"Witches have Sweet Teeth" by Kanchan Naik

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! Today we continue our special Halloween feature on the blog! In the past few days we have been featuring poetry on this topic, from the spooky to the light-hearted. We hope these pieces help you get into the Halloween spirit!

• "Predators and Prey" by Neel Kanamangala
• "October" by Ryan Lee

Our third and final piece comes from young writer Kanchan Naik, whose poetry is featured in the Write On! Books online literary journal Word Smorgasbord.

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Witches have Sweet Teeth 

(Note from the author: This is based off of the darker themes behind fairy tales. Most of the plot of this poem is told from the witch’s perspective in Hansel and Gretel. The underlying moral of the poem regards how things that are sweet can be much deadlier than what seems frightening on the outside. It speaks of how evil can show up in the people we least expect it to.)   

A trickle of rosy frosting dribbles down
Bronze valleys and cocoa pools of
Cookies left with lace napkins signed by
Death himself in lilac and baby blue

Every blotch of tawny sweetness
Freckled with flecks of perfect poison
Globs of acetone tucked in flour, just for you

Hold your breath and open wide
I can spoon-feed every bite, saying
Jack fell down and lost his crown
Kill you slowly with a nursery rhyme

Longer, longer I can wait
My cuckoo clock keeps ticking
Never stopping; dread that deadly chime?

Old Mother Hubbard, went to the cupboard
Pulled out a pie made with newborn blackbirds
Quickly, quickly spread the frosting; I’ve been trying
Recipes you taste only once, feathers in the crust

Syrup is sweeter with a pinch of powder
Trust me, there’s space in your tummy
Unless you’ll try this one; just think of it as
Vanilla mixed with pixie dust

We live in a house of gummy bears
Xenophic of wolves behind that tree outside
Yet darling, witches have sweet tooths
Zest for life disappears in the sugar



About Kanchan (in her own words):
 
Ever since I was little, my only goal was to find something exciting to write about. When I stayed up late reading baffling mystery novels or hoisting a flashlight to make sense of poetry, I found another world rich and exciting, where anything and everything was possible. But what I realize now is that there’s always a mystery or an adventure in our ordinary, everyday life; so when I look for inspiration, I look for a spark in events that are completely real. Other than that, I’m a Potterhead, a whistler, and a complete sap for Disney movies and their happy endings. I like to feel, whether it is feeling the emotions of the characters in the books or feeling the surface of the rocks while climbing blindfolded… It’s like nothing else exists except perhaps my whistling to the wind.

On Setting a High Bar

Whenever I read a rough draft by a young writer, or when I look over a business plan from a student asking me for feedback, or when I am pitched an idea for a collaboration or project, I think of a woman named Cynthia. I don't even know her last name, but she had a profound impact on me.

I was a sophomore in high school, attending a writing conference for the first time. It was the Santa Barbara Writers Conference and it was a wonderful, energizing smorgasbord of resources, lectures, writing workshops, speakers, and information.

However, I felt completely and utterly overwhelmed.

The youngest one in attendance by at least a decade, to say I was "out of my comfort zone" that week would be putting it mildly. Shy by nature, I was desperately homesick and felt like I did not belong. I remember those first few meals in the dining hall, looking around for somewhere to sit, feeling like the little kid asking to eat at the grown-up table.

Then I met Cynthia, in a workshop called "Writing for Children." I summoned the courage to share a story I had written with other members of the workshop, and they responded with heartfelt encouragement. Cynthia, with no-nonsense energy and a warm smile, came up to me after class ended and asked if she could read a copy of my entire story. "You're talented," she said. "I want to help you get published." Not only did I have a friend to sit with in the dining hall the rest of the week, but I also had a writing buddy -- someone who treated me like a peer and took my work seriously.

Later that summer, I received a package in the mail with my story pages, generously written all over with comments, suggestions and edits in blue pen. Out of the goodness of her heart, Cynthia took the time (a lot of time, I know now, from commenting on student manuscripts myself) to painstakingly read through the pages of my story and help me become better. She invested time in me because she believed in me. In setting a high standard -- in treating me like a fellow professional writer, even though I was still a high school student -- she inspired me to treat myself like a professional, too.

I think of Cynthia's gift to me whenever I encounter work by a young person. I make a point to never talk down to my students or brush their dreams off, for "someday later" when they are older or wiser or more experienced. I know the truth: they have all the experience they need, right in this moment, to create the best work they are able to right now. Because we are always growing and evolving and changing, all of us, no matter how old. We are always learning and becoming better. But this marvelous and important growth does not happen when we patronize our young people. So, like Cynthia did for me, I set the bar high for my students -- and then, I delight in watching them rise and surpass those high expectations.

I thought about all of this when listening to a recent Innovate Podcast interview with Liz Maw, CEO of the nonprofit organization Net Impact. At the heart of Net Impact's mission is a passion to empower a new generation to use their careers to "drive transformational change in the workplace and the world." This struck me as incredibly innovative -- and yet also, familiar. It made me think of the way Cynthia treated me. Indeed, when I listened to Net Impact's mission, I found it refreshing that they are not aiming to connect with the established "old guard" to spur change that transforms the world. Nope -- they are reaching out to a community of students and recent graduates who are just starting out in their careers. Rather than dismissing young people as too inexperienced or not influential enough, Liz Maw and Net Impact set a high bar for these students as capable of making big positive change. And what an effect they have had! Net Impact’s community now includes more than 60,000 student and professional leaders from more than 300 volunteer-led chapters around the globe, working together for a sustainable future.

How are you setting a high bar, for others and for yourself? Who has set a high bar for you in your life, and what impact has this had on where you are now?

Cynthia, if you ever read this, I want to say, THANK YOU.

"October" by Ryan Lee

Today we continue our special Halloween feature on the blog! In the next few days leading up to Halloween, we will be featuring poetry on this topic, from the spooky to the light-hearted. We hope these pieces help you get into the Halloween spirit!

• "Predators and Prey" by Neel Kanamangala

Our second piece comes from Dancing With The Pen II contributor Ryan Lee, whose story "The World's Record of the Greatest Battle" is featured in the book. Order a personalized copy of Dancing With The Pen II: a collection of today's youth writing here or on Amazon here.

October 

Outside playing four-square and wall-ball
Cool air against my face
Trick-or-treat at the end of the month
Or stay home and wait for people to ring your doorbell
Brisk winds encircle you
Everlasting time of leaves falling
Remember the fun of October

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Ryan Lee is a third-grader in northern California. He learned to read at a very young age, and he enjoys writing a lot. Hero stories are his favorite. Although he likes to read and write, his favorite subject in school is math. Ryan also likes swimming and skiing. He enjoys listening to music, singing karaoke with his dad, doing Snap Circuit projects and assembling remote-controlled robots.

Links: 

Order Dancing With The Pen I & Dancing With The Pen II directly (personalized copies available!) or via Amazon.

If you have a few minutes and could write a review on Amazon, that would be fantastic!

You can also follow Dancing With The Pen on Facebook. We're featured on Goodreads, too!

"Predators and Prey" by Neel Kanamangala

Today we kick off a special Halloween feature on the blog! In the next few days leading up to Halloween, we will be featuring poetry on this topic, from the spooky to the light-hearted. We hope these pieces help you get into the Halloween spirit!

Our first piece comes from Dancing With The Pen II contributor Neel Kanamangala, whose poem "Technology Every Day" is featured in the book. Order a personalized copy of Dancing With The Pen II: a collection of today's youth writing here or on Amazon here.

Predators and Prey 

When the moon is full, and the sun has set
Dig deep, fly high, let nothing cause you to fret
Beware, beware, the coming of the one
Or else he will appear, and cause your blood to run 

Beware, beware, the falling to the deep
In darkness dwells and secrets keep
For he walks alone in fading light
As he goes hunting through the night

Monsters lurk in the trees
Death is a calm breeze
I am not afraid of thee
The strongest monster in the forest, is me

His blades are sharp, his aim is keen
So beware, beware, the coming of the unseen
His victims are slain, one by one
A prayer to those below, the hunt has now begun

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Neel Kanamangala is eleven years old and in the seventh grade. He spends his free time playing games, reading and swimming.

Links: 

Order Dancing With The Pen I & Dancing With The Pen II directly (personalized copies available!) or via Amazon.

If you have a few minutes and could write a review on Amazon, that would be fantastic!

You can also follow Dancing With The Pen on Facebook. We're featured on Goodreads, too!

New story by "Dancing With The Pen II" Contributor Nicole Ham

Today we continue our Dancing With The Pen II blog tour with an exclusive extra story by young writer Nicole Ham, whose short story "Winter Wonderland?" is featured in the book. Order a personalized copy of Dancing With The Pen II: a collection of today's youth writing here or on Amazon here.

The Elephant Who Could Fly

by Nicole Ham

Once there was an elephant. He was an average-looking elephant. Some might have even called him boring. Suddenly, the strangest thing happened. The elephant grew wings! Therefore, he could fly!

However, all the other elephants laughed at him, thinking that there was no way an elephant could actually fly into the air because elephants weigh so much.

Surprisingly, though, this elephant's wings grew and grew and grew until they could lift the elephant up into the sky!

(Did I mention his name? If I didn't, his name was Flippers. Funny name, huh?)

Flippers flew to all sorts of places. People couldn't believe their eyes. "A flying elephant!" they said. "I never imagined such a thing was possible!"

Unfortunately, one man in Madagascar said that it was all a hoax. "It's all false, I tell you!" he shouted. "That elephant is a loser!"

Flippers the elephant heard this man's insults and grew angry. I'll teach him a lesson, he thought.

So Flippers the flying elephant flew over the man and dropped honey onto his head. Ka-plat! The man was a sticky, gooey mess. Flies and bees buzzed around his head, attracted to the honey.

The next morning, when Flippers woke up, his wings had disappeared.

"Awe!" he sighed. So he returned to his normal life as a ground-based elephant.

original drawing by Nicole Ham

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Nicole Ham is eleven years old. She likes art and especially animals. Her favorite sport is gymnastics. Her family loves to play board games. 

Links: 

Order Dancing With The Pen I & Dancing With The Pen II directly (personalized copies available!) or via Amazon.

If you have a few minutes and could write a review on Amazon, that would be fantastic!

You can also follow Dancing With The Pen on Facebook. We're featured on Goodreads, too!

New story by "Dancing With The Pen II" Contributor Kevin Ham

Today we continue our Dancing With The Pen II blog tour with an exclusive extra story by young writer Kevin Ham, whose short story "Hot! Hot! Hot!" is featured in the book. Order a personalized copy of Dancing With The Pen II: a collection of today's youth writing here or on Amazon here.

The Story of a Basketball

By Kevin Ham

One day, the strangest thing happened: my basketball had a face on it! The ball started bouncing around. I put a basket in front of him. He jumped and landed right in the hoop! I tried bouncing him. I shot him, and he went in the hoop. The face disappeared. I set the ball down, and the face came back.

The next day, I went to the park with the strange ball. I went over to the basketball courts. Some teenagers were playing basketball. They laughed at me because they thought I was bad.

I would prove them wrong. I went all the way to the end of the court, and shot the basketball very softly. Surprisingly, the ball started arcing higher and faster, soaring all the way towards the hoop at the far end of the court. Then... swish!

The teenagers were shocked. Some of them had their mouths open. One said, "You're a legend!" Another asked, "Are you Stephen Curry?"

I became famous all around the world! The next morning, people were surrounding me. I said, "I only have time for one question. You. In the back."

"Is the ball super lightweight or something?"

"No, it isn't," I answered. "Do you want to carry it yourself and see?"

"Oh sure!" replied the man. I tossed the basketball to him and he said, "Yep, this is normal weight."

I went to the park to shoot some baskets, and everyone followed me. I thought it was pretty annoying. I shot and shot. I thought they would start getting bored, but more and more people kept coming. Soon news reporters showed up to talk to the crowd.

One audience member said, "I never saw him miss one."

Another person said, "He should join the NBA. He really should!"

I tried and tried to make my way home, but I couldn't escape through the mob of people. Finally, I slipped through some people's legs and got out. I ran as fast as I could to my house. I shut the door and caught my breath. I said to the basketball, "This was the worst day ever!" I ran around the house and shut every window and locked every door.

Then I plopped on my bed and hid the magic ball underneath it, way in the back. I guess being a regular basketball-playing kid is better than I thought it was!

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Kevin Ham is nine years old and goes to John Green Elementary School. He loves basketball and Minecraft. He lives with his mom, dad, grandma and sister. 

Links: 

Order Dancing With The Pen I & Dancing With The Pen II directly (personalized copies available!) or via Amazon.

If you have a few minutes and could write a review on Amazon, that would be fantastic!

You can also follow Dancing With The Pen on Facebook. We're featured on Goodreads, too!

Interview with Young Writer Isabella Yang

Can you tell us a little about yourself as an introduction? 

Hello! My name is Isabella Yang and I am currently a senior at Groton School, MA. I have just turned eighteen! My hometown is Nanjing, China—miles away from where I live right now. Besides writing I love to paint (both acrylic and watercolor), do music and hike. Creative things in all forms make me happy; I also love the feeling of immersing myself in nature. My other academic interests include languages (especially classics) and history.

So wonderful to have you on the blog today! To begin, can you take us through your writing process?

My writing process differs for different forms. For a short story or creative nonfiction, what pops into my mind first are several lines, usually at the end or somewhere in the middle, that occur to me at random times of inspiration. At such moments I jot down the sentences and do some free writes based on those lines, which will eventually evolve into complete pieces. For poetry and longer pieces of fiction, I start with the very beginning and see where my meandering thoughts lead me to.

Have you been writing for a long time? What do you like about writing? 

I have been writing for a long time, but not in English. I grew up in China and have been doing creative writing in Chinese since elementary school. I actually only started seriously doing creative writing in English less than two years ago! Then, I was reading lots of works in English and realized that there were certain things only capable to be expressed fully with words through certain languages, so I started writing in both languages. I guess one thing I like about writing is that it conveys so much and brings emotions together. Reading and writing are inseparable from each other; although writing is cathartic for myself, my ultimate goal is to let people read my work and feel the similar emotions flowing through my world and theirs. Writing for me is like a bridge that connects isolated universes.

That is such a beautiful way of putting it: "a bridge that connects isolated universes." Let's pivot a bit and talk about success as a young writer. You have been accepted into some very prestigious writing programs, such as the Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshop. What does this mean to you? Did you do anything to celebrate?

I felt very honored. Personally I did not care about prestige that much, but it felt good to have my works recognized as potential. The feeling of starting a voyage in which I could be surrounded by so many talented and passionate writers close to my age was fantastic. I was very excited when I got the news and felt encouraged, so I wrote two sonnets the very next day! (That definitely counts as a celebration.)

That does sound like a perfect celebration! Do you have any advice for other writers, or for other young people going after their dreams? 

First of all, it’s never late to start. Whenever you feel like writing, just pick up the pen and write! Experience isn’t all in writing—for me, inspiration and passion are equally important. Then, it is very important to keep on learning how to write. There were moments in my past when I made the mistake of thinking that I have learned enough about writing; there is never enough to learn about the art of language, and everyone can be a teacher. Also, there is no bad writing once writers set their hearts to their works: write genuinely and don't judge. Those have been my principles while writing and reading other writings.

Can you share a few of your favorite books or authors? 

One of my all-time favorite books is Walden. I love Thoreau’s philosophy about life and nature; this book has inspired me tons as well as calmed my mind so many times. I also love Victor Hugo’s works, especially Les Miserables: it’s just epic. Toni Morrison, Virginia Woolf and J. R. R. Tolkien are probably my favorite writers who write in English, but I also love non-English writers such as Milan Kundera and Gabriel Garcia Marquez. The Unbearable Lightness of Being has been a lighthouse for my life.

What inspires you?  

Very random moments of life. The smell of a blossoming late spring, a misty mirror in the bathroom after a shower, a piece of music randomly picked by my player, a conversation I eavesdropped in a small-town Thai restaurant, and so on. Maybe one thing they have in common is that they are all very real, and evoke solid emotions, whatever they may be, in me, which I transmit to my writings.

What are you working on now? What’s next for you? 

Right now I’m working on a novel loosely based on my own family history. It tells the story of a Chinese family through the entire span of the 20th Century and several huge political changes of the nation. I am thinking of taking part in the National Novel Writing Month this November. This is the first time I write a novel so I’m really excited! I have also been working on random pieces of poetry and fiction outside of class as well as creative nonfiction in my expository writing class.

Anything else you’d like to add? 

A few days ago when our school was doing a class activity, when asked the question “Who are you?” I realized that before thinking about my national, gender or ethnic identity, the first thing that popped into my mind was my identity as a writer. I guess writing will a life-long experience for me, and I hope that whatever I do and whatever life I lead in the future I can always keep that identity. I hope I can, as people from Kenyon Review Young Writers say, “Write hard and die free!”

Links:

• The Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshop