Our first submission! “November” by Olivia Spenard, Creative Writing Program, School of the Arts

At the Tom Otterness sculptures at the Memorial Art Gallery (next to SOTA). A satisfying evening of poetry. This time the head smiles.

Go into yourself. Search for the reason that bids you write; find out whether it is spreading out its roots in the deepest places of your heart, acknowledge to yourself whether you would have to die if it were denied you to write. This above all—ask yourself in the stillest hour of your night: must  I write?

from Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke

Apparently, our two appeals for poetry submissions from the Poet’s Walk and the Tom Otterness Sculptures on University Ave carried enough force to reach across the street to the School of the Arts. As seen in “The New Yorker in NOT publishing my poem!” Need your submissions, my rejection by The New Yorker  prompted us to start our own Poet’s Page filled (hopefully) with your literary creations.

This evening, Olivia Spenard, a Creative Writing major at SOTA, read from her work at the twice a year Coffeehouse Readings held by the Creative Writing Department at School of the Arts. And — as the first to feel the force and join our Poet’s Page — Olivia kindly agreed to share her piece.

SOTA’s Creative Writing programs is an RCSD gem, an incubator for beginning writers who have frequently continued their craft in college and beyond.  Last year, Alexander Christie won a Gold in the Scholastic Art and Writing Northeast Regional Writing competition, while Isabella Watts, Kyra Majewski and Khampasong Ithavong gained Silvers.

As explained by Creative Writing teacher Ashley Perez, fundamental components of the program are extracurricular enrichment activities, such as public performances, writing contests, and publishing opportunities. Last year the Department held the Playwrights Festival 2015 – a celebration for young writers, directors and actors. The four-day event included a panel discussion comprised of local authors/playwrights Maria Brandt, Bill Capossere and Craig Delancey.  (More on SOTA’s program very soon. And we hope more of your submissions now that the Poet’s Page is just getting started.)

On Tuesday, we saw excellence at NCAA Division I Signing Day at SOTA.  See SOTA’s Kenny “Cruz Control:” from a Silverhawk to a Scarlet Knight

This evening we saw more.

 

“November”

Purple Converse traipse

down sidewalks

painted with sour month old leaves

and the day is beautiful

and I think of you.

 

The air circles in

and closes in,

hugging the lungs and the gut

the way I imagine whiskey does,

and it laughs from the belly

and I think of you.

 

Trees become legends,

standing like superheros,

their arms bent,

fists on their hips,

decorated in red and orange

and gold

and I think of you.

 

It’s not cold enough for hands to freeze

or for breath to print the air,

but the tips of fingers

wiggle inside pockets

and feet bounce inside boots

in an effort to stay warm

and I think of you.

 

The wind is an etch-a-sketch

of autumn

and drizzle paints the crooked lines,

and two roads diverged in a wood and I—

I think of you.

 

And I think of you.

 

And I think

of how mixtapes deserve

to make a comeback,

of how talking is overrated,

it’s eye contact that counts

 

and I think of millions of ways to

say I am thinking of you

without saying a word.

And I think

of how holding hands

is an unrecognized art,

the practice of intertwining nervous fingers,

tracing letters on palms

and drawing with fingernails.

 

Love is written on skin

in invisible ink.

11.11.15

POSTCRIPT While Olivia plans to live a longer, healthier and less tragic life that Adelaide Crapsey, perhaps we are seeing Rochester’s next poet of distinction. (If, as Rilke would say, she must write.)

The event photos are by Olivia’s father, André Spenard whose pics can be also found in Millennials and Ripper

SEE ALSO

SOTA’s Kenny “Cruz Control:” from a Silverhawk to a Scarlet Knight