By Francesca Iucci
Art by Chris Kent
She could feel the piercing eyes looking at her,
She could hear the whispers of laughter
As she walked down the halls.
She could see herself sitting on her own
While the young souls populated every corner.
She could smell the familiar odors
That had accompanied her for years
In that same lonely place.
She was aware of the fact that it only existed
In her mind,
There was no one there.
Everything was a reminiscence of the past
She had not yet forgotten
In the midst of a different chaos.
It was enough.
She took a step.
Put a foot in front of the other.
Opened the door.
She stepped out of the vortex.
Holding the old insecurities,
But discovering a new clarity.
Francesca Iucci
Francesca Iucci is currently studying English literature at the University of York, but she’s originally from Rome. When she was fifteen and going through a rough time because of anxiety, she found in poetry the means to understand her emotions more clearly, and it has remained through the years something she feels the need to do whenever she’s not feeling at her best.
Ever since she got out of the black hole she was in, Francesca’s always tried to use her past experiences to her advantage and is slowly learning to love herself for who she is (all flaws are welcome). She’d love to turn writing into a career someday, and dreams of becoming a screenwriter. She is completely in love with Taylor Swift and everything she does, even though her cat comes in close second.
Chris Kent
Chris Kent is an artist, illustrator and woodworker who identities as non-binary. Chris lives in the Scottish Borders and sometimes works in Edinburgh for Edinburgh Museums and running workshops. Chris explores ideas of identity/uncertainty mainly by making art.
