As other students packed clothes, boarded planes to Cancun, and studied for ever-looming midterms, a group of literary enthusiasts gathered in the Library Auditorium on March 4 to hear three talented students read their works of poetry and short stories.
Ink’s first Student Reading Series of the spring semester featured recitations by Alexa Baird, Katie Brenzel and Chris Payne.
Baird, sophomore English major and a transfer student, began the night. After a friendly introduction by a close friend of “11 and a half years,” she read three poems, titled “Thursday’s Child,” “First Year Re-Imagined” and “Tripping Towards Bethlehem.” Baird’s poetry was marked by many powerful lines, including the emphatic phrase, “a thing with blind ears cannot listen.”
Next, Signal News Editor and sophomore English and journalism double major Katie Brenzel took the stage after her introduction, which categorized her as “not one for talking … but man can she write!” Brenzel read six of her poems, including “(But Deep)” and an untitled poem that included the provocative line, “I think I will continue to stay in line even if I have forgotten where I stand.”Another poem, “House Sounds Mind,” aptly spoke of something everyone at college can relate to — the transition from home-life to dorm-life. She said, “I want to be a part of this daily exhaustion that is no longer mine,” which reminded the audience of the fragility between college and home.
Finally, senior history and education double major Chris Payne read three of his short stories. Before doing so, he was introduced by two of his housemates, who began the introduction by telling the audience to “do me a favor and close your eyes.” His friends then gave a loving, yet nevertheless sarcastic description of their “perfect man,” Payne.
Payne read three of his short stories, the first entitled “E-Hitched,” which brought the audience to laughter after describing the pressures of managing fantasy football teams and finding the perfect “forced, awkward relationship.” His next story highlighted the sad reality of Facebook groups and their petty importance in “President Obama Resigns due to Facebook Group.” His last story, “Losing Club House,” delved into the world of baseball, the New York Yankees and Chase Utley.
The night was a successful escape from the stresses of midterms. “It’s so cool to get a chance to hear our own students on campus read their work,” freshman English major Emily Witkowski said. The creativity will continue when three new students read their work at ink’s next Student Reading Series on April 15.
