Lucas

Claire Natanek ‘25

This is a painting of my cat, Lucas, looking out the window. He died a year ago, and we miss him a lot. When painting this piece, I used more gestural and loose brush strokes to achieve an impressionist look, like a memory.

After the Rain

After it ended, it was quiet,

like when the screams of war cease once 

the last canon has fired.

Like that feeling when pouring

rain slowly fades,

a gentle shower soon becoming the silence

misty blue surrounds.


After the rain, it was quiet.

Relief held hands with everyone,

as slowly soldiers picked up their weapons.

The animals scurried out of their hideaways,

as servicemen found their friends —

without a pulse.

After the rain, birds sang songs of joy and freedom.

Soldiers cried as they tried

to wake their mates,

as they tried to pull them out of heaven.

After it ended, it was quiet.

I liked it better when it was quiet,


Cathryn Murray ‘28

I wrote this piece because I was thinking about the moment directly after something happens. Its quiet and everything seems to pause. It is a really special moment that I wanted to explain through a poem.