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.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Stay updated with our latest stories, poems, and news delivered to your inbox.

Potential

There is potential to be interesting in her she could be a writer or a botanist or a carpenter, ski coach, firefighter, engineer, world saver she could be famous or she could be important or interesting or she could be the one that everyone ignores that everyone doesn't want to think about because it is too sad and she is bored right now but will not be forever her gravestone might say she was beloved and important and the world will miss her or only her name no obituary in the paper only ‘she died.’ Or it could be that all around the world people cried because they knew and loved her she inspired them the kids who will follow her never got to meet her or she could be alone and nobody cares or surrounded by people who know her for what she did she could just as easily win the Nobel prize as Darwin award or nothing at all. Right now she wants to be famous but not too famous, not the paparazzi but maybe somebody somewhere thinking ‘if she did this I can too’. And if she is not anyone she won’t know she will be in the graveyard never claimed and she will be gone forever but if someone thought “I can because of her” if she is good and great forever then the other will have lost and she will cry, for it wasn't her plan that won. The other will cry if she loses but I want her to lose because she is saying that the real one can't be but who knows who is real. Someone could think “I can because of her '' or she could not be anyone. The other is saying “the real one can’t be” but who knows who is real.