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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My Rope Swing

Threads of twine twisted together
Working to keep me up
As I swing into the air
My hair trailing behind me.

Crashing my legs into the bushes
I get scratched all over
But I don’t care
Holding onto the rope with all my might.

Wind slashes against my cheeks
Bark and twigs fall in my eyes
The branch sways back and forth, threatening to break
As I spin around in a wild circle.

Leaning back and looking up
The tree’s limbs wrap around the sky
Shining through the foliage
The sun smiles and so do I.

My Rope Swing Alexandra Orczyk
Alexandra Orczyk, 11
Escondido, California