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  • autumn colors
    Creative

    Maple’s Soliloquy

    By Alyssa Phifer Photo by Pexel Stock Images My branches nearly brush her windowsill She sleeps inside so sweetly ’til the sun Shines through my leaves, warm green glows soft into Her dreams, her waking moments intertwined With mine—though I do not know how to sleep Or wake—I wonder what this might be like To lay my body down, to rest beneath The shade of someone else’s outstretched arms I stand still, tall and strong—my roots reach down, Dig deep to raise me higher than before I stand, I grow—she sleeps, she dreams and wakes To see her limbs seem longer, running out To share her dream with me—together, we…

  • Creative

    Done.

    By Meg Salizzoni “Mors irrumat omnia. Death fucks us all.” —Leigh Bardugo in Ninth House mors omnibus adest memento mori words meant to soothe calm prepare redirect divert numb to the eventual end of which we do not consent? instead, mors irrumat omnia. latin is a dead language already. we were doomed from the start.

  • Creative,  Events,  personal narrative

    Revenge

    by Alyssa Fallavolitti We were happy, but then you stomped on my goddamn heart. And like the fucking idiot I am, I forgave you. But that’s what I wanted you to think. I’ll admit, at first, I wanted to believe you’d change. At first, I wanted to give you another chance, but all those words you said to me replayed in my mind like a broken record. All the bruises on my body told me there was no hope for you. And like the selfish bastard you are, you thought you had the upper hand in our relationship, but it was me all along. It was all about me. Your…

  • Creative,  Events,  personal narrative

    Vengence

    By Alexis Craft We were happy. Too happy. So, I stomped on your pretty little heart. And like the fucking idiot you are, you forgave me. Or so I thought. I believed I had the upper hand in our relationship, but to my surprise, you had it all along. My mood was based around yours; our conversations were all about you and your day, and our love was on your terms. But from the outside looking in, it was pure. That stunt I pulled was meant to be our end, and it almost was, but then I decided I wasn’t done with you. I wasn’t done with the attention you…

  • close up photography of adult black and white short coat dog
    Creative,  Readings

    Felix

    By Rachel Hoarau (Photo by Pixel Free Images) My paw pads aren’t callused like my mother’s. They are soft and pink. The light is bright, and I can hardly see. Mom licks my head Says bye bye and runs out of the den I want to go out there, too! It looks so bright and green. A year has gone by and I’m running every day, Crushing green sprouts in soft soil and spilling down over the hillside, nearly falling into the chittering brook. There is another like me in the brook’s wavy water. He is red and white with deep brown eyes. I dance with him. I think he…

  • Creative,  Readings

    The Weight of Kevlar

    By Ryan Stryffeler Yesterday I was helping my daughter get ready for school She put on her Kevlar backpack while I tied her shoes “If anything happens, I love you” I said with a smile And gave her an extra-long hug to hold her close for a while And smell her thick hair, place my lips on her scalp, For a moment unconscious of anything else I looked at her then, so trusting, so pure, So ignorant of what she’ll be forced to endure They grow up so fast, everyone says But why must growing up bring her closer to death?

  • Creative,  Guest Post

    Angelica

    By Thea Angeles (Photo by Adobe Stock) Innocent and demure she may seem The moment you first encounter her; But as time goes by and by, Get to know her more And you’re in for a surprise. Yes, she’s still that ingenue you knew That fragile and innocent flower; Only later, you will find A free-spirited princess she actually is Especially in times of adrenaline and excitement.

  • Contests,  Editorials

    Allowing the Mistreatment of Black Americans

    Each year the Department of Literature, Languages, Cultures, and Writing selects the very best final essays from ENGL 102 Critical Writing to be entered into a scholarship competition, evaluated by professors within the department, and ultimately selected by Emeritus Professor of English James Strickland. Below is the winner of the 2023 Strickland Award for Writing. Congratulations, Daniel!! By Daniel Tooson Original Drawing by Megan Krumpak The United States Constitution was first authored in 1787. The Constitution createschecks and balances within the government, orchestrates three branches, and establishes theUnited States as a Representative Democracy and Republic (What is the Constitution). Withinthe U.S. Constitution, there are amendments. These amendments allow the Constitution…

  • Contests,  Editorials

    The Early Bird Gets an F

    Each year, the Department of Literature, Languages, Cultures, and Writing asks the professors teaching ENG 102 Critical Reading to submit the best student essays from their classes for consideration for the James Strickland Writing Award. Below is one of the selections that won an honorable mention for 2023. by Madison Barr It is no secret that students hate waking up early to go to school. As they get older, it only becomes more difficult. Every day, these students reluctantly drag themselves out of bed and try their best to make it through the morning. One has to ask, could these early morning wake-up times hurt more than attitudes? The fact…

  • Contests,  Editorials

    No Longer Breathing Easy

    Each year, the Department of Languages, Literatures, Cultures, and Writing at Slippery Rock University holds a contest for the best essays produced by students in the required Rock Studies course Critical Writing. Named after English Professor Emeritus Dr. James Strickland, the contest awards scholarship monies to students whose professors submitted their final essays as the best-of-the-best. Here is one of the three honorable mentions for the 2023 Strickland Scholarship contest. By Hayden Fritz Dr. Seuss’s book “The Lorax” is a classic from many people’s childhoods. It follows the exploits of the character named Once-ler as they build their business empire from the humble beginnings of chopping his first truffula tree…