Little Architect, Natasha Hirt

Solemn willow, sole witness
to tea party stragglers left under a leaking sky.
Cups of porcelain dribble coffee childishly mimed as sweet nectar
and tea laden with nonexistent ripples of honey.
Copper spoons morph to peeling brown and teal,
corroding under the dripping ceiling of draped foliage.
A soggy lion and a puddle-drowned doll
lose air pockets, meant for stories, to the rain.

About the Author

Hannah Loveland · Le Moyne College

Hannah Loveland is a senior psychology and English major at Le Moyne College. Despite intending to pursue a career in counseling, she always had a passion for writing and literature as she grew up, and after getting involved with several writing opportunities she decided to add an English major. After filling a variety of editing roles, such as editing for Syracuse University Press, a doctoral dissertation, and for an agency in Germany called Backpacker Trail, she is currently hoping to build a career as an editor. This piece was first published in The Salamander.

About the Artist

Natasha Hirt · Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Natasha is a junior at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she studies architecture and urban studies and planning. Her childhood in Hong Kong left her deeply inspired by the vivid ties between cities, people, and nature. In her art, she seeks to explore these connections, and in the process, highlight the surreal wonders of the world we all share. “Little Architect” first appeared in Rune. This piece was first featured in plain china in 2022.