Stone Soup

Where young artists paint the world with words

The international magazine of stories, poems, and art by young writers and artists. Published continuously since 1973.

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Just Me

When I first saw the dark of night
I knew who I was.
I was another shard
Of my birthstone.

I was the king of curiosity.
I was a bitter one with danger.
I was a monkey going tree to tree
And the “Ouch!”
When I fell out of a bush.
I tossed and turned to get up
And I climbed out of the bush.

Then a few years later,
I move away too sad to say,
“Will we go back and have fun?”
“Yes,” says my mom, “Some day…
but not for long.”

Ilya Ivanović Just Me
Ilya Ivanović, 10
Santa Barbara, CA