By Haley Zeller
Tuesday, November 12 marked the day of the final senior reading for creative writing majors this semester. Five seniors presented their diligently crafted works to a lively, excited crowd.
The first reading was performed by Brooke Mitchell, who says, “read and practice curiosity” as her words of advice. Mitchell opened the night with a poem titled “I Combine,” which had themes of routine and frustration, as well as the sense of “boiling over” from the mind of the narrator. The rest of her work was exceptionally lyrical and flowing—with careful diction and unconfined imagery.
The second reading was by Maggie Mauro, who read two pieces of flash fiction and a poem. The first story, titled “Never New York,” featured characters with remarkable emotional depth and intricacy. It dealt with the conflict between the narrator and their brother, and his attitude towards his family after achieving the life he desired. Her second piece tackled themes of love versus lust, and a realization that some people you encounter in life will never know your past, your joys and fears, or you as a whole. When asked about writing, Mauro says, “Writing is an art that relies on realizing the inherent worth in your voice on the page. Anything you write has value.”
The third reading was performed by Starla Nieves, whose advice for fellow creative writing students is, “Use the years you’re in school workshopping to explore and be whoever you want to be.” Nieves read an excerpt from a short story of hers titled “My Husband and I,” where a woman grapples with inner conflict regarding her husband. While she does not desire children, he wants to build a family, and her avoidance of their different dreams leads to her obsession and mistrust of him. The characters were all vividly hashed out, and the inner thoughts of the main character, though concerning, were thrilling to listen to.
The fourth reading was done by Rebecca Sandstrom, who hails from Brazil. She read a piece of flash fiction that had an immersive, detailed setting, as well as characters whose stories felt very realistic and complex. Her writing was very sensory as she described the narrator’s surroundings and emotions, and it was rich with foreign language that further built dimension to the setting. Sandstrom’s advice for readers was humorous: “If you want your book to be a success with a modern Internet-using audience, you’re going to have to include a Tumblr sexyman in it. Them’s the rules, unfortunately.”
The final reading was performed by Jenna Delmar, who introduced three poems to close the night. The first poem, titled “Fidelity,” explored hidden mistrust behind a veil of happiness, as the narrator became aware of her partner cheating on her. She describes his actions through her symbolic death, and each lie of his like the cut of a knife. Her next poem was about the unconditional love between siblings, and how older siblings are a “necessity” in helping the younger ones navigate hardships in life. Her final poem delved into the idea of time as it slips away from us, and all the many achievements that are possible to us. It read like a list, with each moment being checked off once experienced. Delmar’s words of advice for writers is, “Explore. Don’t confine yourself to one convention or genre—try things out and experiment because it will help you grow. Don’t be afraid of taking a leap into unknown territory.”
With the conclusion of this semester’s readings, we hope everyone who attended enjoyed them, and we wish the seniors a huge congratulations.
