their pull; I could pull away; I’d rather not try. His eyes, they are perfect, they will never grow dull.

Owen Paterson '25

10:31 Ada Morris '24

Ada Morris '24

Meant to be Free

Star gazing, amazing,

I was born under the moon

Meant to be free, but not

The difference is hue,

Not what I can do, this is logic I cannot construe

Meant to be free, but not

Am I meant to dream,

Or does that simply cause steam

Meant to be free, but not

I am an individual, an educated man

Do my words sound strange, or come second hand

Why should you feel a certain way, why should you have a say

Born to you, no, I was born under the moon

Meant to be free, but not

Is a justification required for human dignity

Are we meant to embrace toxicity

Uniformity of thoughtfulness we crave,

After all, aren't we the home of the brave

Meant to be free, but not

Hypocrisy abound, advised not to make a sound

Protest thee with all thy might, unexpected is those that come to fight

Humankind that wonders why, leave those like me to bellow, even cry

With strength come unity, community, and God willing, equal opportunity

Meant to be free, but not

Ask yourself, must I be fair or does my brown mix cause you to forbear

Why do you protest

Are you accepting that the populace be oppressed

When does justice come

Will I be alive

Do you verily find it acceptable to connive

Marginalized, demoralized, then you expect me to apologize

Meant to be free, but not

I was meant to rise, even if not in your eyes

I can see the light through the predicament, through my plight

Chimera you expect, but I was meant to dream

You cannot hold me back, all I know is in my bloodstream

Courage, dignity, and engagement in the air. you cannot expect me to sit back in despair

Meant to be free, but not

May the world abound and resound with tolerance and respect

Don’t look for a reason or motive to object

Those that think it possible to overcome, will certainly embrace and seize the outcome

We have the strength to endow; the time is undoubtedly now

Are you ready to pursue

Ready to make a breakthrough

Meant to be free, but not

Unmatched honor and dignity, moving forward to brilliancy

We will all see and feel the groove, the time is now, get ready to move Fall in line and ready to muster, let it be known there’ll be no cloud buster

My mother placed me here, now it’s time for me to commandeer It was not inopportune, I was born under the moon

Meant to be Free

Chandler Julianelle '24

Olivia Salenger '26

Zara Allen '25

Tornado on the Horizon

Raison D'etre

Arisen from slumber

My bedroom cold

The window is open

Light breaks and a starling falls in I know this one

It made its nest in my house this home I was born in

The nest always rested atop the branch

That same branch that grew above my window, stubbornly it anchored Before my cradle became a bed

Though my warbler neighbored me, it never entered Today, against its natural use, it fell in. Its wings were absent

Flightless

Marcid

In an appetence I scour

The avians breath waned

My search becomes frantic

Delirium has its grasp I weep in fear of failure

My eyes clear. Head lifts. Wings sitting gently on my pillow

The bird flies.

Nicholas Tinsley '24

Artifice 2023 Leaders

Eloise Khouzami '24

Ada Morris '24

Members

Rod Swayne '25

Callum Bullers '26

Payton Salais '26

Alessandra O'Connell '26

Megan Winakur '24

Lindsay Kim '24

Nina Murthi '24

Bella Sodhi '25