By Haley Zeller, Assistant Arts & Entertainment Editor
Photo by Jasmine Durst
On Tuesday, October 29 at 7 p.m., the second Senior Reading event of the semester occurred in the Lore Degenstein Art Gallery. It presented another captivating, enjoyable reading performed by six senior creative writing majors.
The readings included a mixture of poetry and fiction, encompassing a wide range of topics and inspiration that hooked the interest of friends, family, and students.
The first reading was by Lexi Richards, who read six poems from her time in both the intermediate and advanced poetry classes. Her opening poem was based on Norse mythology and the trickster god Loki. Many of her other poems focused on deep human emotions and discomforting feelings, such as her one titled “Anxiety.” Richard’s words of advice for other readers are, “It is okay to not finish a story or poem, but always save it so you can go back and improve upon it. It is always okay to fix a story that is already finished.”
The second reading of the night was by Cara Tobin, who also chose an assortment of poetry to entertain listeners. Tobin’s poems harmonized religion and mythology in writing that addressed human desires and imperfections. What we perceive as flaws can also be our strengths, and we should not judge ourselves based on our society’s norms and others. Her encouragement for writers is “It’s okay to not finish a draft. Sometimes moving on and returning will give you the push/inspiration you need. And lean hard into rage poetry. It can help break intense feelings.”
The third reading was by Laurel Barnes. Barnes says, “There is no master handbook saying you have to wait and have your dessert after your broccoli. The broccoli can come later.” They read a fictional excerpt from their story “Gloria Parker.” As an active theater student, Barnes’ reading was very spirited and dynamic. Their animated telling contributed to the nature of the story, which captured the inner thoughts of the main character authentically and convincingly. The excerpt was both humorous and genuine, and it had a strong, well-crafted set of intriguing characters.
Trevor Riehm, the fourth reader of the night, brought a thrilling change of genre to the podium. His short story, “Silence of Dawn,” was a horror piece layered with symbolism and underlying conflict. The story centered around a family, plagued by the inevitable arrival of a murder of crows each morning, and the horrors delivered to a tree in their yard overnight. The buildup of suspense was artfully lurking in the background of each paragraph. Riehm’s word of counsel is, “Sometimes you need to be your harshest critic.”
The fifth reader of the night, Jake Price, brought thirteen poems to share with the audience. All a different variety, the poetry was nonetheless thought-provoking and clever. With a clear aptitude and dedication to poetry, it is no wonder that Price’s advice for writers is, “Write more. It’s the easiest way to get better.”
The final reader of the night was Grey Weatherford Brown, who says, “Writing is a tool for communication. Just write. If you can talk, if you can think, if you can observe, you can write.” Brown read 6 pieces of poetry that dealt with controversies and differences across generations and communities. Their writing was robust and imaginative. The titles of Brown’s poems were particularly eye-catching and distinctive, such as “Bull Testicle Festival,” and “Country Triste.”
The next reading senior reading will be featured in the Lore Degenstein Art Gallery on November 5. The imagination of these hard-working students is something you don’t want to miss.