There’s a moment in every writer’s development when imagination becomes tangible, a breathing lifeform on the page. For Chanel, Abor of the Vine’s Emerging Voices Youth Ambassador, that moment arrived in week three of the 2025 Summer Vibes Youth Writers’ Guild, “Illustrate that Scene: Exploring Presence and Atmosphere through Poetry.”
The assignment asked students to describe a place they had never been—real or imagined—using sensory language to capture setting, atmosphere, and emotion. Chanel’s poem, Alice’s Dream, is brimming with creative imagery.
This exercise was about presence: how to see and feel through words. Chanel used sight and scent to establish tone, then layered sound and movement to draw readers deeper into the dream. Her use of enjambment (letting thought spill from one line to the next) added flow, mirroring the unfolding journey she describes.
Her tearoom, fragrant with jasmine and honey, becomes a portal where sound, scent, and texture create a world just beyond reach. The image of “a bridge of sugar cubes” and “a spoon sailing across the cream” carries both delicacy and sentiments reminiscent of “Wonderland.” Through these lines, she built a complete environment—whimsical, coherent, and alive with curiosity.
She demonstrated command of imagery, improved syntax, and growing confidence in her creative risk-taking. More importantly, rather than try to tame her imagination, she allowed it to inspire her.
Alice’s Dream
I once occupied a tearoom’s decorated awning,
Where cups bloom white as spring roses.
Jasmine steam is heavy in the air.
Honey drips like sunlit tales.
Porcelain chimes like gentle bells,
And laughter floats on sugared wind.
A silver teapot whispers maps to me
Pouring directions in curling tones.
I travel on a bridge of sugar cubes
And sail a spoon across the cream.
Each sip reveals a secret road,
A little journey within a dream.
It guides me back to where I began—
A secret garden hidden nearby.
~Chanel F.~
Chanel F. is an eighth-grade student studying abroad in Italy. She thrives in multicultural classrooms, developing skills in critical thinking, problem-solving, and adaptability. An avid reader and aspiring writer, she enjoys exploring history and literature.
Chanel strengthens her communication skills through journaling and creative projects as an Emerging Voices ambassador for transformational activism with the Arbor of the Vine multi-media hub. She has a strong interest in music and art, and regularly contributes to group activities with a collaborative, positive approach.
Living overseas has helped her develop resilience and cultural awareness, which she applies to both academic work and personal goals. Chanel is committed to honesty, compassion, and continuous learning, and she looks forward to pursuing new extracurricular opportunities in high school.
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