We are so excited to present the fifth volume of Wild and Free, the annual literary journal of Walden High School. This year's journal features students' poetry, personal transformation narratives, plays, magical realist short stories, and visual artwork. We hope you're as impressed as we are with the range of human experiences explored in these pieces—friendship, loss, mental health, love, traveling, difficulties of a COVID-19 world, (in)equality, hard lessons, everyday delights, and much more.
This year, we asked students to consider the theme of Magic. Some imagined magical worlds, objects, or characters that speak to the real issues and experiences they encounter, through an artistic lens. Others explored The Unknown (or in some cases, The Undead) as a kind of magic, as well as the subtle magic of everyday human emotions and experiences. Still, others wrote about their aspirations for a better future that they work toward through involvement in student clubs, the kind of compassionate and collaborative disposition that can feel otherworldly—magical, even.
As always, we are grateful to all Walden students for their willingness and courage to share their work and inspire creativity among us all. We hope you'll enjoy these pieces as much as we have.