Makenzie Rose Dr. Kayla Mckinney Kelsey Kerns Co-Editor Supervising Faculty Co-Editor
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INFLUX Brought to you by Knight Editors of the Tea Table: Makenzie Rose Dr. Kayla McKinney Kelsey Kerns Co-Editor Supervising Faculty Co-Editor INFLUX Alderson Broaddus University’s Literary Magazine Introduction Forward, always forward! These are words that you will see if you check out Alderson Broaddus’s website or pause to lean in and look at the mission statement posted around the campus. This year, they also apply to Influx. In an effort to better present artwork and photography and to create a growing archive of submissions by students, alumni, faculty, and staff, Influx is enjoying its first digital publication! An expansion of digital content is something of a trend up here on College Drive. More and more classes have begun to appear online and students use the latest technology to read, study, interact, and have fun. The editors at Influx are excited to be part of this trend and we hope that no matter what platform you have used to find your way to us, you will enjoy you’ll enjoy the wide range of words and images we’ve compiled to represent 2016-2017 at Alderson Broaddus University. Along with this change, our editors have decided to include a selection of papers that won awards for writing at this year’s Honors Convocation. These academic works span a wide range of topics – from cancer cells to Harry Potter – but they all showcase the exciting scholarly work being done at Alderson Broaddus University and the talents and passion of our student body. As always, we thank you for being part of our audience and hope that you will find much to enjoy in the following selections of poetry, prose, scholarship, art, and photography. The Influx Team Spring, 2017 Table of Contents INFLUX Poetry Winners Alderson Broaddus University’s First Place: Literary Magazine The Silence of the Snow (A Winter Requiem) – Michele Miles Second Place: Untitled – Leah Russo The Silence of the Snow (A Winter Requiem) Third Place: Michele Miles There’s a hush in my heart Walls – Makenzie Rose while walking in the silence of the snow. Flakes fall silently. I reach to capture one or two; an exhilarating chill, then sudden demise as each flake lands on the warmth of my hand. If raindrops are the tears of Angels then perhaps, snow flakes represent the trumpet sounds of heavenly hosts. Landing peacefully, quietly, constructing a mystical sense of security; I feel safe in this silence of the snow. Here lies in juxtaposition; my heart safe and my mind conversing with God: “Is this the winter we run to the mountains?” (The wind chills the back of my neck,) “Is it from these four winds You sound the clarion call?” The moon erupts fire red and so large I can touch it from this mountain trail. The snow remains quiet but for the crunch under my feet. “How’s the weather in Judea, Lord?” “Are the children in Allepo warm?” “Is there a new horn rising in Damascus?” My heart walks on in the silence of the snow. Winter white Victory! You’ve washed my nature clean. You coddle this cold, dead soul With the Light of hope, forever love, eternal joy. Holy Fire, come. Melt this sullen heart. humbly, I walk in the silence of Your snow. Table of Contents INFLUX Poetry Winners Alderson Broaddus University’s First Place: The Silence of the Snow Literary Magazine (A Winter Requiem) – Michele Miles Second Place: Untitled Untitled – Leah Russo Leah Russo Third Place: Walls – Makenzie Rose You taste like top shelf whiskey And smell like my favorite cigarettes. The thing is, I don’t care much for dark liquor And I’ve stopped poisoning my lungs. So, I guess just as even my strongest vices Had an expiration date, You did, too. Table of Contents INFLUX Poetry Winners Alderson Broaddus University’s First Place: The Silence of the Snow Literary Magazine (A Winter Requiem) – Michele Miles Second Place: Walls Untitled – Leah Russo Makenzie Rose Third Place: They are built strong and thick Walls – Makenzie Rose Mortared together with grit, water, and sweat Stone after stone, carefully placed Bruised, battered, weathered, and rough They protect, hide, secure They are built strong and thick Mortared together with tears, pain, and heartache Every stone a harsh word Every layer, a year They wrap around the heart, secure, cold Edges may crumble, stones may fall But soon are rebuilt stronger than before You see the village, the mirage But not the wall, the protector Sometimes the strongest walls Are those you can’t see So, trust me when I say: You know nothing about walls Those who build them Know how to get behind them Makenzie Rose is a senior student from Gore, Virginia. She will be graduating in May with a Journalism degree and a Literature minor. She intends to eventually return to school for Elementary Education, while working toward a career as a reading specialist. INFLUX Alderson Broaddus University’s Literary Magazine First Place - “Artist's Point” Makenzie Rose Makenzie Rose is senior student from Gore, Virginia. She will be graduating in May with a Journalism degree and a Literature minor. She intends to eventually return to school for Elementary Education, while working toward a career as a reading specialist. Table of Contents – Art Winners First Place - “Artist’s View” Second Place - “Untitled” Third Place - “Bucky” Makenzie Rose Erin Brown John Hall 1 INFLUX Alderson Broaddus University’s Literary Magazine Second Place - “Untitled” Erin Brown Erin Brown grew up in Cleveland, West Virginia, and is now a senior studying graphic design at AB. Her love of nature greatly influences the artwork she creates or captures on the camera. Erin will be graduating in May and plans to pursue a career in graphic design. Table of Contents – Art Winners First Place - “Artist’s View” Second Place - “Untitled” Third Place - “Bucky” Makenzie Rose Erin Brown John Hall 2 INFLUX Alderson Broaddus University’s Literary Magazine Third Place - “Bucky” John Hall John Hall is a freshman AB student majoring in Graphic Design. He hopes to one day create his own comics as art and storytelling have been his lifelong passions. Table of Contents – Art Winners First Place - “Artist’s View” Second Place - “Untitled” Third Place - “Bucky” Makenzie Rose Erin Brown John Hall 3 Table of Contents - Poetry INFLUX Where Are You – Alderson Broaddus University’s Nancy L. Homan Literary Magazine Attempting Understanding – Kelsey Kerns Where Are You “Blue Light” Nancy L. Homan – Kelsey Kerns On writing round my Where are you eight-month-old niece – Now you’ve gone from me Kelsey Kerns Leaving behind a husk haunted The Water – Kelsey Kerns By your flash of light life as a jobless writer – The brain that was too good to lose Kelsey Kerns And love that couldn’t stop Road Herping – You went unblinking to the dark without me Dr. Kayla McKinney Do you know I wait too hurt to cry Driving with the Sisters – My only comfort now Makenzie Rose I too shall die. Untitled – Leah Russo Nancy grew up in Kane, Pennsylvania, third of six children. Her favorite memory of AB Let Hope Reign – occurred when President Shearer return with the news that AB had been awarded Dr. Adam Starks accreditation. He flew overhead and dropped a parachuting doll from his plane with the good news – AB had a future! 1 Table of Contents - Poetry INFLUX Where Are You – Alderson Broaddus University’s Nancy L. Homan Literary Magazine Attempting Understanding – Kelsey Kerns Attempting Understanding “Blue Light” – Kelsey Kerns Kelsey Kerns On writing round my Composing music or poetry? eight-month-old niece – We share similar rhythms, beats Kelsey Kerns shouldn’t be very hard to see The Water – Kelsey Kerns but there’s a gap, and we can’t quite meet. life as a jobless writer – Kelsey Kerns We do share similar rhythms and beats, Road Herping – your parallel fifths match my rhyme scheme, Dr. Kayla McKinney but there’s a gap where we can’t meet Driving with the Sisters – and in understanding you, I’ll need a team. Makenzie Rose Untitled – Your parallel fifths match my rhyme scheme, Leah Russo my meter to your tempo and pace Let Hope Reign – Dr. Adam Starks but to understand you, I’ll need a team for here is where I rest my case. My meter to your tempo and pace, your measure to my stanza, yet here is where I rest my case: Just what on earth’s a fourth interval? It’s becoming my new mantra. 1 Your measure to my stanza isn’t very hard to see, but I’m forming a new mantra – Composing music or poetry? Kelsey Kerns is a senior English major at AB. She hopes to become an editor and part time writer after graduation. 2 Table of Contents - Poetry INFLUX Where Are You – Alderson Broaddus University’s Nancy L. Homan Literary Magazine Attempting Understanding – Kelsey Kerns “Blue Light” “Blue Light” – Kelsey Kerns Kelsey Kerns On writing round my (on the practice of calming the body by picturing a blue light illuminating each part eight-month-old niece – of self and the individual memories associated with each) Kelsey Kerns The Water – Kelsey Kerns feel thoughts once swirling in agony life as a jobless writer – Kelsey Kerns straighten Road Herping – calm to heartbeat pulse Dr. Kayla McKinney through to elbows Driving with the Sisters – Makenzie Rose they leak through body Untitled – hands pen paper Leah Russo jumbled thoughts Let Hope Reign – priming lines to action Dr. Adam Starks jolting memory times of sorrow spent showers lying in tent instruction breathe follow memory feel warm rocks 1 hard tree of spine yellow haze float down from sky birds follow memory down swift hands feet to worn paths jumble shoulder with wings feel memory 2 3 Table of Contents - Poetry INFLUX Where Are You – Alderson Broaddus University’s Nancy L.