By Lauren Longo
Correspondent
Student writers took the stage to read emotionally charged original poems and short stories.
INK’s Spring 2013 Student Reading Series, which took place last Tuesday, April 9, included five captivating writers, each chosen from an application process.
The night began with the readings of senior English and secondary education double major Andy Gallagher.
Gallagher read three of his works, beginning with “Schism,” a poem about an apocalyptic world where two opposing sects are at war.
In this world full of hatred and self-supremacy, words such as soothe, dinner, song and roof have become archaic.
After reading about the epic fantastical battles of “Schism,” Andy lightened the mood by reading his two remaining poems, “Roofin’ It” and “The Man.”
Junior English and women’s and gender studies double major Ryan Rousseau stepped up to the podium to share his two works, “11:11” and “Nowhere New Jersey.”
Throughout “Nowhere New Jersey,” listeners heard the voice of a fluctuating indecisive mind — “Should she give up? Bartending school seems fun. Nursing school?”
But amidst the incredibly relatable confusion, the poem concluded with a wonderfully clear didactic line — “Cling to the idea that there is beauty in nowhere.”
Alexa Logush, sophomore history and English double major, was described by her presenter as being able “to understand how a pen feels without its cap.”
Logush began by sharing two untitled poems and ended with “Being a Tourist in the City I Used to Live In.”
She shared that this poem was about her moving experience — her family once moved to a different house within the same town.
But after they moved all of their belongings from their old house to the new, her family had to spend one night in her old empty home.
Listeners could hear the emotion and pain in Logush’s clear voice, which was believed by her presenter to be reminiscent of sleigh bells.
Michael Hassin, breaking the trend of the other readers, read a collection of 18 short writings from his cell phone, one of which being selected tweets from his Twitter account.
Another told of a little girl dropping coins into a saxophone man’s upside down hat, and the elation she expressed after doing so.
Hassin’s short, insightful readings, mostly about daily life, truly engaged the audience — these poems provoked constant bursts of laughter and the “I feel you” sort of snap.
The night concluded with senior English major Samantha Zimbler, who has led INK for the past two years. She read multiple poems from two collections, one being a series about Hurricane Sandy, and another about her experience teaching memoir writing to women prisoners.
Samantha’s voice was truly that of an advocate for the incarcerated women she teaches. She wrote of their brilliance and love of writing.
Her closing poem, “Free the Diva,” was written from the perspective of one of her students who had been placed in isolation for unjust reasons.
