ONLINE YOUTH LITERARY MAGAZINE

Photography by Silja Pietilä, 18, Finland

Dear Readers and Contributors,

 

I would like to take the opportunity to personally thank you all for the continuous love and support, especially through the pandemic. In just under 6 months, we’ve come so far; the magazine has been featured on Publish YOUth Writing and Poets & Writers, and the editorial team reached a whooping milestone of 100+ Advice Articles written! As we continue grow our global outreach, we’ve published over 280 creators from 25 U.S. States, 25 countries, and 6 continents across the world! 

 

It’s been a pleasure growing this community over the past three years, so I know I speak for the entire editorial board when I say we hold this magazine and our contributors close to our hearts. It takes a tremendous amount of research and effort to manage the magazine, which is why we're so thankful for all of your support. We encourage you to share our publications and Advice Articles to help our other young creators who may be interested in pursuing their craft.

 

Cheers,

Lori Khadse

Founder, Nonfiction Editor in Chief

The Elysian Muse Youth Literary Magazine

Photography by Safia Henniche, 16, Boston

Editors' Choice Works

 

Good Mourning

Written by Quynh

 

 

09.08.2021

hey, sunshine, good mourning

it’s been a while since i’ve seen you,

i thought i might drop by

and catch you up on all the news. 

so, sunshine, what’s life like

six feet beneath the grass?

i know your dad, he meant to visit

but i guess he had to pass. 

look, sunshine, i brought you

a handful of sunflowers

remember, they were your favorite

and you could lie with them for hours?

but, sunshine, i miss you

even though its been so long

i miss the way your fingers danced

on guitar strings in a song. 

and sometimes, i think my friends are whispering

behind their hands at me

sometimes i think i’ll be lost to history

and i miss your loyalty.

sunshine, life’s been messy

even more so, as of late

see, sunshine, it hit me

out of nowhere yesterday; 

i’m about to outlive you

and your jacket is starting to fray

i’m almost older than you were

when the lake took you away. 

sunshine, how do i live with that?

the settling of life scores—

how do i go on like this?

how do i wake in the wake of yours?

 

 

 

Quynh is sixteen, and has spent all sixteen of her years in love with words. Language and lyric have been lifelines in a long line of learning and loss, poetry and fiction both instrumental to her heart. She currently lives in Northern California, where she may almost always be found with a pen in her hand.