Aryn Henning Nichols

Stepping into a place that I can be transported,  

To a new world,

In all different types of books,

Tables and chairs glistening in the blinding sunlight, 

Books with all interesting topics waiting on the shelves,

Inhaling the strong fragrance of hand sanitizer, 

The light scent of books,

Gentle whispers echo through the building,

The sound of parents shushing their children,

Books being thoughtfully placed back onto the shelves,

Sitting in a comfortable chair to start a new book,

Flipping through the delicate pages,

The library taught me boredom,

Time spent there with nothing to do,

Looking through all of the shelves,

Waiting,

The thought of sitting in silence doesn’t seem entertaining,

But it gets me to pause,

To think about everything around me,

To realize that I don’t have to be at home

To feel 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

A place where Iowa’s cornfields meet the bluffs,

And ancient rock remembers glacial scuffs,

Lies the town of Decorah, a place of greens and golds,

Where stories are whispered, centuries old.

A place where Dunning’s Spring spills a cold cascade,

And where lush trees provide both fun and shade,

Trout Run Creek winds, a ribbon bright and clear,

And where anglers seek solace, year after year.

So breathe the air where Norwegian ghosts reside,

And feel the breath of this dear countryside,

Decorah, a place where history meets the green,

A small town beauty, truly serene,

The towering bluffs now shiftless,

That’s the hidden gem of the Driftless.

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 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