Student musicians, artists, writers and even a martial artist brought their goods to the Rathskeller on Nov. 18 as a part of 'ink's' The Goods, an all-day festival of student creativity.
Lisa Gentile, senior psychology major, was the first reader, sharing three of her poems, covering a variety of topics. One poem was about a girl entering the head of her crush and wandering around, while another was about the Buddha coming back to the Earth to find love. "I was pretty nervous at first because I wasn't sure how my poetry would be received," Gentile said. However, the longer she was on stage, the more comfortable she felt, she said.
"I am not really a poet," she said, "but I am in Poetry Workshop right now and my professor, Catie Rosemurgy, encouraged me to read."
Ben Daniels, senior physics major, and John Fialk, senior communication studies major, performed as Raspberry Jam, covering songs such as "Crash Into Me" by the Dave Matthews Band and "All Along the Watchtower," originally by Bob Dylan. They also played one original, untitled song.
Fialk, on saxophone, punctuated each song with impromptu sax solos. Daniels played acoustic guitar and sang most of the vocals.
According to the Goods itinerary, the show was made up of 50 percent poetry. Poems included "The Second Cousin We Don't Talk About So Much" by junior journalism major Tom Dunford, "Glass Glazed Stars" by senior English major Devin McKernan, and "Love Gone Stale" by freshman English major Kate Whitman.
"This is for anyone who's heard music coming from somewhere and you don't know where and it kind of scares you," Adam Engel, freshman music major, said before his poem "Through the Window."
However, the all-day event was not limited to music and poetry. Kevin Wong prefaced his work with a warning that it would be R-rated, proceeding to read two short stories, including "Karma's a Thief." "Have you ever had karma hit you like a creamer hits a lactose-intolerant obese man?" the story's narrator asked. Both stories dealt with relationships and hooking up in no uncertain terms.
There were several other musicians performing, including Brian O'Halloran, who played original songs like "Why I Learned to Drive."
He also played a song from his band. "Technically it's not a cover, but it's a cover," he said before pereforming "There Are No Earthquakes in Atlantic City."
Michael Mendoza demonstrated Tai Chi to a completely silent audience. He demonstrated several known forms, as well as one he created himself, called "Six Armies, Five Methods."
Headliner Sam Lipstyte read from his novel "Homestyle," about a man from New Jersey who reaches a point in his life only to realize things haven't turned out the way he expected.
He begins to write letters to his high school newspaper, though the paper does not publish them.
Lipstyte said the story's themes include achievement, the cost of success and whether it's worth it and the importance of keeping true to oneself.
The audience seemed engaged in his work, laughing at the excerpts Lipstyte read from his novel.
