
Vault
Spring 2022
Art By Liya Serikova '24
Little Sleepy Dumpling
Torin Osenar

Notes From a Second Floor Bedroom
Anonymous
I want to get giddy off of midnight moonlight
And let tomorrow play on without me
I want to stay here where no decision is a bad decision
And the dark holds stiller than my heartbeat ever did
And what even is darkness
Because I only see it once a day
But is the sun always staring into its empty face?
I want to believe that everything happened for a reason
And that these sounds coming out of my mouth mean more in another language
But since I forgot the words I was born into
I’m stuck with these
I want the night to wash it all away
Because it can.
Because would it really be darkness if it couldn’t?
Pooldavid
Oliver Rabinov

Liya Serikova
Light is one of the essential details in my paintings. There is a fantastic range of light and color in the natural world with which, and as an artist, I try to paint that incredible beauty. We must protect nature and understand how much it gives us without taking anything. When I paint landscapes, I always think about light. Playing with light, glare, and the shapes light creates are my inspiration. Its elusive quality can transform a figure or landscape in just a few seconds. I try to convey this feeling of the place, capturing the fleeting magic of light.

What’s the time on your watch it’s different than mine
L Brock
trying to
not give up on wishes
that have yet to come true
listening to the sink and watching it breathe
endlessly
living so easily
let me fall with it too
gazing at the waterfalls,
it’s meant to be turned off by now
watching the flowers who don’t deserve water get doused with tiny smiles when maybe i'm the one who deserves such nurture
such warming of hug
such sweet peace
such genuine types of love
the smiles too
i want all of the above
Flours
Torin Osenar

Poem from the cloud forest
Ian Brassard
Droplets of the early morning’s rain smatter against the cold metal roof above the bench on which I sit. The bright yet murky sky drifts idly across the canvas of trees that smear across the ash grey clouds.
The gentle rush of water pooling to my left is the only consistent sound in this moment of serenity. The stillness is anything but daunting, and beckons at anyone who stops to listen. Multiple species of bird chirp in the distance, chatting with each other about their world and their own feathered itineraries. They hurry and scurry, with purpose and determination, searching for the first task to complete.
The forest itself seems to be soaking in this time of rest and relaxation, sitting perfectly still, allowing the observant viewer to take the most ideal of mental pictures. There appears to be four levels of green from where I sit. The first is the lowest of the underbrush, where the most petite life creep and crawl. The undesirables call this home, and forever look up to what is out of reach. The following is the plants that will look you right in the eye. Stuck in the middle, they have adapted to getting the short end of photosynthesis’ stick. Looking up, you next encounter the bamboo, and smaller of the trees. Too young or meek to reach that upper echelon of the forest, this group of flora will always play second fiddle. And when the neck is properly craned upward, the eyes rest on the giants of the jungle. The beasts that the epiphytes cling on to, and all other vegetation envy.
Richard
Torin Osenar
Chanel
Oliver Rabinov
Caída de Ballenas (Whale Fall)
Jester Wren
Si. Si no hubieran estado ciegos de miedo, ella no estaría hundida, ensangrentada, atravesada, profanada. Si hubieran estado cuerdos, ella no estaría a la deriva debajo de su familia, sus lamentos de angustia resonando entre las olas. Si hubieran podido pensar con claridad, ella no estaría rodeada por multitudes de diminutas criaturas, mientras cantaban sus despedidas. Si se hubieran limpiado los ojos del agua salada, ella no estaría cayendo, entrelazada con los tentáculos de su antiguo enemigo, susurrando un lejano adiós. Si hubieran ignorado la cacofonía de la tormenta y la llamada de su canción, las bestias de la oscuridad infinita no la habrían protegido, arrastrándose desde las profundidades del mar. Si no hubieran disparado su arpón, no habrían escuchado las oraciones que subían desde las profundidades del cielo, diciendo: “gracias, gracias por esta comida”.
English Version
If. If they had not been blind with fear, she would not be sinking, bloodied, pierced, desecrated. If they had been sane, she would not be drifting below her family, their wails of anguish echoing through the waves. If they could have thought clearly, she would not be surrounded by droves of tiny creatures, as they sang their goodbyes. If they had wiped their eyes of the saltwater, she would not be falling, entwined with the tentacles of her ancient enemy, whispering a distant farewell. If they had ignored the cacophony of the storm and the call of her song, she would not be enshrined by the beasts of the endless dark, crawling out from the depths of the sea. If they had not fired their harpoon, they wouldn’t hear the prayers that drifted up from the depths of heaven, saying, “thank you, thank you for this meal.”
Trees
Emelia Brinkley
STD Testing For Teens
L Brock
Emerald Isle Sound
Evelyn Young
The echoes of blue birds in the morning,
Greet me as I step onto the lawn.
Flowers red, yellow, purple, and white,
Decorate the rich green grass.
The gentle July breeze,
Whips my blonde hair.
As I lay down,
I feel the wildflowers caress my fingers,
And I gaze at the scenery around me.
Rolling hills the color of emeralds,
Rest beneath a color sky.
The tranquility of the field,
Allows me to settle down from the previous bustle of the metropolis.
I join my friends on the other side of the field,
Amidst the beautiful flowers.
Fiona strums the chords on her guitar,
We all sit and listen.
Bathing in the sunlight,
Singing along to La Vie En Rose and Frank Ocean’s Ivy.
The daffodils and dandelions wave,
As a delicate zephyr continues to sublimely sweep the grass.
The perfect summer moment,
Whose value will only be visible,
Once it becomes a memory.
A memory we will reflect upon one chilly night,
Under the autumn stars.
Yearning to be back in Ireland.
Reliving those perfect summer days you only see in cinema.
Together with our friends once more,
Below a calm and clear blue sky,
Beside the emerald rolling hills.
Summer
Torin Osenar
Cowboy
Oliver Rabinov
Catherin Qin
Stay Alive
Warren Wang
You have to stay alive,
So you don’t become another tally on their list of bounties.
Something that parallels the fear of dying,
The solicitation of your own breathing.
You have to stay alive,
To keep record of the numbers of unsaid goodbyes.
In an ocean of tears you may still raise your arms,
And hold onto those names, reflections of names, projected onto the sky.
Houses, explosions, debris,
children herded into cans of steel.
The moment captured and sealed in amber,
A pause inside and outside of time.
An unsettled heart pulsating,
A pair of frozen eyes,
A flickering tale of revenge.
You have to stay alive,
Become the retinals of our eyes,
Wait until flames thunder down from our skies,
There will be flowers, blossoming ashore, floating above the tides.
Commitment (Abstract Dypthic)
Lil Runyan
Liya Serikova
advice for digesting your heart
L Brock
when love is an ordered plate
portioned and determined though sometimes i’m not sure but ever conditional
i try to lick the plate clean
but as i find the unconditional
the most significant love of thyself
i am learning to leave the last bite
because i’m full
instead of dragging my finger to try and swallow cold coatings of the curry
because it’s better to be satisfied or satiated than stuffed
those who eat up every last bite or push you to the side without getting to the sauce don’t deserve your dish
Catherin Qin
Mantis
Oliver Rabinov
Si Tuviera Alas (If I had Wings)
Josh Steinberg
Si tuviera alas, volaría al cielo, tocaría los nubes, sentiría el viento
Si tuviera alas, volaría a escuela, y volaría a mi casa, y volaría a cualquier lugar
Si tuviera alas, conocería a los aves y las mariposas
Si tuviera alas, sería un héroe
Si tuviera alas, sería libre
Si me cayera, no moriría
Pero no tengo alas, y no puedo volar.
Aunque tuviera alas, todavía tendría mis problemas
Si tuviera alas, sería difícil ducharme
Si tuviera alas, sería difícil llevar una camisa
Si tuviera alas, gente me miraría fijamente
Si tuviera alas, habría plumas por todas partes
Si pudiera volar, me golpearía la cabeza
Si volara, me caería
Tengo miedo. Si no vuelo, no me lastimaré. Si no me arriesgo, estaré bien.
English version
If I had wings, I would fly to the sky, I would touch the clouds, I would feel the wind
If I had wings, I would fly to school, I would fly to my house, I would fly anywhere
If I had wings, I would know the birds and the butterflies
If I had wings, I would be a hero
If I had wings, I would be free
If I fell, I wouldn’t die
But I don’t have wing, and I can’t fly
Even if I had wings, I would still have my problems
If I had wings, it would be difficult to shower
If I had wings, it would be difficult to wear a shirt
If I had wings, people would stare at me
If I had wings, there would be feathers everywhere
If I could fly, I would hit my head
If I flew, I would fall
I’m scared… If I don’t fly, I won’t get hurt. If I don’t take a chance, I’ll be okay.
Sunset
Torin Osenar
Catherin Qin
Liya Serikova
Home is not only a place but also a feeling. It's more than four walls and a roof over your head. Home is the environment—a feeling that greets you as you walk through the door and a place that represents you.
I believe that a house is where people become themselves, not physically but mentally. It becomes the container that shapes who we are. For me, my home is my solid foundation. My home consists of experiences and moments of my life that helped change me and teach me. For this reason, my house is the people who live there. When the house takes the form of a person, it is called a family. I know that I can always come home. Even if it is abandoned, I can return, and the sun will shine on it again. My house is a part of everything that exists in this world. But also, I think about our, which is our ecollective House, and how we must care for it. After all, home is where the heart is and where would we be without our Home? In my paintings, I always return to the theme of home.
Storky
Oliver Rabinov
Monochromatic Diptych
Max Cohn
Encounter my dog
Milly Chen
l had many different wishes in my childhood, more than l can remember clearly. Of all my wishes, there was one that never changed-to get a dog. Plush toy dogs were important parts of my collection; their soft coats reminded me of an actual pet dog. I thought about a future with my dog all the time. My parents liked to joke about how deeply I loved dogs: “If other kids are going to run off with strangers for candy, we think any dog owner in the neighborhood can abduct you.” This is me, a dog person, always excited to be with dogs.
Every time I walked around the neighborhood, I would constantly compliment the cute dogs. “Oh my gosh, the dog over there is adorable!” I screamed with a bright smile on my face and pulled my parents in the direction of the dog (when l was younger). I gently stroked the dog with the owner's consent and ran around on the lawn with the dogs freely. My parents had gotten used to my crazy reaction to dogs and realized that I desired a dog as a companion. However, there were still obstacles in the way of dog ownership — taking care of a dog needs sufficient time while my parents were busy with their work. Under such circumstances, it was not practical for me to have a dog in my house. Therefore, l actively interacted with my neighbors’ dogs and became friends with them.
Pleasant moments are consistently temporary. It was time for me to say goodbye when I moved to be closer to my middle school. Although it had been seven years since I last played with my neighbors’ dogs, beautiful memories of the time we spent recurred in my mind. My parents wanted me to be delighted with a dog because of how it will positively affect my life. In this case, they provided me an opportunity to have a puppy by setting it as a reward for hard work and progress in math because I had longed for a dog. Poor Math grades largely diminished my confidence and I began to doubt whether I could handle this course. I felt grateful that my parents never estimated my ability based on my Math score, but it was certain that they did not want me to give up. Hence, they used a pet dog as an incentive for me to keep improving in math. I admit that my parents know me the best——the lure of getting a dog motivated me to push myself harder to reach my potential. Eventually, l managed to receive a 96 on a Math test, and my parents were proud that all my efforts paid off. They kept their promise and agreed to let me have a dog. My parents and I preferred a dog that would not shed, considering that sometimes l am quite sensitive about pet hair. Ultimately, we decided to have a brown toy poodle with a color similar to milk chocolate.
As soon as I entered the pet shop with my parents, most puppies suddenly woke up from their dream and started barking at the guests. Although the environment was chaotic amid the din, l was not bothered by these energetic creatures. The shop assistant grabbed four puppies and put them in a large cage to give customers a better idea of which puppy they would choose. One puppy suddenly jumped on the other one and snuck a bite. When the other tried to get revenge for the surprise attack, they started fighting fiercely. In stark contrast to this restless scene, the smallest puppy slept peacefully in a sweet dream. Thus, my parents and I could assume that those puppies were immersed in their own world rather than paying attention to what was happening around them.
Conversely, the fourth one tried to stand up on its back feet and put its head in the gap to demonstrate curiosity about new things. A few minutes later, it started to dance around by vigorously wagging his tail. Although i did not comprehend what the last puppy intended to convey, l was aware that it was trying to get our attention. “This puppy is performing in different movements to catch customer’s eyes, which means it likes you the first time it sees you.” The shop assistant briefly explained to solve our confusion. His words make me feel the happiness come from the bottom of my heart. Then, l picked up the fourth puppy from the cage to take a closer look. The moment the puppy made eye contact with me, hope and innocence occurred from its clear eyes. I carefully held it in my arm and touched its soft curly brown fur. Despite a lack of verbal communication, l felt a strong connection between us. My mom suggested that we could also go to other dog places because we did not have to make the decision today. l did not have the patience to wait any longer, also the fourth puppy was the best match. Hence, l told my mom with firm determination that this was the one I chose, so my parents bought it for me as a pet.
After learning that the puppy we bought is a boy, we screened out a few suitable names. In the end, we gave him the name Max not only because it is my favorite character from a cartoon, but also because its pronunciation sounds like “math.” We purchased a blue crate from the store to give Max a sense of security. Then, we laid a soft towel and a bunny plush him to sleep comfortably inside. Food and water are essential for his growth, so we installed the dog water bottle and prepared a red bowl. I put a spoonful of dog food into the food bowl once a day. No matter where Max is, he would sprint in front of me and stand up to smell his food. Besides the interest in food, Max shakes his body and jumps around when we play the ball game. I would throw his ball some distance and wait for him to come back with it. Max’s eyes sparkle like stars in the sky when l reward him a treat.
Yuan Fen brought my puppy and me together, and l believe we were destined to meet. Every day with Max is full of anticipation and l deeply enjoy the time I spend with him. My dog Max, the new family member, filled my house with laughter and the sunshine that flooded in my soul. As a boarding student who studies away from home, l can merely see Max through the screen during the video call with my parents. The current pandemic makes flying home impossible for me, which makes me miss Max extremely. It is difficult to be apart from my dog for three years, and I have no idea when l will be able to see him again.
Self portrait using melted vitamins, purple shampoo, lipstick, candle wax, and crushed pills
Lu Beard
Hongyu Chen-Highway
Milly Chen
Liya Serikova
My school in Weston, MA, is so beautiful in winter. My recent paintings tell a story not only about a particular place but also about certain captured moments. Moments and memories are some of the most important things for a person. And for me, the same importance is hidden in nature. Remembering it, I hope that we will preserve nature as carefully as we care for our own memories. In this painting, the most important thing is the light ahead, but look at the details, and you will find a key to the doors of paradise.
Catherin Qin
Anachronism
Oliver Rabinov
Edited By Lily Thomson ‘22




















