Quiet Thoughts in a White Clay Creek

Artwork by Rebecca Song, staff artist

Creek currents crack against smooth river rocks.

Like a galaxy, every collision yields new stars.

Marks against the skin of the Earth, kisses of

cool mountain water soak through a pine forest,

snake a path from root to root, bush to bush, tree to tree.

Dew collects on the needles before smoothly

slipping off and disappearing into deliciously cool

morning air. They say evergreens are not as

beautiful: they do not flower, only bristle and irritate.

They have never lied down, head supported by bark,

and looked up to the sky in a pine forest.

A pine tree is the oldest organism in the world.

You can see the age in the familiar way each needle

touches another, a lattice of new growth and old growth

filter warm sunlight just the same.

---

This is Rebecca! She’s just started her first year of art school. She not only loves to make creative content through her drawings but she also loves to listen to music (from R&B to kpop), dance, read novels, binging shows and movies, learning new languages on Duolingo and hanging out with friends.