BRACE

Brace

Synthetic microfibers intertwine beneath the grey surface.
Wires coil inward until the buckle clicks shut.
Telescopic hooks catch on the worn fabric.
A grey-blue vest dulls beneath the fluorescent light.
Scratchy nylon drags along the wooden floor.
Spiderweb mesh channels air through narrow seams.
A hidden zipper splits the front panel open.
Velcro straps fold back onto themselves again and again.
Loose threads fray near the left shoulder.
Someone nudges it away beneath the bed.

Stuck

The shadow of the tree
that once fell over me
now slowly leans away.

The blue sky above
melts into pink and orange.
Soon it will fade to gray.

The bench I sat on,
once soft after the long walk,
is now a hard, uneven rock against my back.

My coffee,
that kept my hands warm,
is now cold and spiritless.

My hands around the cup begin to ache
as the sun sinks toward the horizon.
They grow numb
when the sun slips halfway below it.

The excitement
drifts into a quiet void.
Stillness after effort feels like a gift.

I don’t remember what I’m waiting for.
I don’t know why I’m still here.
Still, I wait.

Daydream

The leaves flared red and orange.
The breeze was just enough
to paint my cheeks pink.
But the sky had been mixing gray into itself
all afternoon.

I was out with my friends—
or trailing behind them,
a shadow,
dark and easy to forget.

Then it began to rain.

They ran,
giggling,
jackets pulled over their heads like wings.
I tried to follow,
but they were too quick,
too light.

My shoes filled with mud,
seeping into my white socks.
My pants clung to my skin,
wet and cold.

I stopped.

Let the rain try.
Let it hammer at my shoulders,
stream down my face,
soak through every layer.

My hair hung heavy,
pulling me downward,
as if the earth wanted me closer.

No one turned around.
No one called my name.

Alexis Lee is a high school student and emerging poet who finds inspiration in fleeting moments, music, and the quiet details of daily life. Her work explores themes of memory, transformation, and human connection. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading contemporary poetry, listening to indie music, and exploring local bookstores.