Creative Writing Commons^™

The Vain Explorer & Death: An Analysis Of Ecclesiastes' Philosophy, Quinn M. Gillies

Student Publications

A literary work and analysis of the philosophy of Ecclesiastes about how they viewed the world, more specifically how and how not to live one's life. It starts with a short story about an explorer who in their vanity searches the whole world for answers and comes back feeling only suffering. They are then met by a personification of death who tells them what's wrong with the way they tried to live their life and then gives the explorer the ability to live their life again with new found knowledge of the correct way to live and be without suffering. …

The Turmoil The Quail Hath Wrought, Emily C. Howe

Student Publications

A poem describing domestic emotional abuse through the lens of a meal's preparation.

"Rhapsody Of Agonizing Contemplations On An Autumn Night" And "​​The Torment Of Lady Daffodil"（〈秋夕怨思賦〉與〈水仙怨〉）, Xiao-Yu Chen

Student Publications

“A spirit of extreme magnitude and fortitude that spreads passionately and boldly.” — Dr. Pu Yi-Nan, poet, scholar, and Professor at the Department of Chinese Literature of Tamkang University in Taiwan on the publications by Rivolia Chen Xiao-Yu’s that he has read 「浩氣慷慨。」 ——臺灣淡江大學中文系教師、詩人、學者普公義南，評其所閱陳瀟玉已刊之作

Traditional Chinese Poems, “The White Blossom” And “Agony Unfurls,” As Well As The Finished Parts In The Martyrdom Of Chen Zi-Ang, A Film Screenplay, And “Shadows Of Phoenixes” In Scarlet Tears On A Golden Branch, A Novel (華夏傳統詩〈素華〉與〈抽怨〉、電影劇本《陳子昂殉道記》已成之部、小說《金枝紅淚》中〈凰影〉已成之部), Xiao-Yu Chen

Student Publications

Book Description

Chen Zi-Ang (courtesy name Bo-Yu, 659–700 CE) was a medieval Chinese author, poet, scholar, twice-prisoner, and a martyr. It has been a devotion of the Daoist and the Chinese folk religions to venerate him as the Holy Land Patron of the Shu Area (Sichuan) and his hometown, Shehong. During his brief life, Chen reverently practiced the cultural-spiritual lineage of Confucianism and was a devout follower of the Daoist religion. He was also a long-term manifester of the Chinese cultural-spiritual archetype of the warrior. Earning his doctorate in 684 CE, he served in a number of minor official roles, …

Diversity In Native American Literature, Sarah E. Guistwite

Student Publications

Native American literature, and Native American culture as a whole, has often been portrayed through the lens of a single story. It is assumed that Native American authors are all the same, and that their works are all the same as well. During the Native American Renaissance period, Native American authors wrote works that fought back against this idea. Their writings are diverse, and show a depth of culture that is often presumed to be nonexistent. Two authors, N. Scott Momaday and Elizabeth Cook- Lynn, demonstrate this diversity through their goals in writing, reasons for writing, and forms of writing. …

The Last Birthday, Natalie M. Dolan

Student Publications

This poem looks back on the predicted apocalypse of 2012 in light of the poet's 12th birthday, which took place that year.

“Around We Go”: The Apocalypse As Revolution And Revelation In David Mitchell’S Cloud Atlas, Emma G. Schilling

Student Publications

The tradition of global disasters in literature is long-standing and David Mitchell contributes to that discussion. For him, the possibility of political, social, and environmental collapse is imminent based on patterns he traced throughout human history. One common thread Mitchell weaves throughout his works is the presence and the relevance of the apocalyptic. In his best known work, Cloud Atlas, Mitchell explores the cyclical trends of humanity across time and space, including the recurrence of predacity, cruelty, and systematic oppression. Rather than being overwhelmed by a nihilistic reality, Mitchell centers Cloud Atlas around recurring figures of revolution, resisting and …

Synthesizing The Sublime And Beautiful: Aesthetics In Shelley's "Hymn To Intellectual Beauty", Christopher T. Lough

Student Publications

As a Romantic poet, Percy Bysshe Shelley bristled at rationalistic attempts to definitively categorize the human condition. Taking Edmund Burke’s treatise “On the Sublime and Beautiful” as his chief foil, Shelley explored aesthetic categories that certain strains of Enlightenment thought had held apart from one another. In my brief exegesis of his “Hymn to Intellectual Beauty” from 1816, I build on Rudolf Otto’s concept of the numinous and the work of intellectual historian Frank Ankersmit to argue that Shelley presents a holistic account of experience with the ineffable.

Music Terminology And Context In Robert Browning’S “A Toccata Of Galuppi’S”, Natalie M. Dolan

Student Publications

In his poem describing a performance of a Baldassare Galuppi toccata, Robert Browning uses music theory terminology and historical context to explain the emotions inspired by the piece. Browning’s 19th-century narrator reflects on the lives of past audiences and on his own mortality as he addresses the deceased composer. This paper analyzes the use of musical references in explaining the narrator’s response to the performance. The analysis includes an examination of Galuppi’s compositional period and a discussion of the specific terminology that Browning uses to convey his narrator’s wariness of death.

The Boardwalk, Mirabelle R. Cohen

Student Publications

From their stakeouts below,

Kids are careful not to look directly up,

The way you avoid looking at the sun when you step outside,

Because the sun streams fire and

painted planks spit sand at the little gods of mischief. [excerpt]

Banana Bread, Madeleine L. Quinn

Student Publications

This poem describes a young narrators exploration of her grandmother's battle with dementia. Her grandma's unwavering love still finds ways to shine through.

Pet Store, Lauren P. Hand

Student Publications

Original poem by Lauren Hand.

Riptide, Mirabelle R. Cohen

Student Publications

Haifa sun,

Warm and thick like honey,

Melts over everything:

The port, the parasailers, the topless woman sunbathing.

I have befriended the lifeguard,

Whose laughter is abundant like pomegranate seeds.

He wears a red speedo and his curly hair reminds me of pasta. [excerpt]

Closure, Madeleine L. Quinn

Student Publications

This poem explores the idea of closure through various lenses of the narrators life.

Quarentina, Lauren P. Hand

Student Publications

Original poem by Lauren Hand.

What Is A Viola?, Madison R. Sidle

Student Publications

A viola is a string instrument similar to a violin but larger in size,

producing a deeper sound to compliment the arrangement.

Two curled holes, allowing some light inside

the hallowed body, just delicate enough to float,

perched under the chin of its commander. [excerpt]

From The Shire To The Somme: Comparing Military Themes In The Hobbit And Up To Mamtez, Alexander M. Remington

Student Publications

The Hobbit, by J.R.R Tolkien, tells the story of the titular Bilbo Baggins who goes on an adventure to help a band of dwarves retake their home from a dragon. Throughout the adventure, Bilbo and the dwarves endure many hardships similar to those of a British soldier fighting on the western front in the First World War. These hardships are especially comparable to Llewelyn Wyn Griffith's World War One experience described in his book Up to Mametz. Military themes of enforced adventure, constant and escalating danger, comradeship, and the devastation of war can also be found in both the Hobbit …

Earth: "Un-Human Me", Hakim Mohandas Amani Williams

Peace and Justice Studies Faculty Publications

He took a rib from your side and made others.

So you considered Others your children, forever.

He told you to go forth and produce and multiply so you made capitalism.

He told you to go forth and conquer and pillage and mark your name and plant your flag where-ever you wanted.

So now the moon is yours. Jupiter, beware! [excerpt]

Wolves Are Wild: A Collection Of Narratives About Rescued Wolves And Wolfdogs, Molly G. Vorhaus

Student Publications

Breeders across the country are creating wolfdogs by breeding dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) with wolves (Canis lupus) for a large profit. This project is a response to the growing exotic pet trade of wolves and wolfdogs. Through this project, I hope to bring awareness to the issues associated with these animals being raised in captivity. Recent research has shown that raising a wolf or wolfdog in captivity can lead to various negative psychological and physical effects on the animal, and can cause potential problems for humans as well. This practice is embedded in the concept of humans wanting to own …

Carrying Loss, Hallie S. Wilk

Student Publications

"Carrying Loss" is a creative nonfiction piece I wrote based off of someone I know, a mother who discovers that she is pregnant with a baby that has Trisomy 18, a genetic disease with very low survival rates. This piece follows the internal struggle of the mother as she deals with this information, and decides to carry the baby to full term, despite the fact he has passed inside of her. It ends on the day of the baby's birth as a still born.

A Sign, Rachel M. Crowe

Student Publications

"A Sign" is a narrative about the experience of grief and how relationships are strengthened by shared experience. It tells the story of two different women who come together and inhabit a space of mutual understanding in the wake of their mother's death.

Kodak Moments, Lauren J. Browning

Student Publications

Poem reminiscing about a childhood interaction with her father. Despite being past her bedtime, she waits until her father gets home to hear about his day. The speaker likens the memory to a photograph captured in time.

Ode To Being In-Between, Corey S. Ullman

Student Publications

A poem about melancholy, loneliness, airports, and travelling.

Ici-Bas!, Nicholas A. Koloian

Student Publications

High school student Moses King isn't a goody two-shoes, but the bully Samuel doesn't understand (or care) about this fact. In this story written by Nicholas Koloian, Moses finds his retribution through his bold friend, Henry, who must overcome his own problems in a tale exploring race, sexuality, and high school bullying.

The Nurturing Nature Of Nature, Katie F. Mercer

Student Publications

This piece of creative non-fiction describes my relationship with National Parks and the way their beauty and power has shaped my life.

Hide And Seek, Natalie M. Orga

Student Publications

The day Summer disappeared, you were at home, feverish and ready for the phone to ring. You’d been waiting for that phone call all morning, hovering moth-like around the old-fashioned landline in the kitchen. Your friends liked to tease you whenever you used the ancient thing; the chunky, mustard-yellow receiver tucked under your chin, the ringlet cord that you absently twisted between your fingers while you chatted. Summer always said that you looked like the picture of 1980s adolescence when you picked it up, like you should be teasing your roots and giggling over a crush. [excerpt]

Within The Pillars Of Hercules, Grace L. Herron

Student Publications

The Kiona’s hull sliced neatly through the batting waves, her sails pulling forward with the ceaseless breath of the northwestern winds. The boards of the ship hummed beneath Carrice Leon’s feet, interlaced with the rhythmic beating of 170 oars against serene waters. In the distance, white spires were beginning to peak just above the starboard horizon, a shimmering beacon in the endless blue. They were making good time, despite the previous day’s storm. Carrice looked up to find the sun high in the sky. “Starboard side, in-oars!” Her voice boomed across the length of the deck, ringing clear over the …

Rocky Horror: A Study In Shadows And Flight, Julia M. Chin

Student Publications

“Rocky Horror: A Study in Shadows and Flight” is a creative nonfiction piece that analyzes the infamous legacy left by the cult classic, The Rocky Horror Picture Show. As a first-year in college, the speaker strings together a series of vignettes from different encounters with the film in her life, from her first midnight showing to her first performance as Columbia in a live production. In a few pages, this piece examines the meaning of identity and freedom as the speaker works through repulsion, rebellion, and all things Rocky.

Oh, Lilah, R. A. Montross

Student Publications

"Oh, Lilah" is a feminist retelling of the story of Samson and Delilah. It is a verse poem divided into five sections. It is narrated by Delilah, putting a unique, contemporary twist on the renowned Biblical tale.

Elegy To My Eyes, Grace E. Timko

Student Publications

This elegiac poem focuses on the speaker's limited eyesight as she wakes up in the morning after letting her contacts dry up overnight.