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A magazine of creative expression by students, faculty, and staff at Southeast Community College Beatrice/Lincoln/Milford, NE Nebraska City/Plattsmouth/York, NE Volume 18 2017 “Art is our one true global language. It knows no nation, it favors no race, and it acknowledges no class. It speaks to our need to reveal, heal, and transform. It transcends our ordinary lives and lets us imagine what is possible.” Richard Kamler C REATIVITY LIVES HERE These awards have been bestowed on Illuminations and its contributors by the Community College Humanities Association. 2009 Cameron Koll, “Baby Girl” Merit Award in Fiction 2010 Illuminations 3rd Place Literary Magazine, Central Division 2011 Katrina Bennett, “Brown Walls” 1st Place Nonfiction Illuminations 1st Place Literary Magazine, Central Division 2014 Mystery Harwood, “Nebraska in My 30s” 1st Place Poetry Alanna Johnson, “Descendants” 2nd Place Poetry Cameron Maxwell, “The City’s Outstretched Hand” 3rd Place Poetry Shannon White, “Black Violas” 3rd Place Fiction Ashley Cornelsen, “Homeless Dreams” Honorable Mention Fiction Thomas Joyce, “The Hovel” 2nd Place Nonfiction Stephen Kaminski, “Number 9” 3rd Place Nonfiction Casey Lowe, Eyes of Innocence 3rd Place Art Derrick Brinkmeier, Not on This Night Honorable Mention Performance Illuminations 1st Place Literary Magazine, Central Division 2015 Samuel Huff, “Snowflakes in Summer” 1st Place Song, 1st Place Performance, Central Division Illuminations 1st Place Literary Magazine, Central Division, Small Colleges 2016 Lanny Tunks, “The Girl” 1st Place Art Illuminations 1st Place Literary Magazine, Central Division, Small Colleges 2 I LLUMINATIONS V OLUME 18 Editor: Kimberly Vonnahme Graphic Designer: Nathan Comstock Editorial Team: Sonia Arellano, Jim Baker, James Barnett, Tayden Bundy, Teresa Burt, Elizabeth George, Richard Hadley, Nancy Hagler Vujovic, Ashley Heckman, Blaine Kinnan, Ellen Kratzer, August Krzycki, Anna Loden, Jodi Nelson, Shannon Nielsen, Danul Patterson, Wayne Rea, Jordyn Riha, Donna Salas, Lanny Tunks, Laura Madeline Wiseman Project Assistants: Nancy Hagler Vujovic, David Hallowell, Jeanine Jewell, Nick Lamblin, Kate Loden, Rachel Mason, Donna Osterhoudt, Janalee Petsch, Lyndsi Rasmussen, Carolee Ritter, Jo Shimmin, Jessica Vetter, the English instructors of the Arts and Sciences Division Conceptual Creator: Shane Zephier Illuminations publishes creative prose, poetry, and visual art, as well as academic and literary writing. We encourage submissions from across the disciplines. Our mission is to feature outstanding artistic works with a diversity of voices, styles, and subjects meaningful to the SCC community. Illuminations is further evidence that original thought and creative expression are celebrated by Southeast Community College. Illuminations is published in March of each year. Submissions are accepted year-round from SCC students, faculty, and staff. Email submissions to Editor Kimberly Vonnahme, [email protected], with the following information: 1) The title and a brief description of each submission; 2) Your name, ID#, and program/position at SCC; 3) Your physical address, phone number, and email address; 4) Your motivation for creating each submission; 5) A brief, informal bio of yourself; mention unique traits, habits, or guilty pleasures— whatever makes you you; 6) The following statement with your typed “signature”: This submission is my own original, unpublished work. Written work is accepted as .rtf or Word files. Submit artwork images or photographs as .tif or .jpg files. (We can photograph or scan artwork for you if needed.) Video files of dramatic, musical, or other creative performances of ten minutes or less can be submitted as MPG4, MPG2, MPG3, AVI, MOV, FLV files. The deadline for Volume 19 submissions is June 2, 2017. Contributors should be aware that submitted work may be used in promotional materials, featured on the Illuminations Facebook page or the SCC website, or submitted to literary magazine contests. Contributors retain copyright of submitted and published material. “Like” our Facebook page for updates, creative challenges, news, contributor spotlights, and more. www.facebook.com/illuminationsscc Questions should be directed to: Kimberly Vonnahme, c/o Southeast Community College, 8800 O Street, Lincoln, NE 68520, 402-437-2844, [email protected] The content of this magazine does not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Team, the Arts and Sciences Division, or anyone associated with Southeast Community College. for Dan, still ©2017 3 I LLUMINATIONS V OLUME 18 P RIZE W INNERS E ACH Y E AR , TH E E DITORIAL T E AM AWARDS PRIZ E S TO SIX OUTSTANDING STUD E NT CONTRIBUTORS . P ROSE W INNERS Grand Prize: Ashleigh Fuson, “Two in the Void”: Ashleigh’s engaging story with dual narrators and perspectives intrigued Editorial Team members. As one member wrote: “This author does an excellent job of reeling in the reader. Moments of romance, glimpses of conspiracy, conflict, and pain so deeply buried by denial it begins to crystallize—I was hooked within the first two paragraphs and actually sitting on the edge of my seat by the second section. I was especially impressed by the author’s ability to flesh out Andrew’s character in only two brief ‘chapters.’ Great job of letting the characters describe themselves through deed. If there’s more to this, I want to read it.” Several team members commented on the mysterious science fiction elements within the story. As another team member wrote, “This story raises a lot of questions in the reader’s mind, and that’s a good thing. Well done.” Runner-Up: Lisa McDermed, “A Mother’s Life and Death”: Lisa’s moving story of loss and eventual understanding and peace about her difficult relationship with her mother connected with many of the Editorial Team members. One member wrote, “It’s good to see this writer find a way to cope with her mother’s passing after such a difficult relationship.” Another went further by stating, “This is a quiet story told by a mature person with excellent writing skills. Her perception of what it means to serve–and to receive–is remarkably shared. I vote for this one.” P OETRY W INNERS Grand Prize: Melissa Nuss, Collection: Melissa’s provocative and sharp-edged poetic style allowed her poetry to stand apart from other submissions. As one team member wrote, “This poet is dealing with real issues here—dirty, mundane, universal, exhilarating issues that end up changing one’s life, although it isn’t known at the time. This poet writes with great skill and insight. The poems end up being subtle and a two-by-four to the head at the same time.” Another team member elected “Stained” as a suitable illustration of Melissa’s poetic power: “‘Stained’ is a despairing depiction of death from someone who has taken responsibility for the process and its finality. Caring for a dying relative takes courage, and the writer’s simultaneous acceptance of both the task and its desperate difficulty is expressed in her description of the miserable journey and the tasks 4 I LLUMINATIONS V OLUME 1 8 P RIZE W INNERS necessary for her mother’s comfort.” A third team member wrote, “‘She Stands Twenty Stories High’ shows that those who think they are bigger and mightier are usually just the fragile ones in disguise, and in ‘Breakneck,’ I felt like I was on that bike. I could see and feel the experience, including the pain. Wonderful poetry.” Runner-Up: Safaa Al-Sarhani, Collection: Safaa’s mournful collection of poems sits uneasily in a reader’s psyche, but the poems’ power is undeniable. An Editorial Team member wrote of one of Safaa’s poems, “‘I Was…’ reminds me of an Emmylou Harris song with its meditation on the loss of present innocence and future potential through the world’s lethal brutality.” Other team members commented on the poems’ ability to haunt with emotion. “This poet has seen bitter days,” a team member wrote. “After reading her poetry, I can sense some of that, and that’s what a good poet does–moves you with emotion and words.” A RT W ORK W INNERS Grand Prize: Samah Al-Sarhani, Collection: Samah brought a frenzied tone to her artwork that made her drawings stand out among the submissions. Each of her pieces brought praise from Editorial Team members. Of “Falling,” one team member wrote, “This artwork deserves a top position because it uses good color, the shading is nicely done, and the expressions are detailed. I also like how comical it is.” Another team member wrote, “This perfectly illustrates how it feels to have a dream— nailed it!” Of “Caught in the Middle,” a team member praised the “eloquent depiction of the conflict between an immigrant’s old and new homes. Color me impressed.” Samah’s “Where My Demons Hide” was widely praised for its excellent execution; one team member wrote, “Beautiful and expressive. The subject’s serene expression suggests that maybe she’s managing these demons just fine.” Runner-Up: Anastasia Leigh Finner, Collection: Anastasia’s electric and original collection of artwork brought her the runner-up award and the cover for this volume of Illuminations. Of “Sky Captain,” one team member wrote, “A very unique piece, vibrant. A mistake gone well. Jumps off the page and forces you to pay attention.” Of “Our Lord and Savior Andy Warhol,” a team member wrote, “The title made me laugh, and the art is solid.” A second team member wrote of the same piece, “This one’s quite a trip! It’s a complex image, which forces the viewer to ponder and challenge one’s perceptions. I really like this one. Let’s put it on the cover.” 5 T ABLE OF C ONTENTS Front cover image, “Our Lord and Savior Andy Warhol,” by Anastasia Leigh Finner Back cover image, “Inner Beauty,” by Sonia Arellano P ROSE NATHANIEL ALLEN Desperate Lovers ...........................36 MATIOP LUETH ATEM Tuler, the Lion Cub .........................45 DEVIN AYLOR My Grandpa’s Love .........................16 BROOKE BRESTEL On Dreams ..............................121 TERESA BURT Bucket List ..............................105 HAYLEE DILTZ The Abstract Mind ........................190 MORGAN DINNEL Clementine ...............................33 DENON FEAGIN Chapter 1: The Beginnings ..................194 KAYTON E.