Author Archives: Jaclynn Loibl

I ask myself what I need, but the silence sits heavy, like a weightless answer that’s missing its shape. I don’t know—truth be told, I don’t know anything these days. It’s that low, wistful hum from an indie song that finds my ear, whispering softly, “Before evermore.” She’s right, I suppose, but I turn away,Continue reading “Is There an Answer”

The cotton candy cloud of thought pulls us deeper, where the world feels softer, and lighter, and just as we drift to the other side, we’re met by that shiny black-hatted conductor. He’s polished, like the locomotive we board, and the mustache and white gloves are as crisp as the sound of that ticket tearing.Continue reading “The Ride: A Poem”

On the three-minute drive to my morning walk, there’s a marsh dotted with matchstick tree snags, like skeletal fingers reaching out of the water. Steam rises from the bowl-like surface at dusk, and while my eyes should be on the road, I’m constantly scanning for a bald eagle. Ever since I saw a photo ofContinue reading “The Shapeshifting Self”

I’m at the Georgia Tech football game, the all-white dressed band is on the field with their frilly, elongated hats, cheerleaders are flying through the air, and there’s the unmistakable smell of beer seeping up from the floorboards. Watching it all makes me reflect on my own life—a check-in and check-up from the person IContinue reading “On the Prowl”

I’m feeling down, like Eeyore with his blue body and that nail-tacked tail that always seems to fall off. I can feel it behind my eyes, this weight—heavy. Not quite tired, not quite a zombie, just stuck somewhere in between. A friend of mine heard my symptoms and jokingly diagnosed me as Schrödinger’s Cat: AmContinue reading “Burning Down the House”

I’m not one to skirt around an issue; I plunge right into the jello-y center with a swan dive even Michael Phelps wouldn’t attempt. I don’t know where this comes from—this need to go straight to the heart of the matter—but I’ve learned not everyone handles things the same way. There are the avoiders, theContinue reading “The Heart of the Dive”

A blank screen and a blinking cursor aren’t usually intimidating, but tonight, they are. It feels like getting blank stares from professors after giving a presentation. Where are the roses being thrown at my feet? The enthusiastic cries of “Encore, encore!”? Right now, I’m enjoying Ellen DeGeneres’ new comedy special on Netflix. So, I’m goingContinue reading “Just a Quickie”

Some days are just wonky—like a slinky flipping end over end down a 70’s green shag carpet staircase. It’s messy, unpredictable, but it’s okay. After all, as the morbid saying goes: it’s another day above ground. On days like this, I lean into the fact that I’m a good person and so are the peopleContinue reading “Slinking Through”

How do I paint the picture of the musical houses that unfolded a couple of hours ago? First, our family of three visited next door where Dave’s brother’s family of four was. Then, two family members, Alice and Holt, from across the street stopped by on their way home, having just taken a flight homeContinue reading “Easy Comet, Easy Go”