Thoughts by Nathan Boatright

I Heard A Song, by Imogen Hartland in Issue 10: An Ekphrasis Adventure

Issue 10: An Ekphrasis Adventure is an appreciation of artwork and the poetry and stories a work of art can inspire. We're excited to feature stories and poetry by young writers who submitted their work for this theme.

Thank you to Nathan Boatright for sharing his story, "Thoughts," which was inspired by the illustration, I Heard a Song, by Imogen Hartland.

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My mom makes me do everything! She makes so mad it makes me want to run away

and never come back. To get it off my mind, me and my friends went for a walk. Out of nowhere

I had a thought. What would it be like I lived on a rock? Would it be peaceful?

I went home and thought nothing about it. When I woke up I was on a rock stranded in the

middle of the ocean!

It was horrendous! As days passed I saw millions of boats but none of them stopped for

me. I had to consume raw fish, and soon I got delirious and fell off the rock. I screamed, “Help!”

But no one answered. Until I heard a sound. It was a dolphin. It helped me get back on the

rock, and it swam to the bottom of the ocean, and brought me a drone that was sealed in a bag.

To my surprise there was no water in the bag, but it had no controller. So I went to sleep, and

when I woke up I looked beside me. I saw the controller to the drone, and batteries. I flew it up

in the air. It looked so high it could touch the top of Mount Everest! It took about one hour for

somebody to see it. I got picked up by a rescue boat and got sent back home. It took about two

days to get home, but I got home safely and was reunited with my family. I told my mom sorry.

She forgave me. Until this day it haunts me, but I live a happy life now.

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Nathan Boatright is nine years old. His favorite food is pizza and favorite dessert is yogurt. If he could go anywhere it would Japan.

Our Ekphrasis Adventure issue is about using visual art as inspiration for poetry and storytelling.

Can you tell us about what stood out to you in the illustration you chose to write about? What in the image sparked the idea for your story?

I started out with the t-rex,but I decided to do the boy on the rock.

Do you have a favorite artist, or a picture book, comic, or graphic novel that you love and want to shout out?

I would love to shout out R.L Stine. 

What is your favorite topic to study in school?

My favorite topic to study is math.

What is the most interesting thing you recently learned?

The most interesting thing I have learned is what interrogative means.

What book are you currently reading or read most recently? Would you recommend this book to other readers?

The book I was reading was a Goosebumps book. It was called Be Careful What You Wish For.