Aryn Henning Nichols

The harmony of the angelic voices,

Break free from their cage. 

While the audience sits in awed silence,

Of the touching tale, unfolding across the stage. 

With memories of music,

Of laughter,

Of fun.

We fill a void space,

With emotion and song.

Leaping and prancing, 

And twirling along.

On stage is a truly remarkable place,

But backstage, the magic happens too,

With banter and with games,

And endless hullabaloo.

To backstage then I leap,

Spinning and singing,

Chatting and bantering,

Sending my jolly smile grinning. 

Sparkles, and ruffles, and frills,

Suits and heels, and ties,

Shoes, and hats, and blazers,

Oh my! Oh my! Oh my!

Costumes add charm to the dreariest of days,

With wall-to-wall shimmers,

And drawers full of sparkles

Here, my day always glimmers.

Waltzing down the well-worn stairs.

The scent brings back memories, 

Of mischief and of gossip.

Welcome me to the lights and mirrors. 

Home isn’t just a building,

But it is a feeling,

Of love,

Of fun, 

Of learning,

And of laughter.

Of all the happy things in the world,

Here, I will never be alone.

But it’s the people in the building,

That truly makes it home.

We created Future Focused, a new Inspire(d) column written by pre-teens and teens, to help give the next generation an opportunity to share their voices. Partnering with Dana Hogan, the Extended Learning Program teacher at Decorah Middle School, we offered prompts around the question, “What feels like home?” Students submitted some really great work, and five were chosen for this Inspire(d). You can read all the Future Focused pieces published so far at iloveinspired.com/category/future-focused. Here’s to Listening to the Next Generation! – Aryn

First comes summer,

Which is never a bummer,

From rippling muddy waves,

to sticky muddy caves,

And rays of the hot sun that always misbehaves.

Stinging burnt skin,

But summer is always a win.

Next comes fall,

And the winds’ new howling call,

Big leafy piles,

To raking for a while,

Coughing smoke of billowing bonfires,

And reading a magazine that “Inspires.”

Chilly days,

And sunny rays,

But fall is always “just a phase.”

Then it’s winter,

With firewood splinters,

And a wish for warmth,

With new coats soon to be set forth,

Frostbite nips,

To glove rips,

But winter is just a trick.

Last is spring,

An opening to a new “Thing,”

Soggy wet mornings,

And new fog warnings,

Muddy feet,

To new boots that now reek,

Spring is never for the weak.

That is the Decorah life,

With people who strive,

Driftless stones,

A place we call home.

We created Future Focused, a new Inspire(d) column written by pre-teens and teens, to help give the next generation an opportunity to share their voices. Partnering with Dana Hogan, the Extended Learning Program teacher at Decorah Middle School, we offered prompts around the question, “What feels like home?” Students submitted some really great work, and five were chosen for this Inspire(d). You can read all the Future Focused pieces published so far at iloveinspired.com/category/future-focused. Here’s to Listening to the Next Generation! – Aryn

The melodic, sweet sound 

Of wrinkled pages flipping 

Is music to my ears.

Soaking up every word written

On those torn, yellowed pages

The musty scent of knowledge

Filled my nostrils.

Emily Dickinson wrote

“Hope is the thing with feathers.”

Well, for me 

Home is the book with letters.

Live a thousand lives

Walk millions of miles

Return home after each day

Full of adventure.

Hot tears slip down my cheeks

Laughter bubbles in my throat

Fear piles in my stomach

The world can swarm and blur

All around me

Into chaos

I couldn’t care less

For it’s just me

In a book

Right at home.

We created Future Focused, a new Inspire(d) column written by pre-teens and teens, to help give the next generation an opportunity to share their voices. Partnering with Dana Hogan, the Extended Learning Program teacher at Decorah Middle School, we offered prompts around the question, “What feels like home?” Students submitted some really great work, and five were chosen for this Inspire(d). You can read all the Future Focused pieces published so far at iloveinspired.com/category/future-focused. Here’s to Listening to the Next Generation! – Aryn