Table Of Content

^nmssance Digitized by the Internet Archive 2013 in http://archive.org/cletails/renaissance199410wayn RENAISSANCE the writers' and artists' magazine of WAYNE COMMUNITY COLLEGE Goldsboro, North Carolina Volume 10, May 1994 This tenth anniversary issue of RENAISSANCE is dedicated to the memory of two women whose generous hearts and questing spirits have left a legacy to the liberal arts atWayne Community College. Eleanor Powell First English Instructor and First Liberal Arts Chairperson June Wharton First Foreign Language Instructor and Advisor and Friend to Foreign Students SGA Cash Awards for Student Contributors Cover Design ~ James Wiggs Art ~ Ukris Wongse-ont Poetry ~ Ginger Shelton and Patrick Humphries Short Story ~ Patrick Humphries Essay ~ Crystal Wade and Rebecca Ross Goldsboro Writers' Group Award for Most Promising Writer Paul Nicholas Duke Editors Rosalyn Lomax Kathryn Spicer Marian Westbrook Nopartofthismagazinemay bereproducedwithoutpermission. Copyright 1994 Renaissance Viewsexpressedarethoseofthe individualcontributorsanddonotnecessarily reflect the views oftheeditorsorofthis institution. Acknowledgments Liberal Arts Faculty The Foundation ofWayne Community College Student Government Association Goldsboro Writers' Group Patricia Turlington's Basic Drawing Students Lynell King MediaDepartment Grace Lutz, Betty Wellons Ruth Bailey, Maijorie Murphy Hilda Battle, Ron Lane and special thanks to student editorial assistant Paul Duke TABLE OF CONTENTS To A Lady Marian Westbrook 1 Ele^anorand June 1 The Editors Regrets 2 Ginger Shelton Doorway 2 Lisa Qine The Field 3 Patrick Humphries The Button Vest 4 Crystal Wade SuperNova 5 James Wiggs Fractured Peaceby Piece 6 Carla Futrell Ready orNot 6 Greg Keeter Teacup 7 Ukris Wongse-ont Love: A Sonnet 7 Rosalyn Lomax Whisper 8 Patrick Humphries Iris 8 Keiko Genka Pirouettes 8 Paul Duke Waves ofFierce Beauty 9 Paul Duke Swirling 9 Lisa Qine Unforgettable Place 10 Julian Pitt My Dirty Shoe 10 James Wiggs Seat 16 10 Roni Williams The House in Woodstock 11 Rebecca Ross VIP's Only 12 Patrick Humphries Ode to the "Beauty" 13 GingerShelton Gazing 13 LisaCline And IronMakes Steel 14 William A. Mulligan Joe's Almanac 15 KempTeague My Soul is at Peace 16 Melody WilHams Dance ofthe WiUow Leaves 17 Paul Duke Fallen Leaves 17 Tammi Johnson Autumn Leaf 17 Tony Joyce Subconscious Communication 18 J. J. Hinnant Battle Your Dreams 18 Smithie Denning Meeting ofthe Minds 19 James Wiggs Decision 19 Carta Futrell Turmoil and Regression 20 Sue Eason Confusion 20 Ukris Wongse-ont Crystal Visions 21 Greg Keeter Sketch for Sonnet 21 Paul Duke The IncompKJtent Veterinarian 22 William Rich And Eyes Stare On 23 Amett Flowers Where Has It Gone 24 Jerry R. Combs Time 25 KempTeague Cave 25 Ukris Wongse-ont Portrait ofA Brick Sculpture Commission 26 PatriciaTurlington Saying Good-bye 28 Jana Page Bird 29 Bob Krieger Photo 29 Malcolm Shearin Sonnet to Trees under Ice 30 Rosalyn Lomax Friend among the Silent 30 Gary Hales To Conrad B. Wessell, Jr 31 Miriam Wessell Glorious Phantoms 32 Patrick Humphries AnotherGlorious Phantom 32 Patrick Humphries i TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) The Photograph 33 Crystal Wade Loss ofA Sunbeam 34 Archie Matzkvech Sunbeams 35 Vicki Branch Lost in the Past 36 BiU Whitfield Spillway 37 TinaGiddens Stairs: Leading Nowhere 37 Maria Modlin Country Cat Comes to Town 38 DotEUedge Where Are YouTonight? 39 Myra Howell Grand Finale 39 Jackie Wyman 4th ofJuly 40 JeffMorse Horizon 41 CarlaFutrell Eye ofthe Fog 41 Rosalyn Lomax From My Bedroom 42 Sharon Royal In Love 43 Tony Joyce A Gift for Frances 43 Grace Lutz Survivor 44 Smithie Denning To Meet the Challenge 45 Denise Lewis Crossroads 46 Kathy Norris Paradise Lost 47 GingerShelton Fanning the Fire 47 Ginger Shelton A Rose 48 Brian Bolster Untitled 48 Megan Davis Jennifer 49 Patrick Humphries Strands ofLight 51 Etonna Cullipher Acceptance Denied 51 Vance Perkins Power ofGod 52 Tony Joyce Pcaris ofWisdom 52 Lisa Mitchell Mr. Teddy 53 Elizabeth Anderson Theater Seats 54 Roni Williams Celebration 55 Tabitha Johnson Because May Never See You Again 56 Paul Duke I Cosmos Inside Back Cover Lisa Cline SolarEruption Back Cover James Wiggs TO A LADY Withthe grace ofamightyqueenofyore And the mind ofamodemEleanor, She holds hergoodly knights inthrall Whene'erwe come into herhall. And when 'gainst "A" we fain would rage, She soothes ourire withcounsel sage. We wearhercolors onoursleeve, Ifshe should fall we fainwould grieve. Who is this queen whom all revere. Who doth delight all who drawnear? She holds ahigh place inourhearts, She isthe Queen ofLiberal Arts. Marian Westbrook Instructor, Liberal Arts Ed. note: ThispoemwaswrittenforEleanorPowellabout 1974. Eleanor and June Shakespeare would call them "greatofheart." BenJonson wouldsay theywere "notofan age, butforalltime." They didnothave to live in Spoon Rivertoknow "it takes life to love life." The Editors REGRETS Youjust couldn't stand it Tometamorphize into Mrs. So-and-so This night ofall nights You chose the dream When I needed to feel pretty Thatpreys onthe female race And you with talons ofwords White picket fence - two children Shredded me apart You made it yourlife You hated seeing the woman And now it is fleeting fast Bom ofyourlittle girl You are feeling scared I don't think you hate me Because deepdown you know You hate what 1 have become Regrets do not make good company The woman you could have been The woman you gave up GingerShelton Because it was expected ofyou College Transfer To lose youridentity Doorway, Lisa Cline, College Transfer THE FIELD Unseencrows lazily caw from late afternoon woods Echoing across Septemberweeds Inviting me to unburden myselfunderthe browning sycamore across the field Orinthe shady evergreens beyond. The waning summersun is still strong - Gear and brightbutnottoo hotto wait in. I long to wade outinto the field. To abandon all projects and concerns And seek some peace ofmind Amidst the thistle and Timothy grass. Yet I remain looking across this fresh suburban asphalt, A fixture ofthe concrete curb, Maintaining an attitude ofdutiful semi-responsibility As I pass the time withoutproductorprofit. Leaving my mind to unsettled, dissatisfied wanderings And leaving the field to the crickets and dragonflies. The unnatural pink glow ofthe street lights fills the air Leaving no margin on these tree-lined streets Fora strong shadow to lie in. Few insects come hypnotized to the glow. Having found otherpursuits for a cool summernight. High above, the clearafternoon sky has faded to deep blue But the vast spattering ofstars is easily repressed By the sodium glare ofsuburbia. PatrickHumphries College Transfer 3 THE BUTTON VEST Crystal WadCy College Transfer As I drove to the mall that day, my mind was replaying the morning's events. Every morning my grandmother comes into my room with her complaint for the day. On this particularmorningI wasthe focusofherdisappointment. I satthereandletherwordspierce mysoulwithoutallowinghertoseehowdeepmywoundswere. BythetimeIreachedthemall, mypurpose ofgoing shopping waslost. I wandered from store to store, notknowing what I was looking at. My thoughts had taken over completely. I was desperately searching for a memory ofthe grandmother who had once been my only source oflove and comfort. My thoughts cleared for an instant when my eyes fell upon the button vest hanging on the rack beside me. This was the memory I was looking for. Myparentswerefightingastheyalwaysdidwhenevertheyhadtogosomewheretogether. Since my room was nextto theirs, I decided to sneak out into the living room to sit with my grandmother. She was going to stay with us while my parents were gone. There she was in herfavoritechairsewingabuttonononeofmybrother'sshirts. Isatdownbyherfeetandbegan to play with the buttons she had in an old masonjar. There were so many different shapes, colors, and sizes. To me, they werejustbuttons, buttoherthey werememories. As I began topull eachbutton from thejar,mygrandmotherwouldtellmethestory ofhowithad gotten there~somanyhappystoriesofpartydresses, Sundayclothes,playclothes, andclothesfrom relativeslongsincedeparted. Isattherelisteningtomygrandmother'sspecialmemorieswith allofthose wonderfulimagesdancingthroughmymind. Allofthe angerthathunginthe air from my parentswasgone. I was atthechurchpicnicmygrandmotherspokeof. Icould feel the warmth ofthe sun, hearthe sound oflaughter, I could even smell the cotton candy atthe statefair. Whenmyparentsfinallyleftfortheevening,mygrandmothertuckedmeinbedand kissedmegoodnight. ThatnightI sleptwiththebuttonmygrandmotherhadletmepickfrom herjar. I had a happy memory ofmy own in the palm ofmy hand. I boughtthebuttonvestandrushedhometoshowittomygrandmother. Shejustlooked at it and told me it was nice. She no longer remembers how special buttons canbe. Sheno longerhas ajarin which to keepherhappymemories. The buttons are gone forhernow. I know that I can never get those buttons back forher, but I will always remembernow. Whenever1feelthememoriesfade, IputonmybuttonvestandrecaUthehappymemoriesmy grandmother shared with me on that long gone day. 4