The Sunshine State Through My Lens

Evolution

Never have I been more afraid of an animal.

White toothed grin, skin pungent of the dirt

they grew from and onto, spit. 

We both live on this earth, 

but not in the same way.

I´ve seen clawed things,

tearing holes through mesh patio screens and dark tights

with the swipe of a thick finger. 

They move their limbs unthinkingly, grasping in the air

and hoping to cling onto something raw

I've heard growls under the cover of a street lamp’s yellow moon,

evening wind carrying the sound down unpaved, virgin streets. 

With each vibration of their echoes reach,

a beckon or a warning.

I´ve tasted the flushed breath in the air,

of damp rabbit fur and termites-

bitter cigarette ash and crumbled bills. 

The green haze of a belly full,

But never satisfied.

I´ve stared up into the eyes of a beast

And felt their black take in all of me- 

every muscle and bone that makes up a woman-

and seen its greed grow greater.

Isabella Abalo ‘29

This piece symbolizes my childhood growing up here, in Florida. The giraffe represents Lion Country Safari, always going there to feed them lettuce. Ducks live all around my house–so of course I drew them—and he’s eating a Pub-sub because they’re so good. There a lizard riding a bike, because I used to bike a lot and catch lizards. There’s the I95 highway wall with the birds ingrained on it leading to the Saint Augustine fort. The duck stands on the Johnathan Dickerson park boardwalk which leads to the observation tower where I used to watch 4th of July with my cousins. And the swamp with the mosquito fishing as that’s very common in Florida. Lastly, the Jesus lizard running across the water because my dad always jokes about them. The two different skies show the bipolar Florida weather.

Kiara Benoit ‘26

This piece represents the greed of man and how it may compare to a wild animal.