Our 2018-2020 Issue

So this is a bit of a strange issue in more ways than one.  Not only is this being released in the middle of a pandemic, which has been at the forefront of mine and others’ minds, but it is also the combined work of two years and two editors.  Last year Ariel Rockman did a fantastic job selecting and formatting pieces for a 2018-2019 edition of the Egerian.  Unfortunately, that edition was never published.  The current edition is a combination of the submissions and work between 2018 and 2020.  I’m so glad that we were able to publish some great pieces from such a broad selection of SSA students.  None of this would be possible without the aid of Mr. Hogan, our faculty advisor, and the hard work of this year’s and last year’s staff.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the importance of stories recently; high school has offered no shortage of them.  I’ve come to the realization that all good narratives have to have some aspect of fear.  Without fear, a story has no stakes, no movement.  Because fear is so compelling, there is a streak of terror that runs through this publication.  I hope that all readers can relate to and sympathize with the fears expressed in this publication because the fear we’re all feeling right now is fuel – for change, for movement, for all of our stories. I hope that you enjoy this issue of the Egerian.  Perhaps it will offer some joy, some nostalgia, or maybe just a good story.

– Clay Patterson ’20

FICTION

“Ash and Soot” by Clay Patterson ’20

“Safe Haven” by Isabella Cavagna ’19

“Plagued” by Sanjna Narayan ’20

“Dinosaur Days” by Giri Viswanathan ’20

“Her Eyes Matched Her Nail Polish” by Daniel Xu ’20

“Blue Moon” by Giri Viswanathan ’20

“Heat Lightning” by Lucie Green ’19

“Bandstand” by Giri Viswanathan ’20

NON-FICTION

“At the End of the Beforetime” by Mr. Weiss

POETRY

“I am From” by Ariel Rockman ’19

“Summer ’99” by Anonymous

“It’s Time to Break the Wall” by Eliyah Roberts ’20

“Drooling” by Max Minard ’20

“Imprisoned Within His Trunk” by Natalie Capretto ’19

“Agonizing Peace” by Steven Liu ’22

“We’ve Trapped Ourselves” by Noah Roberson ’22

“A Darkness Grows” by Nico Zazzera ’22

PLAYWRITING

“The Intervention” (Excerpt) by Ariel Rockman ’19

Header art by Nina Singh ’20

Shady Side Academy's literary magazine, established 1928