Welcome to the World of my Writing!
The Pages of My Heart-TES
Welcome
to the World of my Writing!
Creator: Taryn Stilson
Brief Description of Each Original Work of Writing
Read these concise previews for each work of my writing
My Poetry
A Beast Called Twitch
This lyrical poem articulates my struggle with anxiety which has manifested itself physically in the form of facial twitches which I have dealt with for a majority of my life. I used to feel a deep sense of shame toward these twitches, but over time I have grown to realize that they are a unique aspect of my character that I have slowly learned to peacefully coexist with.
A Something In the Forest
This poem was written as a metaphor for fearing the unknown and how that fear causes people to do irrational things. It was inspired by what I observed about people during the Pandemic because I noticed that extreme fear of the COVID-19 virus caused people to act differently and live in fear. The narrator of this poem details her discovery of A Something in the forest and how fear controlled her actions
A Written Apology to Medusa
When I traveled to Istanbul and saw the Medusa statues in the Basilica Cistern I was inspired to write about it. These statues of her were flipped upside down and turned on their side and my immediate reaction was "How disrespectful ". If you know Medusa's story, you know that she is a symbol of strength and her story of injustice is powerful: she was raped by a leader of Mount Olympus and betrayed by Athena who turned her into a monster. A monster whose abilities ensured that no one would ever coerce or betray her again. I worked her story into this poem which serves as " A written apology to Medusa" for the creation of these statues and for how she was betrayed.
Our Greenhouse
This poem holds a special place in my heart because it is based on a poem that I wrote in elementary school for a poetry contest. This piece imaginatively describes to its readers how women are limited by The Glass Ceiling that has stunted our potential. An important motif to this poem is that the key to breaking through this barrier is working as one empowered body to expand our opportunities.
Lamentations of a Mortal
This poem is based on the many times I have looked at my dogs and envied them because their lives are unburdened with the responsibilities and stresses that humans are tasked with. "Lamentations of a Mortal" also explores the philosophy behind the concept of freedom and whether or not a balance between freedom responsibility is realistically attainable.
A Famous Philosopher Once Said
In this poem I reminisce on my Grandma's quirks that have become an important part of sustaining my Mimi's legacy. Even though her life is finite, her legacy (which will be passed down through generations) will be able to dominate the power of the grave
On Wanting to be a Literary Classic
This poem articulates my desire to achieve my literary goal of being a memorable author: of being considered a writer of the classics. I reference well-known authors such as the Bronte sisters, Ernest Hemingway, and Jane Austen and use them as examples of the kind of success I want to emulate and the legacy I want to leave behind. In this piece, I also touch on the idea of whether or not current or future writers will live up to the standards these classics have set.
Vulnerably Strong
This poem opens with the cliche statement "God gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers" and then goes on to poetically illustrate the fallacy in equating enduring a tough time with innate strength. I wrote this poem to convey that we are a product of our environment and biologically the body will find ways to cope with external stressors. That instinct isn't strength rather true strength lies in confronting what lies beneath your surface, beneath the calluses that have formed over deeper wounds. Then you will exhibit the concept of being vulnerably strong.
My Short Stories
The Experimental Citadel
The storyline of the 'Experimental Citadel' follows protagonist Louella Tempest as she endeavors to escape the corrupt and dystopian society of the sequestered Citadel. This begins when she is wrongfully accused of arson and is tried in the backward court where defendants are guilty until proven innocent. Her predetermined verdict condemns Louella to Abbadon's Circus, the omimous re-education facility used to punish dangerous criminals. Along the way, she meets agents from an elusive rebel society called Libertas Tandem who pull the wool from her eyes and allow her to recognize the deeply corrupt nature of the Citadel and uncover horrifying truth about her family. With their help, Louella embarks on the daunting task escaping the cloistered dystopia to discover the truth about the external world for herself .
The Cosmic Odyssey to Titan
"The Cosmic Odyssey to Titan" follows a self-centered protagonist, Amerigo Vespa, on his journey through a post-apocalyptic society which transforms his character and changes his perspectives. The story opens with Amerigo and his lab partner Henry successfully creating a unique quantum circuit that could change the future of technological advancement. Soon after, however, a solar storm strikes Earth, bringing with it chaos and unrest. Governments begin to crumble, and after an unexpected betrayal, Amerigo is left alone to traverse a society that has begun to feel like a lawless land. His hopes are bolstered when suddenly, he is called to NASA headquarters for his quantum data and offered the position of the pilot for a clandestine mission called "Operation Houdini"; a plan to escape Earth and beat their competitors from Molden Rocketry to the haven that is one of Saturn's moons called Titan, before they can inundate the serene moon with the oppressive presence of AI.
Circling Figure Eight
"Circling Figure Eight" is a magical realism piece that follows protagonist Mrs. Sinclair who has supernatural abilities and has been locked against her will in a psychiatric facility. Her family did so because of their fear of her lack of control of her supernatural abilities and over time, Mrs. Sinclair has grown to be afraid of herself. The only person she regularly sees is Penelope, the ward nurse and the occasional appearance of her sister Flo. The story follows the journey of Mrs. Sinclair as she attempts to find internal peace and of Penelope who wants nothing more than to help Mrs. Sinclair escape. But if Mrs. Sinclair get out free, will she be met with a world of peace or a world of hatred?
My Theatrical Plays
Murder in the Correll Kingdom
(still in progress)
The Correll Kingdom's world is shattered when their leader, Queen Victoria, is murdered in cold blood. As palace detectives begin to investigate the crime, Prinncess Anastasia, the queen's daughter, arises as a primary suspect. Anastasia's strained relationship with her mother and rebellious act of falling in love with Prince Sebastian, an enemy of the Kingdom contributes to her guilt. Out of fear, Anastasia and Sebastian flee to the countryside to escape the watchful eye of palace investigators. However, once they realize a horrifying truth that tie their two kingdoms together, Anastasia and Sebastian return to the Correll Kingdom, disguised as peasants, to investigate the murder on their own. And they uncover a haunting truth that threatens to destroy their concept of reality.
My Non-Fiction Pieces
(Piece about the US border Crisis)
The Asymptote of Perfection
(still in progress)
As you may have heard on the news, the US border crisis has been an issue that has plagued our nation because of the resource depletion it has caused. However, the perspectives of both the migrants and Americans who have been adversely affected by this issue, have not been fairly addressed. The information on the news about this issue has been limited to solely the ramifications it has had on politics and told through politically polarizing lenses. So I wanted to write a story/novella from 2 perspectives: one of a young migrant escaping political turmoil and economic insecurity to find refuge in the United States and one from a young American student living in a sanctuary city who has been affected by the border crisis. I am writing this piece intending to give a voice to both parties (the migrants and Americans) to reduce animosity between the two and shed light on the truth of this historic situation without any political bias.
In this piece of prose, I expand on an impactful quote written by Paul Kalanithi in his medical memoir "When Breath Becomes Air" about perfection. And I articulate the fact that perfection is something I have been chasing for as long as I can remember, in both constructive and negative ways. In this piece, I acknowledge that I have discovered perfection is unattainable for mortals but how my faith in Jesus Christ as a Christian has bolstered me and has allowed me to accept this fact and rely on God's strength instead of my own.
Through the Eyes of an Imprint
I was recently diagnosed with High Functioning Austim and it completely changed the way I see myself. It was a liberating diagnosis because it explains so much about the way I'm wired and my personality that I could never quite understand. It was such a turning point in my life that I decided to write a memoir that details my experiences and how my high functioning autism has impacted those experiences. I also talk about the science behind autism and how the biology of the brain impacts behavior and one's perspective. I included both personal experiecne and scientific information to educate people about autism with the goal of destigmatizing this condition.