p e R G e p T I o N 5 T G.~~ lC@llll~~~ A unit of the University System of Geo~ A pu!ilication of the'llumanities Division and Student Affairs Vol. X 1991 Perceptions Staff Perceptions is a creative arts magazine published by the Humanities Division and Student Activi ties Editor of Gai nesville College to encourage the arts among Sheila Casper students, faculty, and friends of the college. Some 6779 of the works published herei n are the crea ti ve products of art and writing classes; others are Art Editor contributions from fri ends of the creative arts. Beth Baltes All unsolicited manuscripts and artwork should be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed en­ Computer Operations velope. While care will be exercised in handling these materials, the editorial staff ca nno t assume Blake Wilkie responsibility for them in the event of damage or loss. Submit all materials to Brad Strickland, Humanities Division, Gainesville College, Box Editorial Staff 1358, Gainesville, Georgia, 30503. Andrea Blachly Elsie Nelson Authors and artists retain all rights to their works in this publication. Pam Niles Jason Rimeik Faculty Advisors Brad Strickland FOR REFERENCE Robert Westervelt 1r NOT TO BE TAKEN FROM THE ROOM Special Thanks To: The Anchor Staff The English Club II Oscar Patton Diane Wheeler cover. oi.l painting Sally Russell Beth Baltes ink wash Thomas Sauret " ljthe doors ojperception were cleansed (Q) - Barbara Thomas every thing would appear to man as it is, infinite. " -William Blake N § Art Beth Baltes 1 ink wash 1Ii water color n graphite drawing :Ii graphite drawing StlndrlJ Butler J.1. pen and ink Gloria Kirby J!! pen and ink David uster .'ill computer graphic Richie McDowell .IIi computer graphic Bobby Nash 1S computer graphic l.eslie Ogino 1S computer graphic Joey Quillian 111 pen and ink Brntda Smith ~ watercolor 111 pen and ink II watercolor raft Step""" l graphite drawing is graphite drawing Wayne Vinson II pen and ink /oannll Wallington i graphite drawing II oil painting Suzanne Watkins ii oil painting ueWells 51 oil painting Robert Weftervelt :u pen and ink Diane Wheeler cover. oil painting Blab Wilkie 5i computer graphic Drama Claire Porter is "'Convenience Store Play"'· '7hird-Pl4CC Winner fpr One-Act P 1 4 ~ CstezoQl. SQuthern LjtffllQl fCStjvSl 1991 Prose John Bailey .M A Farewell Letter Kevin Dodds 12. "'Perkins' All-Nile Cafe" Emily Duncan 16. II A Mossy Creek Christmas" Chris Lambert: 3i "Reginald"· Jason Rimeik 52 Two Stories - Brad Strickland .ti "The Wasp" ·Second-Pl,," Winner for Short Sto'1l Catego'1l' Southern LjtgrqC)l fCS tiv,,11991 -2- Taft Stephens graphite drawing Pc:w~ Scott Bagwell 111 "Never So Blessed" Andrea Blachly :u "Courage" 15 "The Mirror'" William. D. Brown Z "Death" 20 "Junk" 6 "Wine in the Concrete Imagination" Sheila Casper 8 "The Wicked Witch of North Avenue" .l.l "The Yellow Toothbrush'" Kevin D. Dodds 111 "Accepting Responsibility'" 6 "Burning Desires'" :u "Inspiration'" li "Retrospective Loungers'" Emily Duncan .l.l "A Definition of Loye'" 20 "Looking Past His Grave" Ally Eidson Z "Oil" Garry Ke'Merrit 20 "Acceptance.... :Ii "Introspection'" :u "Unconditional Regard'" JoanM Marlin :u "The Final Fall'" Elsie Nel.on 12 "Drums of War'" :Ii "'Things That Last" Katherine S. O'Neill Z "The Great American Machine'" :u "To Sting" Claire Porler 18. "Mirror"" ! r( '? ~~ 1.\' ) "10 "'1 .$",:'11, Jason Rimeik 12. "My Desert Storm" no: . '0) ' ", .. "I,.. 1/ Lisa Roberts .u " All That Matters" 11"1 , ' '' ~ '11\ " « .,1> r \ ... n • '" .u. "A Widow's Monday" ·t."c;,.. "'·'1 \ Shannon Robert, .u. "Trouble, Trouble Everywhere" ·' ''0 \ ',-~ . Sally Russell 11 "Saying Grace at the Airport Coffee Shop.... Barba,." T. 12 "Exercise'" Dennis Tinslt!y 2.1 "Friend or Foe'" 18. "My Perfect World'" Devre Day Turner 15. "Foiled'" Sallee Jo Wade 10. "Cages and Categories'" .u. "Returning the Gift'" Ian E. Wlfitlaw II "The Silent Blood of Poets" Butch Wilkie n "The Rose Bows" Special Featur-es Blab Wilkie and Jason Rimeik .5i Tribute to Desert Storm Troops Elsie Nelson and Andrea Blachly ~ Who's Who in Perceptions 1991 Brenda Smith watercolor -4- Wine in the Concrete Imagination Death I know an old man The Great American Machine Death came to my room with a scorched, sidewalk tongue Yesterday. who knows concrete wisdom. Give me your tired, He was in disguise; Give me your poor, stole my lover's His wife left him once Trade in your sorrows body. And now J'm his son. for a newer form. Threw the sheets over He drinks too much and my eyes and doesn't know why he's here either. Melting pot or tossed salad stole my socks. He says he drinks to remember, but the world is mine to be devoured But all I wanted that's only for show. I am the great American Machine was another drink. God's most perfect most beautiful thing. Once he was a big man. .. William D. Brawn The world was spare change Praise the Grand ole Stars and Stripes in his hand. given to me in a vision of light Now he's a street scholar. I assure you what I say is just Yeah. He knows the price. In Oppenheimer do we trust. He knows aU the secrets if you believe him. Red stripes pay honor to Negro backs And I agree with everything he says, the miner's caresses are the white Lean back, The stars how they twinkle, like silver spurs dose my eyes, to incite the greedy beast of labor. and drink. I am the city upon the hill Oil .. William D. Brown from which the acid rain spills I am Mother Nature's only heir She' s still alive?- What do I care? The oil at my feet glows with each movement Blessed be those of Manifest Destiny of the wind. the will has been drawn, just kill two million indians I sit and watch it genocide is all right if it's for a good. cause fora moment and after all I deserve it all! All the colors blending together Why waste on savages things he can use How beautiful I think Burning Desires when I know best how they're abused? As r began to walk away The people, the land, I'll exploit I see a very sad sight Whatever's left I'll just destroy. What I thought to be the wind As wispy vines of smoke climb moving the colors all around from the end of a newly lit cigarette, Give me your tired is really a small ant curling about her head and blossoming give me your crude trying to survive near the ceiling, I'll use what I can Butl slowly walk away. she is caught pondering something like a past life. you can have the fumes. • Ally Eidson Each moment it bums away, They tell me I'm dying. killing myself stirred only by her gentle breath. they say that there' s only so much left. But I can't be swayed. by communist schemes Now, finished and nothing but a cold filter that t am the great American Machine. slips from her fingers, crushed, dying. • Katherine S. O'Neill fading from one last ember into extinction. A new thought comes, and she lights another . .. Kevin Dodds -7- The Wicked Witch of North Avenue At Halloween She would give us painted cat cookies with funny names, like "clit" or "gonad" ; we would make them fight until they were crumbs. Her son would jump out from behind the mini- van, and he'd scare u s all away. She'd take walks at night, her blond hair glowing like a haim et of fireflies - her boy would trail after her, reading Nasfa ratus by the light of her head. We'd hear her shouting magic spells inside her house, (perhaps changing the kids into turt1es or frogs). the china didn't survive the last argument. The first-born would hang from the ce ilin ~ a shrieking, sightJess bat. We were kids and we would make fun of her- the beautiful housewife who would never be a movie-star, the Stephen King mother who owned an extensive collection of pawns. Her children were voo-doo dolls and we'd see them at school, ( sporting a pin in the head or a noose around the neck. We were afraid to look into Junior's hazel eyes­ they pleaded too much and were mirrors of maternal madness. We are older now, we are all ashamed. The witch's son never learned how to reverse the incantations. - Sometimes at midnight we see them flying through the tepid air, she, cradling this dead man in her arms. • Sheila Casper Joanna Wallington graphite drawing -8- Never So Blessed Cages and Categories Saying Grace at the Airport Coffee Shop Inspiration One was never so blessed. As I, by your Grace Her kisses linger on the edge Would have been enough Cages and categories And why not? of last Wednesday's coffee cup, unwashed To give me life are only temporary Stale smoke add brew limp fries still and among other dishes. Enough that if I confinements do not preclude prayer. O h Lord My Muse leaves me should praise your name one-thousand years nothing else when she leaves me. I would not have begun to express For someone you want for what we are about to recieve the gratitude deserved to know better. Pages spread before me But also to receive a family going up are an emptiness she fiUs who loves me with all their hearts They are the holding places staying there with my pen, A world filled with Nature's beauty for what cannot getting there but not while she is away.