Runner-Up in Poetry at the 2026 contest: Odd Dreams
Jae Kim
Leaned up against the window
The setting sun paints your face golden
You look so peaceful
I reach out to tuck a stray hair behind your ear
But you’re not there
My fingers phase through you
Turning cold as they near your frame.
Strange,
I think to myself
And I wake up without you.
The next night you’re back
Apologizing, taking my hands in yours
But your face is fragmented by this glare that makes my head hurt
And I can’t hear you over the sound of the crowd around us
I lose you again
Swept away by the movement of people
And again,
I wake up without you.
I check my phone
As if i’m waiting for a message from you
It never shows up
As I’m conscious you leave my mind
It’s only at night when you decide to return.
Hi! I'm Jae, and I've been writing poetry for a few years now. I wrote this piece as a tribute to a friend I have and our complicated story. I often have dreams about prominent people in my life, and this theme allowed me to share a story of longing and love that runs deep. I hope this resonates with you, dear reader-- in any way that it can.