There’s something calming about walking at night,

While the world remains in its slumber,

But the stars are wide awake.

And seeing the moon glow from amidst the cloudy sky,

Bright and shining and peaceful,

Evokes something greater than the sun’s heat could ever manifest.

At night, anything is possible.

There’s no judgment or scathing critics waiting to pounce,

Because they’re all sound asleep.

At night, I can make and eat mac and cheese on a whim and feel the warm content of food in my stomach.

I can sit and cry with friends underneath a tree as we do some navigating and reflecting together.

I can walk underneath the blanket of constellations by myself and make up my own destinations and perspectives.

I can go anywhere I please at night,

For at night, I am free.

I have an autonomy that I never thought possible coursing through my veins,

And I feel powerful.

The night brings a sense of tranquility that cannot be achieved at any other time.

No matter how beautiful the sunrise is, glittering in the morning, or how alive the world feels during the afternoon rush-hour,

Nothing compares to the peace of night when the world sleeps, but I stay awake,

Awake, and patiently waiting.

This poem was written for the 2021 Appelley Publishing Student Poetry Contest. The winners of the contest will be announced on April 8, 2022 and will be featured on the Appelley Publishing website. A collection of poems selected by the judges, entitled the “Rising Stars Collection 2021,” will also be published after the winners are announced.

I have submitted a poem to this poetry contest for the past three years and, though I have not won, all three of my poems have been featured in each year’s “Rising Stars Collection.” I hope to continue my trend this year with my newest poem, “~Night~,” which I was inspired to write after having an emotional rollercoaster of a night that I was able to somehow find peace in afterwards. Thank you, and I hope you enjoy “~Night~”.