carving a place

Sophie-Lorraine Smith
there was a river in which a girl drowned

she stared up at the wobbling forest scene, unfeeling back against the smooth rocks

a ghostly hand with the freckles remaining broke free from bone and reality

the cold girl, wreathed in imagined silk, touched the colder water and she finally saw

like erosion, the currents slowly nudged her out of her listless body

emerging, she wove up and down the banks of that river, watching deer and distant fires 

there was no more need for terror like there had been before terror didn't save her

in full, she had become something that could not be burned

from death came immortality

as the last of her blood drained, it was replaced by river water, clear and strong, the earth asking her forgiveness for having taken the strength she'd had before
Sophie-Lorraine Smith is an 18-year-old writer living in western Washington, USA. They are forever enamored with astronomy, language, cartoons, glitter, and cats.

"Black and white waterfall Umphang river AD4A4176bs" by Phuketian.S is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

The Author
Read More
UNDER THE MADNESS
A magazine for teen writers—by teen writers. Under the Madness brings together student editors from across New Hampshire under the mentorship of the state poet laureate to focus on the experiences of teens from around the world. Whether you live in Berlin, NH, or Berlin, Germany—whether you wake up every day in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North or South America—we’re interested in reading you!