[Y]oung Writers Project, an independent nonprofit based in Burlington, engages young people to write and use digital media to express themselves with clarity and power, and to gain confidence and skills for school, the workplace and life.
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Photo of the Week: Vivien Sorce, 14, Hinesburg
The revenue of the U.S. cosmetic industry was estimated at an alarming $39.2 billion in 2020, and only a quick look at any trendy fashion magazine in the checkout aisle tells us which age demographic is most explicitly targeted. This week’s featured poet, Whitney Dykstra of Monkton, gives us the glimpse of a character facing her own face in the mirror, struggling to paint over the features that make her most unique.
Makeup
Whitney Dykstra, 14, Monkton
Mascara,
to thicken nonexistent lashes.
Racoon eyes,
mascara running from a nonexistent gaze.
Concealer,
to cover the “imperfections,”
to blend into the world of “pretty” people.
Patchwork,
concealer awkwardly reapplied in an attempt
to match the flawless beauty of another
he sees as pretty.
Ruby-red lipstick,
to lure in a catch.
Bloody smile,
ruby-red lipstick
coating gnashing teeth,
gnawing,
pursing,
holding back a scream.
Mourning a fish
who swam upstream.
