Spring 2026

A collection of 28 posts

Spring 2026 Featured

"A Senior's Spiral" by Jillian Kardoes

August 15th, 2025 Dear Registrar, Despite my better judgement, I have decided to return for my final semester. In fact, I am actually excited to embark on this final chapter before I can fully enter into the real world outside of these walls of never-ending homework. Wish me luck. Jillian

Spring 2026 Featured

"Goodbye Sunshine" by Gabrielle Bierly

Over the chain fence A shining sky, more colors then one can count A graveyard dusk lies dull and dense No movement is seen or sensed in the shadow of the mount The sun sets below the trees Shadows grow longer by the second They all wave goodbye sunshine The

Photography Featured

"Just Us" by Arden Phan

Arden Phan is a senior from Waukee, Iowa, studying secondary education with an English/Language Arts endorsement. This marks his fourth year in the Waldorf Literary Review. He’s excited to share his work and to finally uncover the truth: that he is, in fact, the shrimp who fried the

Photography Featured

"Invasive Green" by Grace Kobriger

Grace Kobriger is currently a senior at Waldorf University double majoring in Communications and Creative Writing. Grace plans on continuing to pursue her career as a film director after college and plans to make it into HollyWood. Grace is involved with a lot of things and has many hobbies on

Poetry Featured

"Orange Bloom" by Grace Kobriger

The color orange Do you like the color orange? Growing up, I was never fond of the shade Bright and Bastardly Always watching me from across the room Waiting amongst fleshed fabrics or cold metal Waiting? Waiting for what? To scar me with vivid gleam? So, I too cannot escape

Poetry Featured

"Bird of the Dead" by Avery Herker

Ghosts sing sweet songs and We hear them as chirps and beats Of wings. Mom always Looks out the window and says, “She always looked good in red”. So Cardinals fly off again. Avery Herker is an English and Creative Writing major at Waldorf University. Her dream is to go

Spring 2026 Featured

"Flexing that Moolah" by Arden Phan

Arden Phan is a senior from Waukee, Iowa, studying secondary education with an English/Language Arts endorsement. This marks his fourth year in the Waldorf Literary Review. He’s excited to share his work and to finally uncover the truth: that he is, in fact, the shrimp who fried the

Spring 2026 Featured

"Peace and Quiet" by Skylar Cooper

Skylar Cooper is a senior this year at Waldorf and is in the Pillars Program. She enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with her friends.

Interview Featured

An Interview with Caylin Capra-Thomas, Conducted by Anna McCluskey

What got you into writing? Even though I’m not a fiction writer, I’ve always liked to tell stories and read stories since I’ve been able to talk. There are some old home videos of me in the late eighties in my pajamas on the fireplace treating it

Prose Featured

"How to be Afraid" by Jackson Everist

You are, I assume, familiar with the peculiar human emotion of fear. At this point in your education, you should be well versed in its evolutionary roots in the survival of the homosapien species, as well as the strange obsession with the use of fear for recreation held by many

Spring 2026 Featured

At a Standstill, Poetry by Braden Kane

Summer heat, pressing mosquitoes against my skin as I sit. Nothing buzzes in my head tonight. Just the sizzle of the hotdogs. Braden Kane is a Creative Writing/English major. He loves to write fiction with human characters and to experiment with poetry. He would also love to read, but

Spring 2026 Featured

"The Moon, Sun, Ocean, and Sky" by Meredith Mulvany

The Moon sings-lilting lullabies and softened chimes She lazes and gorges on starlight She giggles and runs her fingertips across the reeds Lightning bugs swarm, kissing her skin She reaches and rouses the Ocean, hidden from the Sun for a moment The Ocean bellows-shifting shanties and operatic sonnets She rolls

Photography Featured

"Surrounded" by Arnaldur Stefansson

Arnaldur Stefansson is a senior English & Creative Writing double-major from Reykjavík, Iceland. Arnaldur’s work has been published in The Albion Review, as well as in three previous editions of The Waldorf Literary Review, where he currently serves as Editor-in-Chief.

Spring 2026 Featured

Samantha Edmonds' "A Preponderance of Starry Beings": a Book Review by Isaac Masters

A Preponderance of Starry Beings creates a sense of curiosity that dwells in the cosmos and the important simplicity in the moments we experience with others who are different and similar in equal measures. A thought-provoking attempt to navigate the sensual and personal moments as a woman. What we seek

Spring 2026 Featured

"a time of crisis" by Jenna Polich

God loves you, but not enough to save you.  -Ethel Cain, “Sun Bleached Flies” the sea reflecting the ashy, gray clouds surrounds me, forever drowning & floundering, awaiting that beautiful gasp of fresh air that will seemingly never come as i sink further, never reaching the surface or the life

Spring 2026 Featured

"Myrtle" by Jadyn Collins

Jadyn Collins is a Junior Double Majoring in Creative Writing, and Communication: Graphic Design. She is also on the bowling team, varsity every year. She loves to travel and read as many books as she can with her busy schedule.

Spring 2026 Featured

"Questions" by LJ

I wonder what death is like Is it cold? Or maybe it’s burning hot. A lot of people die with their eyes open Is it because they see something? Or are they trying to outsmart death by acting like they're not dying. It’s weird, honestly. People

Spring 2026 Featured

Tim Bascom's "Continental Drift": a Book Review by Arnaldur Stefansson

I picked up Tim Bascom’s Continental Drift knowing nothing, and left it wanting to know more.  Drawing on Bascom’s own experiences in East Africa, the collection of short fictions grapples with the dissonance inherent to the western conception of Africa as it compares to the lived experiences of

Spring 2026 Featured

"A Ghazal for the Origin of Mosquitoes" by Braden Kane

Angels are defined by their darling wings, but what of those like Lucifer, with rotting, falling wings? What of those that fall under the weight of sin and are trapped near Earth with flawed, stalling wings? How are they supposed to survive without the blood of our Father? Fluttering wings

Spring 2026 Featured

"Immortal" by Arden Phan

Arden Phan is a senior from Waukee, Iowa, studying secondary education with an English/Language Arts endorsement. This marks his fourth year in the Waldorf Literary Review. He’s excited to share his work and to finally uncover the truth: that he is, in fact, the shrimp who fried the

Spring 2026 Featured

"Sunflowers" by Amelia Kobriger

Amelia Kobriger is a sophomore studying criminal justice and minoring in art. She is a quiet student that spends most of her time studying, gaming, listening to music, and hanging out with friends. Amelia is Vice President of the Paranormal club and the Criminal Justice club.

Prose Featured

"Child of the False Crown" By Danaijah Carter (1st Place Winner, Top of Iowa 9th/10th Grade - Prose)

Danaijah Carter is a freshman in high school from Mason City, Iowa. She spends most of her time writing or reading a good book. She hopes to one day be a nurse and publish some of her books.   Sounds of swords clanking and swishing filled the battlefield, as hearts of

Spring 2026 Featured

"The Stars are on Fire" By Antonella Marie Rivas (2nd Place Winner, Top of Iowa 9th/10th Grade - Prose)

Sara Antonella Marie Rivas, known as Nella, is a vibrant sophomore at Panorama High School who excels as a writer, competitive dancer, cross country runner, cheerleader, and performer in school plays and musicals. Her creativity flourishes in art classes, and she’s a talented communicator, representing her school in speech

Spring 2026 Featured

"Chronokinesis" By Mairin Weinandt (3rd Place Winner, Top of Iowa 9th/10th Grade - Prose)

Mairin Elizabeth Weinandt is a sophomore at Mankato East High School in Minnesota. She's on the varsity swim team at her school and has always dreamed of writing her own book, or short stories, and often fills her time with reading and writing her way through her life.

Poetry Featured

"No Longer Gold" By Katelyn Scheevel (1st Place Winner, Top of Iowa 9th/10th Grade - Poetry)

Katelyn Scheevel is a sophomore at Fillmore Central High School. When she is not writing, she can be found playing basketball, volleyball, and softball, as well as playing her flute. Katelyn also likes to sew, draw, read, and bake in her free time. You razed my gleaming city of gold,