Student writers weave their compelling tales
BY: JACOB POLITTE
Managing Editor
The 2022 edition of Meramec’s literary magazine “Currents” was delivered to campus over the summer, and the stories contained in this volume once again delivered.
New faculty advisor David Taylor told The Montage back in April that the themes of the stories in this issue of Currents mostly surround the themes of “rebellion, interruption, intermission and relationships.” The cover of the volume, created by Meramec students, reflects these darker and more serious themes, and intentionally rough illustrations and images that accompany the pieces also set the necessary tones. It’s beautifully done. Each part of the equation fits together perfectly, setting the table for a visually appealing read.
The highlight of the “relationships” section may be author Lilian Lewis’ non-fiction submission “What If.” In the submission, Lewis describes her life growing up in the rural Missouri town of Washington, and her complicated relationship with her mother. Mid-way through, the story takes a hopeful turn, but leads to an ending that changes the entire dynamic of the piece.
The “interruption” section is shorter than the others, but contains an outstanding submission from author Claudia Catarinicchia. Classified as creative non-fiction and titled “COVITIRED-19,” Catarinicchia describes an all too familiar experience about living through the COVID-19 lockdowns, and the overabundance of COVID-19 in seemingly every faucet of her existence. With the help of some simple, but effective font choices, this piece stands out.
The “rebellion” section features an outstanding poetry piece from Lewis, but the fiction story “No Regrets” by author A.L. Goetemann is an intriguing shorter submission. Set in a time period that can only be described as “medieval,” this fantasy tale follows a barbairin named Bekker on his forced quest to slay a dragon. It feels removed from every other kind of piece in the volume, which helps it stand out as very unique. Goetemann does a fantastic job telling a complete story in just a few short pages.
The “intermission” section is entirely a collection of poetry. It’s in this section that the illustrations and font choices really stick out and add to each piece. In particular, the last poem of the section, “Seasons of a Kitchen Sonnet” by author David Farnham features a stunning photograph that accompanies a poem that feels like a warm reminiscence of a regular experience the author had once upon a time.
The book also features an “art+design” section that features the work of so many other STLCC students. Overall, the 2022 edition of Currents is a worthy addition to the history of the publication. It can be picked up and viewed in various locations around campus.
