Current
Gloria Ligon
August 8, 2026
This poem discusses hope. The prefrontal cortex (PFC), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and dopaminergic reward system, along with many others, regulate plan-making and goal-achieving. When the PFC underperforms, there will be a surge of negative emotions as a result of an inability to produce positive emotions. Complementing this system, the amygdala, which is located in the brain’s temporal lobes, controls stress, but during despair, it can overact. Additionally, the Dorsal Raphe Nucleus, which is in the brainstem, processes overwhelming stress and hopelessness.
Pairing Written By: Marianne Tzeng
Sometimes your best may not be great,
Sometimes when your mind is plagued
And heavy with dejection
Your attempts toward salvation fall short.
When your image of life has been clouded,
Floating further away from your grasp,
The life you once desired becomes a burden
Far worse than inert survival.
Sometimes the shore is too far;
Requires an exertion beyond your capabilities.
So you must tread.
Although it may be tiring,
Although the cold and gripping ocean
invites you to its floors,
You must fight against the tides.
Hope for a moment when the ocean settles,
When your feet meet land again.