Member Work

Current FLVS students are eligible to submit two pieces of work to be considered for publication in Virge. Submissions must be original works, be accompanied by a completed Submission Form, and the guidelines below.

Original artwork including paintings, drawings, and sketches
Original black & white or color photographs
Original fiction (1,000 words or less)
Original non-fiction (1,000 words or less)
Original poetry (1,000 words or less)

Apply Here

To submit your work for Open Mic Night:

To be considered for sharing on an open mic night meeting, you must submit your piece(s) for review and approval beforehand. All submissions will be considered on a first come-first serve basis. The ones approved for that night of sharing will be posted in our meeting slides. We will share as many as possible, and pick up where we left off at the next share out/open mic night.

Open Mic Night Submissions: https://forms.gle/paF2eJPdGSiXdh2U9

Poetry

Sorry, I'll Always Remember You by Broken World

Don't give up on me please,

The world I live in is just a myth,

I miss the way you laugh,

The words you used to say,

The way you made me smile,

I'm not good at goodbyes,

Please look over the ash, pass the message on, tell them you’re sorry,

Tell your friends how much you care,

Tell your family you love them,

For one day, you and I won't be here,

One day, they won't be here,

You'll regret the moments you fought,

The people you hurt,

The darkness will become your only friend,

And you'll be forgotten because you never told them,

You'll hold your head low but gaze up,

For you can't decide you're gone now,

Forget about me when I'm gone, don't live in grief,

You can say goodbye but never hi,

You left once and now you leave again,

I miss you and you'll always be alive,

Even if it's all in my head,

I'm sorry to the people I bullied,

The friend I hurt because of some petty thing,

I love you all now,

To the crushes I had,

I never spoke up,

Those people I love are gone now,

I miss the friend I had,

The day he left hurt,

When I realized he was no longer here,

I hated the world,

Don't be like me,

Be kind and free.

Growing Up by Layla Loges

I remember that girl

the one who loved to dance

and play in the rain

whenever she had the chance

making mud pies in the

thick summer heat

riding her bike every day

in the street

I remember that girl

the one who didn't care

about social graces

or how she styled her hair

wearing makeup sloppily applied

all for fun, she did not rely

on cosmetics or products to feel good within

never did she question if she was fat or thin

nor did she feel the need to impress

never second-guessing the way that she dressed

I remember that girl

the one who emanated innocence and glee

her emotions uncomplicated

she was so carelessly free

how deeply I wish

that girl were still me.

I Won't Hurt You Again by Broken World

To my best friend:

I do not deserve you,

For you are the purest of heart,

I'll miss you forever,

And sadly on bad terms we part,

I wish I could say it was not my fault,

I wish I could say it was someone else,

But I can't, it was me, and me only,

I will never forgive myself,

And it's ok if you don't forgive me,

I will love you forever,

And you'll always stay in my mind,

As my best friend who I hurt that one night,

When you forgave me, I smiled,

And swore never to hurt you again,

If I do, it's up to you what to do,

You can leave me and, yes, I'll cry,

But I'll always love you,

As a friend, you’re the greatest,

As a person, you're a perfect monster.

My Love For You by Kitty

My love for you,

I would scream from a tower.

My love for you,

To hold so much power.

My love for you,

Like that of the holy.

My love for you,

Will never be so lowly.

My love for you,

To never cower.

My love for you,

That shall never sour.

My love for you,

Promised to protect like moly.

My love for you,

Never to grow so slowly.

Only Human by Fannie Escalona

Occasionally obsessive

Nerdy kid,

Little to no perfection,

Young and never dated,

Headbands bother,

Unbelievably goofy,

Maybe not much of a people person,

And a bit too aware of what stuff is still PG, BUT

Never far from being only human.

Icarus by Crow

He spread his wings and soared through the sky,

As the wind grazed his face,

As he felt the sun's warm embrace,

As the melted wax dripped, covering his body.

"Was the plunge into the depths of the ocean worth soaring through the dancing rays of sunlight? Was the descent from the sun worth all that came after?"

They asked and so, Icarus answered.

"I yearned for the scorching rays of sunlight. I had seen the radiance of the sun's rays for the very first time and I had felt its warmth."

He paused, getting one final look at the sky.

"The fall from the sun was worth every moment." He smiled as he was engulfed by the waters, where he took his final breath.

My Promise To You by Lee Owens

I can't promise you

That dark clouds

Will never hover

Over our lives,

Or that our future

Will bring us many rainbows.

I can't promise you

That tomorrow

Will be perfect,

Or that life will be easy.

My promise to you

Is my everlasting devotion,

My loyalty, my respect,

And my unconditional love for a lifetime.

I can promise you,

I'll always be here for you,

To listen and to hold your hand.

I'll always do my best to make you happy,

Feel loved,

I can promise that.

This I promise you.

I'll be your protector, advisor, counselor,

Friend and family.

You're everything to me so this..

I promise you.

Welcome Home by Layla Loges

Greetings sadness,

I knew we’d meet again,

But this time I shall make room for you

With no judgment.

Greetings grief,

I knew I’d feel your heaviness again

Eventually,

Though I will make room for you

with no judgment.

Greetings fear,

I knew you would be there

To consume me

From time to time

But regardless, I will make room for you

With no judgment.

Greetings apathy,

I knew you would be there,

On days that felt purposeless,

But I promise to make room for you

With no judgment.

Greetings happiness,

I knew that if life was void of rough days,

Your existence wouldn’t profoundly impact

As much as it does.

Greetings emotions,

I know you are forever with me,

and I vow to always make room for you

With no judgment.

Who I think I Am by Broken World

Stop telling me I'm perfect,

I'm not.

Stop saying I'm smart,

I'm not.

Stop telling everyone I never do anything wrong,

I do.

Stop saying to everyone I never cry,

I do.

Stop telling me you’re jealous,

You shouldn't be.

Stop saying you’re sorry,

You shouldn't be.

I'm not perfect,

I'm not smart,

I do everything wrong,

I always cry,

People shouldn't be jealous of me,

And people should never tell me sorry,

I am who I am,

And sometimes I hate it,

But other times I don't care.

Mourning by Carmen Rodriguez

I don’t mourn you,

I mourn what we could’ve been,

What we should’ve been,

The quiet promises you left behind,

When you walked away from "us."

We were together—once, weren’t we?

I felt the warmth of your words,

Held close by a future I thought was ours,

But you slipped through my grasp,

leaving me with empty yesterdays.

Now I carry the weight of ghosts,

Moments half-lived, dreams undone,

And I reach into the silence,

For a hand that once held mine,

But now only holds the cold.

You left me for her,

Now everything is a blur.

Flower of Pain by Carmen Rodriguez

I was a flower

I took years to bloom,

Unfurling my petals of Beauty, Confidence, Kindness, Happiness, Trust.

One by one, you plucked them away.

But it wasn’t only you—

My "one true love,"

My "parents,"

My "friends"—

All of you stripped me bare.

You left me lying on the ground,

not even a flower, just a weed,

crushed and wilted,

never to bloom again.

I am nothing but a sad, broken stem,

Forgotten, fading,

Forever.

Not For Me by Carmen Rodriguez

TRIGGER WARNING! This poem contains the following: Drugs, Death, Addiction, Neglect

From the start, you never wanted me.

You did drugs, you drank,

Drowning slowly, slowly, sinking deeper.

Seven months after I was born, you gave me away.

You stayed close by, but never tried to get better.

You used more, and more,

Until the day your daughter found you, lifeless,

Needle still in hand.

She lost her innocence forever.

You were family, but never truly a father.

I didn’t know you that way, not until twelve years later,

When I saw "Mom" fade the same way—

Drinking, smoking, wasting her life.

She followed you two weeks after,

Maybe you were meant to be,

But you were never meant for me.

You didn’t care, and now you’ll never know,

That in this house, surrounded by your shadows,

I’m dying slow.

Short-Fiction

The Monster's Minions by Broken World

“Are you sure you want to do this?” I asked Liana as she stared at the dark pond.

It was a dark but beautiful night, the moonlight reflected off the pond highlighting Liana’s grim face. Her blond hair was pulled back in a ponytail highlighting her light complexion, her hazel eyes full of grief and pain.

“Do I have much choice?” She asked me, her voice cracking. “They said it’s the only way….”

I felt utterly helpless as I watched her, I couldn’t let my best friend kill herself for me. My eye caught the golden glint of a dagger, and I pushed Liana away from the pond, immediately I felt a dagger in my neck. Warm blood trickled down wetting the collar of my shirt. I felt the world slipping away but I couldn’t leave, not when Liana needed me. I was her protector and friend, if I let her die it would be on me, and my grandparents would surely make sure I was sent to hell. I pulled the dagger out and threw it back at its owner. I felt my neck slowly healing but I was still lightheaded.

“Well, well, well, looks like we both missed for once.” The figure who threw the dagger caught it midair and jumped down. His voice was that of a boy, he wore a black cloak with a white mask that was decorated with flames and daggers.

“What-” My voice caught as he walked towards me.

“You and I both know that I’m here on Maskia’s orders. So, I’m sorry but traitors have to be punished and you’re a traitor.” He told me. “That is if you wouldn’t like to come back. We could live the life we always wanted.”

I hesitated. “What has he done to you?” I asked and told Liana to run away with my eyes.

“You see people evolve. We used to be happy, and we still can be.” He reached out his hand. “We can take him down together and take over the world. Like we used to dream of.”

More like I help you take over the world and then you kill me and rule the world with Calamity. I thought to myself a thought so true though I had been his girlfriend at one point he always had eyes for Calamity, and she always had eyes for him. “No. I won’t go back, even if it is to kill him.”

He sighed. “Well, that’s a shame I’ll have to capture you and that girl now.” He turned around but Liana was nowhere to be found. He turned back around to look at me. “Oh well I guess she’s spared. You know the drill.”

For once I was glad Liana had listened to me. “Do you really have to cuff me?” I asked him. “I’m pretty sure I’m weaponless.” I held up my empty hands.

“Do you think I’m stupid?” He asked me.

“Better question, why didn’t you cuff me sooner?” I stepped back and let myself fall into the pond. I emerged from a lake in the middle of a forest.

Liana sat on a rock near the pond her expression turned relieved when she saw me. She ran over and hugged me hard. I pulled away and wringed my black hair, which looked nice with my dark tan skin. I stared down at the ground feeling guilty as ever. It was my fault he was stuck with Maskia.

I grabbed confused Liana’s arm and ran as fast as my legs would take me. When she pulled me to a stop almost causing me to fall.

“Who was that? Who’s Maskia? And what was all that about you being a traitor?” Liana asked me.

“First of all, it’s pronounced Mas-Ki not Maski and second of all, we got to go!” I started to run again and this time she didn’t pull me to a stop. Probably because she heard the voices of the people chasing us.

I made the mistake of looking back which caused me and Liana to bump into one of Maskia’s men. I slowly backed away, but we were already surrounded by his men on all sides.

Maskia himself walked forward and stood in front of me and Liana. “There's my favorite assassin!” He said with feigned cheerfulness. His skin, pure white, with completely black eyes. He wore white robes which were stained with blood.

My heart beat hard against my ribcage threatening to break through. I had escaped that life or so I had thought. Now it was all coming back to me as if I would never be free.....

Echoes of Ash by Crow

“I remember the roaring flames. I remember the smell of burnt wood that lingered in the air. I remember the smell of smoke that surrounded the place I once called home. I remember the feeling of ash on my hands and knees as I wept in the remnants of my home. Do you remember?” She asked, her voice shook with fury as she spoke. “Do you remember the pain you inflicted on me that day? Do you remember the blood curdling screams that echoed through the village? One by one they dropped like flies. Do you remember their pleads for mercy? Do you remember the words of the innocent that fell on deaf ears? Do you remember what you did? I remember. We all remember and now it's time you remember. It's time that you face the consequences of your actions. You can only pray that you will be forgiven but they will never forgive you. I will never forgive you.” She said, her voice trembling with righteous fury, as the scale tipped further. Their fate was decided. Her sword raised once more, and with one fell swoop, justice had finally been delivered.

2 Sentence Story-Unfamiliar by Selah Valquez

16 years out of school. Yet I still find myself repeating the same thing from my school days, “Please, I just want to go home.”

2 Sentence Story-The Doll by Nai B.

I lay the broken doll she gave me on my bed. I turn, then freeze, as cold fingers rest upon mine.

2 Sentence Story- A Call from Beyond the Grave by Kayleigh Szewczyk

I was sitting downstairs, enjoying the silence, when I heard my mother call my name from upstairs. She’s been dead for a decade.

2 Sentence Story-Ice Floe Child by Phoebe Polinis

The little girl with flustered cheeks and nothing but a pelt coat shivers on the thin ice floe. Besides her memories of her lost parents, the sky upon her is gloomy, her ears sense a waterfall, and there are nothing but large wolves waiting to tear her apart…piece by piece.

Our Memories of Love by Crow

I remember I felt happy with you. I remember the fresh smell of rain that filled the air and the feeling of misty water droplets hitting my skin. I remember the sun shining ever-so brightly. I remember your smile. I remember your laughter echoed through the rain as we danced together. I remember the puddles splashing as we ran happily without a care in the world. I remember how it felt holding your soft, warm hands as we spun. I remember how you looked that day. I remember your short fluffy brown hair that flowed in the breeze as we danced. I remember your freckles. I remember your sun-kissed skin. I remember your soulful gaze, as the rays of sunlight shone into your eyes. I remember your stained yellow rain boots, and your brown raincoat that was slightly too big on you. I remember you brought life to me once more. I remember you brought joy wherever you went. I remember my love for you, a feeling of love that I will never forget.

Lord of the Rings: The Prophecy in the Dark by Rose

Chapter I

Everything was great. Animals pranced through the forest. The wind flowed through every leaf on the trees. The world was safe thanks to Frodo Baggins. Frodo Baggins was a hero. Destroying the ring was the only thing he cared about. And he did. He saved all of their lives and because of it, Aragorn grew to become the king. Growing older every year, watching his children grow with him. Arin, Pixie, and Eldarion. Wonderful children. Eldarion was the rightful heir of the throne. He had a feeling it would come very soon. Arin moved on to Locksmen, living with a wizard, caring for all small to big animals, hunting any evil that lurks within the land. Pixie… is no longer written within history. Pixie, once a cheery human but now living in a world where no one can escape, slowly going crazy. The world grew back to normal. Flowers bloomed where there was no grass. The rain felt like the world was crying, like there was no longer the storm.

An elf walks through the forest. A dress follows behind. Brown, silky hair flows with the wind. “Sebastian!” A critter comes running through the tall grass. “Radagast is looking for you. You can’t be running off like that.” Her sweet smile brightens anyone’s day. A basket in one hand, filled to the top with the sweetest of berries and Sebastian in the other.

She makes her way back to a small house. With vines hanging off and bushes with the brightest of flowers bloom. “Ah Arin, I was wondering where you wandered off to.”

She places down Sebastian, smiling. “I went looking for him, little rascal.” Arin spoke, “Here are the berries you asked for, Radagast.” Handing him the basket, she kneels down to the animals, handing them a berry.

“In all my years beginning alive, you are the sweetest thing in the world.” Arin stands up, pushing back her hair from her face.

“Oh, I was just taught that way. My father was a very sweet man.” Radagast smiles, looking into her eyes. “Um, yes?” she replies, standing up.

He doesn’t respond, just staring more deeply into her eyes. “Well, I’m going inside if you need me.” Her soft voice flows through the air. As she steps into her room, she notices a note on her bed. She slowly steps towards her bed, grabbing the note. Her eyes scan the letter, confused. “Radagast? Where did this letter come from?” She folds the letter back up, noticing the wax print. “Da…” Arin looks around, closing the door. She grabs her cloak and bow, escaping through the window. She quickly heads to the stables heading out into the forest. Her mind focused on the letter;

My child, I need you.

Nothing else in this world matters other than you

Come to the place that seems the most special to me

Talk to your friend once your arrive

He will tell you everything

Something seems off. Why would her Da write this?

Wolves of the Elements by Skylar Duresky

The night air seemed stone-still as a tiny sliver of blood red moon rose above a vast gorge with jagged ledges. On the very top sat a wolf as dark as the shadows around him, and his eyes as scarlet as the moon above his head. He could have been a statue if it wasn’t for the occasional blink of his eyes or twitch of his ears as an owl’s hoot pierced through the silence.

The black wolf continued to gaze out at the vast landscape below. Nearest to him, though still quite the distance away, stood the dark skeletons of a thick pine forest, where all of the trees stood motionless.

Near the woods laid the base of a great mountain range, its peaks like jagged claws jutting up in the air. The owl’s call pierced the night again, this time closer as the wolf shifted his gaze to the eerily still stretch of a colossal lake. His tail twitched slightly and glanced away from the lake, only his eyes moving, and turned stone still again as he looked at the black silhouette of a volcano.

There was a clatter of rocks and the soft thumps of pawsteps behind the wolf, but if they even heard the noise, magnified in the quiet, they gave no sign of it.

The second wolf, also black, but smaller, approached the first one slowly, an air of wariness around her as her vividly violet eyes sparked with anxiety. Her stance was firm, and though she was evidently trying to look confident, she was tense, as if prepared to spring away any moment.

“Phantom.” The second wolf did indeed scamper backwards a few paces as the first spoke, his jaws hardly even moving as the slightly hoarse growl left him.

“Vanta,” Phantom said, quickly regaining her composure. “I need to speak with you.”

The tiniest smirk formed on Vanta’s muzzle, but his eyes blazed with fury. He had a swiftly growing suspicion on what this was all about.

“What do you want with me?” he murmured. “Can’t I enjoy some silence? And,” he added, his tone growing colder by the second, “I thought I told you to keep watch down there.”

“Well, I think you’ve had plenty of silence,” replied Phantom, “And my shift is over. Adder is down there now.”

Vanta gritted his teeth. “Fine!” he spat, standing up and spinning around to face Phantom. “This is about my plan, isn’t it? I was your mate once, Phantom, I know you well!” He said, catching the look on the other wolf’s face. “And it was because of your foolishness that I deemed you so unworthy!”

“This isn’t about mates, Vanta!” Phantom retorted. “We have both had our time to rant about that nonsense before!”

Vanta scoffed disdainfully.

“Go back to the gorge,” he said, but Phantom ignored him.

“Just listen to me, please!” she pleaded.

“Slim chances,” growled Vanta. He turned away again and sat down on the exact spot he had been resting on for hours.

“Don’t you remember what happened the last time?” Phantom said. Vanta rolled his bloody eyes.

“The past is the past, Phantom,” he said, his struggle to keep his voice level now evident. “There is nothing to learn from it. Now, go back to the gorge.”

But the other wolf held her ground.

“Thirteen years!” she said. “Thirteen years ago we were banished to this place, forced to feed off rats and left alone to mourn for our dead. It has made you reckless Vanta – with Luna, Void, all of this!”

“How dare you!” Vanta let out a howl of fury. He spun around again, baring his fangs and his eyes burning flames. “How dare you mention their names in front of me! You have lost your status eons ago, even before I stepped up to lead this Tribe! You have no right to challenge me!”

“You have no right to send your Tribe on a path that will surely end in chaos and ruin just because of your grief!” Phantom snapped. “It’s just like you said, the past is the past! Get over it, won’t you?”

Any patience with this wolf left in Vanta vanished in an instant. With a snarl of fury, he lunged at Phantom with the power of a dragon, and the other wolf failed to flee in time. Mad satisfaction burned through Vanta as he felt skin and fur tearing away beneath his claws and teeth, and the struggles of the wolf beneath him only fueled his rage.

Phantom lunged and managed to fasten her teeth on Vanta’s scruff, yanking at it with all her might. The leader’s grip slackened slightly, and Phantom took advantage of the moment and writhed free of his grip and backed away, tail between her legs. Vanta glared at her, his fangs and claws covered in crimson. He licked his lips slowly, savoring the tang of blood on his tongue. He was panting, but the fury pumping through him left no space for any hint of exhaustion from the struggle.

“I’ll leave those as a reminder for the next time you decide to challenge me,” Vanta snarled savagely, glaring at the wounds on the other wolf. Phantom gazed back, her fur pricked upwards and anger flickering in her eyes.

“Now, I think I told you to go back to the gorge?” said Vanta. Phantom hesitated for a moment before her shoulders sagged.

“Yes, Vanta,” she murmured. She staggered back down the ledge and out of sight. Vanta watched her, the fury in him still not dying down. Why in the name of Galdur had the words ‘Void’ and ‘Luna’ fired him up so much? He noticed he was shaking. Calm down! he snapped at himself.

When the clattering of pebbles had faded away and the endless silence of the night had fallen again, Vanta turned and laid down on the cliff rock once more, staring out at the territories below – the land of the other Tribes.

Creative Non-Fiction

Experimental

2 Minute Story Activity- A Joke Untold by Sage W.

I remember I found a broken stopwatch full of peppermints. That night I joked that I was going to find a dog in a forest, and then I saw two beady eyes in the shadows and a dog stepped.