Gyre19676833long

3 JS DaBney

IZancoster

Longwo<:d Co! Farmville,

SPRING 1968

LONGWOOD COLLEGE FARMVILLE, VIRGINIA

L'b'---N' .

Virgirii...

Digitized by the Internet Archive in

2010 with funding from

Lyrasis IVIembers

and Sloan Foundation

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The best part of our knowledge that

edge

Is

which teaches us where knowlleaves off and ignorance begins.

Oliver Wendell hfolms

LONGWOOD VOLUME

3,

COLLEGE NUMBER 3

1967-1968

STAFF Editor-in-Chief

Brenda Holly

Feature Editor

Becky Powers

Poetry Editor

Donna Barnes

Short Story Editor

Barbara Powers

Essay Editor

Karia Myers

Art Editors

Emily Gillespie

Literary Board

Joan Harrup, Martha

Janie Ragland

Sharon

Dietz, Tulita

Hall,

Owen,

Stephanie Posivach, Pat Ragan,

Wanda

Rush, Janet Lacy

Manager Circulation Manager Business

Stuart Fowlkes

Regina Pawlak Carol Brotherton,

staff

Kathy Fones, Betty Pulp,

Mary Lee McKeever, Betsy

Morgan, Diane

Susan Strum,

Ritchie,

Pam Wayne,

Janet Sullivan

Nancy Harris

Typist Publicity

Managers

Linda Matthews

Mary

Alice

Carmody

Advisors Literary

Miss Elizabeth Etheridge

Business

Mrs. Ruth Taliaferro

Art

Miss

Nancy

Leitch

TABLE OF CONTENTS c

c

Myers

=

Fay Fauber

°

Phyll's

The Saline Being, poem

Linda

D Lu-i Rabbit,

Sally'

u X, ^rin* print linoleum I-

• Untitled, watercolor SECOND PLACE WINNER— PAINTING • Study, conte crayon SECOND PLACE WINNER— DRAWING • Dear Moshe, poem SECOND PLACE WINNER— POETRY

u Fauber

c ii Sally

Shell Linda cu ,

,,

• The

Lifeguard, short story

_

SECOND PLACE WINNER— SHORT STORY

R"fh

17

„.

Virginia

r^ l.

Daughtrey

9n ^u

1

r

Leslie

^^ 23

c j l Sedgewick •

91; is

,, ^ it Wolfe Cynthia \u Donna Barnes j \a/ l Linda Walsh Donna Barnes Carol Brotherton

9A ^^ ^o

11

print

poem

poem 2

04 ^'t

li ^l lj Hall Martha

1

Cross the Street,

,, ^'

,.

Linda Pelikan

m _ poem Blue,

When You

.

Martha Hall

FIRST PLACE WINNER— GRAPHICS • Carnival, poem HONORABLE MENTION— POETRY • The Old Maid, short story ,„„„ HONORABLE MENTION— SHORT STORY

Friendship,

Tagalie

Judy Leach

• Brownie, woodcut

Careful

''

_ Frye

..

.

Death Had Two Sons, bo-l- rev'ew Sometimes, poem

11

Booker

Ellen

Donna Barnes

SECOND PLACE WINNER— GRAPHICS • To My Unborn, poem HONORABLE MENTION— POETRY

And Be

16 ,

Mournful Countenance, woodcut

Bamboo, linoleum

15

.,

Hall

cj "rie nBays

of the

14

ii

Martha

—

• Knight

12

c

j

i

and Nature From the Unborn Generations, poem • Untitled, pen and Ink FIRST PLACE WINNER— DRAWING Ode to a Mud Puddle or Rape of a Lake, poen Life

4

u Fauber c

ii

Sally

FIRST PI^CE WINNER— PAINTING Age, and Things, short story FIRST PLACE WINNER— SHORT STORY

• Stars,

On

3

B.K.H

Editorial

• Untitled, oils

1

9<5 29

^^ 3U

FROM THE EDITOR

The

place winner for poetry

first

from Vienna, Va. Art,

and

"This

is

Linda

is

majoring

is

Linda Long, a junior

in

English

very excited about her award.

and Dramatic

She expressed,

a tremendous honor, especially for one majoring

is

English."

poem

winning

hier

Is

in

SONNET TO MUTABLE

LOVE. Second place for poetry goes to Martha Hall with DEAR The junior, from Fredericksburg, Va., has had only

MOSHE.

in the GYRE before, and her exclamation upon winning was, "Are you kidding me?" She majors In English and Drama, too.

one contribution

Phyllis

Myers, a senior English major from Fort Defiance,

award

Va., wins the first place

Each year the

GYRE

staff

art contest for those students

contributions. art

two

Her

who

several contributions

are interested

Approximately four

literary

in

judges

submitting

and two

judges evaluate these entries and decide upon the top in

each category.

(This

year the categories are poetry,

and

short story, graphics, drawing,

painting).

The awards are

presented at the spring hlonors Assembly, and the winning entries are published.

to a conclusion, the

Spring Contest tributors,

Indeed, as

GYRE

Issue.

staff

Much

STARS, AGE,

sponsors a creative writing and

is

this academic year comes happy to publish its annual

thanks goes to the

judges, and sponsors.

staff,

con-

story

yelled,

is

"You don't

Tagalle

Frye,

second place, Fairfax, Va.,

really

GYRE, mean it!"

the

whose also

is

and

in

this

Is

for the

AND

short a

her

first

Phyllis

has had

but upon her winning, she

story,

senior

short story category.

THINGS.

THE LIFEGUARD,

wins

major. Tag

from

English

is

short story contribution to the

GYRE. First

place for graphics goes to senior Leslie Sedgewick,

an art major from third contribution,

"Thank you!"

Printed by The Dietz Press,

109 East Gary Street

Richmond, Virginia 23219

Inc.

Fairfax

County, Va.

BROWNIE

is

her

and upon her winning, she said a sincere

Ginny Daughtrey wins second

place

graphics

KNIGHT OF THE MOURNFUL COUNTENANCE.

with

Elementary major from Portsmouth, Va., screamed, believe

it;

it's

the

first

drawing. This

tion to the

is

"I

can't

first

place

thing I've ever done!"

Ruth Ellen Booker from Gladstone, Va., wins the In

her

The senior

sophomore

the

GYRE, and

she

just

art major's first contribu-

couldn't believe that she had

won.

Second place drawing goes to art major Linda Shell for The senior from Newport News, Va., has yielded

STUDY.

numerous

contributions

winning, yelled,

Both

first

"My

upon

and

magazine,

the

to

her

stump?!"

and second place

goes

painting

in

to

Sally

Fauber. The junior art major has never contributed to the

GYRE

before, and so, naturally, she was very excited

winning two awards.

Sally

hails

The Honorable Mentions go Wolfe.

Martha's

upon

from Lynchburg, Va.

to

Martha Hall and Cynthia

TO MY UNBORN

and

CARNIVAL win THE OLD

these honors for the poetry category, and Cynthia's

MAID The

wins Honorable Mention

GYRE

in

the short story division.

congratulates these winners!

B.

K.

H.

*

PLACE

FIRST

WINNERâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;SHORT STORY

peered out

darkening

into the

meadow

at

Fine white hair floated about his face

lar.

nothing like

in

particu-

the halo of an

ancient saint; the face was pale with prominent cheekbones,

STARS, AGE,

perpetually

squinting

corded the

history of a

AND THINGS

eyes,

and innumerable

Suddenly the screen door banged open and a

plopped himself dov/n crosslegged on the porch man, without waiting for an answer.

re-

life.

little

He

"Grandaddy, are you out here?"

emerged.

that

lines

long and often strenuous

boy

promptly

floor in front

of the old

The old man leaned over and tousled the boy's thick, curly and then fingered him under the chin. He smiled benevo-

Myers

Phyllis

hair

bits

of

"Where have you been all afternoon, Bobby?"

"We've been building a fort down by the creek, Johnny and me. It took us hours. It's really neat. Can you come to see it tomorrow and maybe play with us?"

"I'd like ta, son; I'd like ta very much," the old man said, somewhat pensively. He was thinking how long and rough such a walk would be for an old man with only one leg, at

managed

to

that.

lently.

The western sky was trying orange and slip

red,

hold onto

to

away, passing

first

through various other shades, ending

with purple just before darkness finally

over the meadow. The trees

blended few

into

in

fell

the oak

one mass, then became

stars out just yet.

last

its

but somehow, as always, they

like

a soft curtain

grove on the

invisible.

hill

There were

The night creatures were beginning

their

evening concert.

In

discernible.

slowly back

man on

His chair squeaked

and

forth,

back and

the porch was barely

rhythmically forth.

arms and hands clasped thoughtfully

as

he rocked

Elbows on the chair

just in front of his

nose, he

took his

thought about flash in the

his

pipe out of

teeth,

at the

that, too.

pocket and clenched

The

lighter

made

his

own.

He

a small, but brilliant,

growing darkness.

empty pants

me

his shirt

most of which were not

The boy had grown suddenly tell

the gathering dusk the old

He

between

it

leg,

quiet.

He

stared unabashedly

knotted up at the knee. "Grandaddy,

about the war."

The rocking chair stopped. The old man grasped the bowl of his pipe tightly with thin, thick-jointed fingers and after a pause took the stem from into the

eager

child's face.

his

mouth.

He

looked

down

directly

"Please?" said Bobby.

"All

old

the

right,"

back, and the leg lay twisted

his

man

and he started rocking

replied,

He drew heavily on his pipe and made a sucking when he released the stem once again from his thinlipped mouth. Bobby had heard the story many times before, each time in almost exactly the same words. Why did he keep

He

bleeding.

could

again.

was

noise

such great cost.

wanting to hear

All of a

We

like.

were

all

sittin'

we knew they were out men were talkin', even laughin'

'cause

jest waitin'

of th'

sudden we

all

got

real tense like.

We

In

was so noisy you couldn' Imagine

smoke

flyin'

ya." The old

out into the the time

sorta

knew they

man stopped

abruptly and started staring again

when the smoke did

clear away.

and many

then,

seemed wet

was heavy and

still

whimperings here and there. didn't really

Bobby, and cannon

meadow. His mind flashed ahead

men were laughing air

It,

so thick you could hardly see the person next ta

laugh again. The field

The

of

It

was as

if

a knife

them would never

himself couldn't

moans and move.

to him.

stuck

the

boy whispered almost

reverently. "Finish

"Well, when the smoke finally cleared away, the all

His voice cracked

gone."

gone, he thought, for

and

many were

left

enemy was

Not quite

faltered.

starting to in

his

He

climbed onto

his

grandfather's

head on the old man's chest and drew tight

knot against his

little

own

chest.

his

He

fall.

The

pocket and

held out his thin, withered arms, which the child

accepted.

all

behind.

The air was getting chilly, and dew was boy shivered. The old man put his pipe

gratefully

lap,

laid

his

round arms Into a

shivered once more,

The boy looked out at them them softly to himself. load the rocking chair screeched more em-

body. The sky was brave

with their spilled blood.

were

play-

the story."

story to

of his

except for feeble

He

his

then settled finally into the warmth of the old man's arms and his

in

None

remember what had happened

hurt so badly.

How

acting beside the creek with Johnny.

there

were comin'." The old man went on and on, and Bobby's eyes grew wider and wider. His elbows were on his knees, and his round chin rested on two chubby little fists.

"It

They had thrown the enemy back, but at long would it be before the boy could

It.

"Grandaddy?"

somewhere. Some low.

In

He was

a funny shape.

understand that part? That part was missing from

It?

"Well, ever'thing was real quiet

our trenches

sitting

In

wetness of the blood where he

feel the

all

the

He

from

his

shelter

Under the

extra

full

of stars.

and started

to count

phatically than before.

How man

quickly his

thought.

He

mind wanders

something full

of

else,

the ola

wounded men

anguished cries and wishing he could con-

His leg

and hearing

way up

centrate on the stars instead.

their

to

kept seeing the field

Suddenly Bobby intently.

It

sat up straight and looked at the old man was getting almost too dark to see them. There was

no moon yet tonight. He reached up with one finger and touched the old man's cheek. It was wet. hie rubbed the salty wetness between two fingers thoughtfully.

Then,

just

suddenly,

as

grandfather's lap and,

know!

bounced up and out

of

motioning toward the door, said,

Let's play checkers.

Without waiting

he

for the

Want me

answer,

his

The old man

commencement

the

of a

Let your mind As they climb In

And

follow the surging

the peak,

waves

hang suspended

nothingness.

then descend on the desolate shore.

"I

board out?"

he dashed Into the house,

sat

still

till

an excited voice called him from I'm

ready!"

Laboriously,

rose from the chair, leaning heavily on his crutch, and slowly across the porch to the door.

He

put

his

head thoughtfully and went

he

moved

hand on the

handle, then turned to look up at the stars for the his

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

begins

From

far

away

to a

The shore heeds

water rushing

nearby place

this

sound and welcomes the

Saline caresses

"Com'on, Grandaddy!

He nodded

it

Recurring image

Listen to the tumult of

to get the

banging the door harder than before. within,

Now

inside.

first

Caresses which are short-lived, merely Fleeting shadows

For the tide soon trembles away again.

Carrying the shore's sand to who knows where.

time.

You have

felt

the presence of this

Encompassing being Bringing you and your loved one a

Of

Yet taking with

THE SALINE BEING

moment

truth. it

a part of your

dreams

For the Saline Being has captured

Your attention For a

Quiet

all

idle

Say "hush"

to

your

Be the cause of

And

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

a passing

moment.

his

friend.

aesthetic revelation

bring yourselves together for a fev

Priceless

moment

sounds and thoughts

moments

.

.

.

Linda Fay

*

FIRST

PLACE

WINNERâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; POETRY

MONOLOGUE

Within the warm curtains of

SONNET TO MUTABLE LOVE

Curtains blocking out to I

Come,

let

us

And deeply As welded Touch and

Now Sit

I

touch flame to live this

fire with

present which

our

close

my

kiss,

my

that

I

hair

choose

be peripheral

generate

my own

atmosphere: delicate,

lips

security from a plastic bottle, is

real,

Sixty-seven cents plus tax.

touch

Silken, floating split

traumatic tear

ends stinging the

trails.

Every three days the old purification

love, yet longer, linger but awhile.

ritual

know not why, or when, or where you will away.

Or what sad frown will come and cross your smile.

Only for this day, for this fair hour am sure.

To touch, to see, proof is this there lives my light.

With flames apart is there one ember that's secure?

For

all

GIRL

sweet, clean-smelling, self-generated

we our finger tips. kiss, all these moments steal. have your sweet hand, now let us stay, do and

coals

A BRECK

BY

I

Or

else feel the

own

weight of myself on

my

shoulders.

1

Or must in parting every spark die endless night?

Let me imprison then your hand, sweet captive to sweet For while to love love, my dear, cannot love to trust. i

I

Linda Long

lust.

Bette

McKinney

THE POSSESSION OF

A SOUL

Samuel Anthony

on a stretcher

lay

in

the anteroom of the

Memorial Hospital operating room, unconscious. The days had been, he knew, the

known

days of

last

last

few

Samuel had

his life.

about four months that he had been dying of

for

stomach cancer. His doctor had explained

many

to him, after

attempts to arrest the disease, that there was nothing more that

could be done. Samuel knew he was going to die.

Alice Collier

Dr.

Samuel Anthony had put

that of

cancer research.

He

believed that he had been on the

when he

brink of a discovery

Ironically,

one endeavor,

his entire life into

himself was stricken

with the

dreaded disease.

Although he was

begun The

lights

suspended from the

shining stainless steel equipnnent

the stretcher

in

ceiling

and

the operating room.

The white

walls

added

not

It

was

in this

would begin that would be the famous surgeon was about

one body

into another.

room

that a

once unimagined

first

of

its

kind

to transplant a

The

in

the world.

human

possibility of such

had been discussed and

Michael Dovick had

long

It

Many

He began

of his

help

his

to feel that

he could serve medical science better by attempting to

A

close the mysteries of cancer.

But progress

was had

he

that

cancer research.

when the malignancy was discovered.

and

virtually

an operation

dis-

had been slow

unrewarding.

It

had not been

year after he and

his

the

until

team had begun

last

year,

their

re-

initiated the idea,

search that there had been the faintest hope they could solve six

one

and

of the

many unknowns

Samuel Anthony had been

and consultation with distinguished over the world, he was ready to attempt

after years of careful study all

into

that

brain from

had been performed

heart transplant

years before.

colleagues from

go

practice

speculated upon since the

time a successful Dr.

to

in

had died of cancer. They had been beyond

the tenth

the results

had been

wanted

realized he

a matter of minutes an operation

In

medical school, not to mention Internship and

he

until

a patients

event would fake place.

years old he felt he had just So many years had been spent in

fifty-two

work.

residency, followed by five years of private practice.

on

gleaming harshness which was the epitome of cleanliness and intense brightness.

life's

college and

shone down on the

sterilized white sheets

his

At his

the operation.

10

first it

life

to

was very hard

of cancer.

It

was

at that time Dr.

stricken with cancer. for

him to accept.

He had

given

cancer research and that same disease would now

take his

life

away. His colleagues mourned the

science that would

become

loss to

a reality with his death.

medical

Dr.

Anthony had agreed and

have the distinction

Without

of being the

Dr.

first

Dovick knew he would

doctor to perform a brain

Samuel Anthony to head the research team, the progress

transplant.

would be very slow, and the spirited devotion

nent research scientist, was of great importance to medicine

upon which by the Dr.

also

its

of the doctor's

that

his

six

Dovick had

present

approaching death.

made

cies

be

was then he

first

Samuel knew what

if

Samuel Anthony was

Samuel Anthony's

his

now preparing

colleague told him was true:

his

this

he consented to the operation, he would be

all,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

the operation,

if

Dr.

failing fast.

for

He had

his life.

The team

were

of doctors

She had conditioned

for surgery.

made

his

herself for

decision to give his brain to science.

he explained to Jane,

It's

really

his

with what he decided.

now

felt

half of

But

her

life

of the hospital.

the operation

After

no different from donating

Jane had

told

make; she would go along

to

that the

scared and alone, knowing that

moment was in

at

hand,

a matter of minutes

would be gone.

Mary Dickens was

a

from the Anthonys' home.

to ex-

was beside her husband

few minutes of

him that the decision was

she

man who possessed a perfectly healthy body but whose brain had been damaged in an automobile accident, damaged to the point where the man had been in a virtual state of coma for the past five months. The man was George Dickens, a drug store owner who lived not far

last

eyes to Individuals or your body to research.

his

when death was impending. The operation room would be ready and the team of doctors would stand by on alert to be ready to remove his brain immediately after the moment of his death. The doctor already had in mind the patient who illness,

would receive the brain

and sciences might

moment. She and Sam had discussed the operation before

he had

The doctor explained

put under careful surveillance during the termination of

the arts

in

two days, and the doctors had told her

for

an hour ago that he was

a his

live.

suc-

If

improving the human spe-

Medical science was about

wife, Jane,

what she knew were the

won

upsetting idea, but the doctor

brain should be given a chance to

him that

to

service to mankind.

in

were obvious, great minds Indefinitely preserved.

been unconscious

made

the brain, being that of a promi-

this,

perience the most advanced medical feat ever attempted.

an appointment with Dr. Anthony to

Dr. Dovick

shocking and at

to

It

his plan.

The proposal

addition to

could continue functioning

it

attempt a human brain transplant.

to

In

cessful, the future implications for

years of experiments with animals had

been successful enough

point.

if

most determined defender.

Michael Dovick knew of the work of Dr. Anthony and

knew

decided Dr.

was founded would be weakened

their research

loss of

to the principles

with her sister-in-law

They had

room

to

just

in

prepare him

room George into

the waiting

taken her husband

for brain surgery.

Although

she was afraid that the operation might not be successful, she

had a strong ray

His family had consented to

to her.

Anthony agreed.

It

of

since the accident.

II

hope

that her

husband would be restored

had been a hard and heartbreaking

George had

five

months

not known her or anyone.

It

was amazing

that only

wreck, but, without

had loved and married.

Now

would once again be a

Mary

being.

stared

brain had been

his

brain, he

his

man whom

thinking,

functioning

She could only pray.

ahead.

straight

the

in

George human

there was the possibility

living,

Within her own hope, she

damaged

was no longer the man she

pain for Jane Anthony, a wo-

felt

whom

she did not know, but to

she was closely

For Jane Anthony would be losing a loved one, while

bound.

Mary would be having one

returned,

restored.

A

shudder

passed through Mary's being and she clutched the hand she held

more

hfours

firmly.

seem an

Mary Dickens

eternity

when

anxiety

is

in

and

the heart,

to

seemed to last forever. She was finally told that all had gone well, but the final results would not be known for many more hours, perhaps not even for days. There was still more waiting, but there was also a feeling the operation

of relief within

her.

It

had been a tremendous decision

make when she consented

her to

make him whole

Mrs. Anthony had been taken

Now

home by

and

its

not to be connected with any part of

body had been removed for his burial

league.

to

her family as soon as

she must bear her grief as well as possible.

the world were

for

life

Samuel Anthony had been pronounced

couldn't think of the operation

ments

husband's

again.

the operation began.

dead.

to risk her

to

now.

it

to the funeral

were being made.

coming

results, for

pay

For Mrs. Anthony

it

she

She

seemed

hier husband's

home and

Doctors from

arrangeall

over

tribute to their respected col-

was

all

over and she wanted

be omitted from what seemed

to

to

her rather morbid and

bizarre circumstances.

knew

Dr. Dovick

seemed

that his operation

had been recognized

miraculously successful, a scientific miracle,

began

as

hlowever, he also

be revealed.

had many comOnly he was aware

of the repercussions of such a transplant

... he and the man

to realize that his successful operation

were yet

plications that

who now had operation

to

His patient had

brain.

movement

the

cords.

Finally,

make out

of

however,

his

his

was

that he

Dickens arrived,

out of the

at Dr.

"Why

for

does he this

is

call

become

voice had

George did

in

con-

mouth and tongue, and vocal

calling for his wife.

Mary Dickens looked George,

come

apparently having considerable difficulty

trolling

to

new

a

know

not

clear

enough

Yet when Mary

someone?

Mary, George.

I

me?

you."

He gave her a strange look from his familiar eyes. "Where Jane? She was here with me before became unconscious.

I'm sorry she had all of It to bear, for would never have known if hadn't pulled through. Why isn't she here? And I

I

I

my to

I

have so much

hands and fingers

go back

to

my

difficulty feel so

making my jaw move?

numb ...

research as soon as

so strange.

1

can.

him, especially

his

work.

Now

I

whenever she touched him or

tried to fix his

pillow.

Jane Anthony was Immediately summoned She had been told

Hospital.

place between

of

Mary Dickens and

to

Memorial

the scene that had

Samuel Anthony's funeral had Just been day before but Samuel Anthony rather the man who Insisted he was Samuel Anthony, was calling for her. As Jane Anthony went to the hospital, she was still grieving for

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

held the

the

man who had been buried, and yet she had a feeling of new purpose in her own life. Upon arriving

And to the

then

it

was her

I

Mary Dickens looked at her husband in horror. To her, it was her husband, the same man she had known and loved, but he was no longer George Dickens. He was Dr. Samuel

of the

Jane walked up

this man before, for man who would receive

She had never seen

with a strange voice.

she had preferred not to meet the

him.

I

be shocked.

at

bedside of the man who called himself her husband, but

her husband's brain.

Samuel Anthony, have been freed from cancer, am determined to find a cure. What's wrong with my body, Dr. Dovick? When can expect to be on my feet again?"

turn to

of

whose husband

no longer knew her because he possessed the brain husband of Jane Anthony.

And I,

taken

her husband. The question

was: whose husband?

want

that

He

repulsed by her presence, her nearness to

the hospital, she tried to console Mrs. Dickens,

Doesn't he know

love

actually

new hope,

her.

Dovick questioningly.

is

why do

Anthony, the research doctor, ready to resume

Now

she found herself face to face with

She saw the recognition

In

eyes,

his

and the strange

hands and arms that he raised toward her. She gazed face of a before.

man who

loved her, but

Suddenly she turned and

could never offer love to she had buried him.

try

into the

she had never seen

She knew that she Her husband was dead;

fled.

stranger.

She went out

seeing Mrs. Dickens.

experience and

this

whom

of the side

door

to avoid

She only wanted to forget the whole

to restore her

life.

She knew she would

never accept the stranger

even though he knew he was Samuel Anthony. never occurred to him that she, as

director as his wife to her alien husband.

the hospital as her husband.

in

George Dickens had heard Mrs. Anthony come room. Everyone insisted on calling him George his wife,

Into

self

the

would react

It

had

to

him

one man

body

of

realized that his wife

Jane did not and probably could not

man

love the

in

the

he now appeared to be.

of another.

husband.

He

face.

How

was

this

GEORGE DICKENSâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; DEATH

body

that died

that

day?

Whose

soul

Indeed,

was contained

who

is

world?

new

was her

cruel that he, a stranger,

could not expect her to accept him, yet he knew

he could never love Mary Dickens as she had expected to be

He was

loved again by her husband, George.

j^

George

not

Dickens; but was he Dr. Samuel Anthony, research scientist?

He

slowly rose from his

bed amazed and

with his legs, his feet, his balance,

He

at the difficulty

shuffled to the

looked out on the street twelve stories below.

that he live.

he had

window.

He

sensed

was a man without an Identity with which he could

He was

a misplaced being, a freak

In

a world not yet

ready to accept such advancements of medical science. There

was not a place

in

such a world for him, for even he could

not precisely determine that

to

his

own

Identity.

And

under these circumstances, he would never

he sensed too really

be able

devote himself to the cancer research project. The team

would have nearly as much

difficulty

adjusting to this

looked at him-

It

Ironically, her love for

him was the barrier that she would hold against

body and new

But

cancer three days before.

He He

knew he was the mind

He

and shuddered.

glass,

George Dickens who had jumped from the twelth floor window of Memorial Hospital? Perhaps it was Samuel Anthony who died by suicide, Instead of from

shocked and hurt him. After she had gone he had done some serious thinking about the total situation of his Identity.

window

BY SUICIDE.

he were a stranger. To see Jane flee from him had

If

the

The coroner's report read:

Dickens

But

in

new 14

anyone

In In

the this

A-

SECOND PLACE WINNER— POETRY You are a hero To your people

And what am

DEAR MOSHE

You have

I

a past,

to Mine?

Moses

my people go!)

And a future What have but (Let

I

Martha Haii

That was nice and

Know and I

Man

And

You have

neon and

child of

plastic

a

God.

You are

And

Face

I

am

a Sitter

Etched clean with years

And would

fighting I

And

"yes

I

will,

Covered

a

Doer

see your

And

and

*****

I,

Applaud I

of black

Void.

Do

Weak

a destiny, Israeli

—eons

and toughness

o( steel

While

I

don't

will?

You have You,

I

maybe

yes,

too!" all

black patch

That

tells

God Your

with

One

to

had your

fire

zeal

your

Cause.

me

More Than many epitaphs.

15

ON

AND NATUREâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; FROM THE UNBORN GENERATIONS

LIFE

Who It

knows what a walk the rain can

In

seems

do?

to profit

But a chosen few;

Did

we

Yet

And Its It

say chosen?

it is

their choice

surely

if

asked,

praises they'd voice:

quickens the young

And

revives the old;

Awakens

And

spirit,

cleanses the soul.

Leaders

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; proud, dignified

Become unbound, untied; Walk in the rain, please.

And

stand

in

the grass;

(God's glories en masse.

Ah, beautiful

A

much

tree)

better world

For us there would be: Please

Walk on

the grass

For our sake.

Edrie Bays

ODE TO A MUD PUDDLE RAPE OF

*

SECOND PLACE WINNERâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;SHORT STORY

A LAKE THE LIFEGUARD

In

the night no one knows

That the

On Is

moon which glows

your surface of black

ingredient for a

Tagalie Frye

mud pack

Ha! They do not know.

You may live in a road As the bath for a toad,

Or add pleasure to the Of a child fleeing heat.

The lifeguard strutted along the edge

feet

the

Oh, you are so versatile!

Man cements all the earth

Until

And I

will

forgets

its

once-loved worth

treasure your wet,

all puddles of mud! handsome water be

as the sea

les

mud

they slowly

to

and

the children

ankle-deep

feet,

tunnels,

water surveying

the sand.

the

forth

ruins of

They

sunburned

of

and

the water with

their

their

mothers stood

hands folded over

their

Harshly the water washed over their pink

pushing and pulling, cold and wet,

his

children.

between the water and the bath house,

brown

feet.

just

as

it

did over the

The lifeguard kicked

at

lence and turned towards the beach, protector of

its

his

inso-

lands

people.

The sand

Donna Barnes

carefully

golden mounds resembling

handiwork

screamed and laughed, while in

lifeguard's hard,

puddles!

moved along

them and swirled around

sagging stomachs.

When the sands of time Rob me of more rhyme.

Vive

as

Running back and

Hail to

Remembered

forth

of the

bright bathing suits swing their hips back and

girls in

avoided the cold Atlantic water that moved closer and closer castles

Black presence; then forget.

Let your

young

stuck fo the wetness of the lifeguard's feet as he

walked up the beach. The heat of the dry sand burned

moved

feet so he

on the other. it

is

only

am

"I

me

quickly,

down

too far out on a

to a

watery death."

he had saved a boy

drowning person. But there was no doubt

would be able

to

his

mind

jumped

stand that rose

like

first

that he

rung of the ladder of

turned

his

across the beach

leaving

"Are there any

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

The lifeguard winked take care of them.

I

sharks

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;near

at the

come

lady.

this

girlish

be

safe with a

competent man

"Sure there are, but

"but, of course, just

wanted

to

be

i

"I

guess

left

down by

of the mothers

was

his call for duty.

Out

his

"He has "A little

I

his foot

his

at

him.

the water.

It

was the

went running over and

The lifeguard knew

foot.

He

climbed quickly down the

woman who was

on

a shell

already

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; or something

cream and a bandage should fix it up," he said tousling the young boy's hair. Soon the boy was smiling at the big, impressive white bandage that wrapped around his foot. "Thank you so much," said the mother, leading the child back down the beach by the hand.

The lifeguard returned to his place and looked over to see She was looking if the girl in the yellow bikini had seen him.

kill

we can

were sharks here.

scratched

moved

of the box beside him he picked

ladder and trotted out to meet the

you on duty," she smiled,

didn't really think there

One

the

out a bag labeled "First Aid."

one that made her wrinkles

like

was no longer looking

came from

he

at the girl in the yellow

and glanced

heading towards him.

out here every morning and

laugh,

to the right

But she

cry

to

picked up the boy, examining this

a couple for breakfast."

She laughed a

appear unconcerned,

effort

cry of a child.

water?"

even more evident under her pudgy red face.

of

A

I

voice,

of

He jumped slightly and a tinge Moving his head too quickly he the beach and when he felt he had

made some bikini.

a

face.

his

scanned the other side

head back

wake of sand behind. The lady beneath the orange hat was plump and red-faced. She stopped at the bottom of the stand and leaned very close to him. "You will probably think me silly, but this is my first visit was a little afraid." She lowered her to Whitehorse Beach and ing

rose on

of pink

orange hat scurry-

to see an oversized

group

She looked up and

caught the lifeguard's gaze.

a throne from the yellow land.

head

his

his atten-

sitting with a

on a blanket to the right of him.

girls

"Lifeguard," a voice sang behind him. "Lifeguard."

He

who was

tion to a girl in a yellow bikini

his

on the cool

to safety

now turned

the lifeguard didn't hear her, for he had

defying the hot sand. Then he broke into a trot and

slowly,

in

"Thank you," came from the orange hat beneath him, but

hHe

who was

someone was ever in danger. The lifeshoulders and his jaw and walked more

if

guard straightened

in

umbrella marked 'Lifeguard'

large white letters.

but he had never actually had to save a

raft,

the green

seat beneath

his

between the people and the cruel

One day

egoism.

his

m'am." The lifeguard assured her as he

safer,

climbed, quite competently, to the fop of the stand and took

your lifeguard," he said to himself, "and

that stands

sea that longs to drag them

laughed at

"Couldn't be

into his

leaning lightly on one foot, then

I

sure."

18

first

aid

He

at him.

She smiled at him and quickly turned away. He began to plan how he would ask her out.

The lifeguard's thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice below him calling for help very weakly, hie knew who it was It was Charlie. "Do some poor mortal calling for the aid of came the voice from the top of the stand.

before he looked down.

There was Charlie, grinning

and

lifeguard'

—You

"How do yourself.

couldn't save

you

"Hey, what

"Wait

ladder,

think

got

I

parents'

'aid of the

huh? Just

job,

yeah," groaned Charlie.

might

"I

try

and drown

glasses up this It's I

dream

do

that

I

am

someday."

his

nose.

mean

and thing

I

I'm

wake up all

hold

I

in

in

Charlie bounced his dark "You know sometimes have

it

—

like

it's

always

really gets to

the middle of the night

sweaty and trembling. it

you could do

me

I

I

1

Catch

you

Lifeguard."

later.

*****

this

—

the darkness that

because a storm was coming up.

now and

I

drowning, but

always the same dream and

and

if

Charlie

for the parking lot.

The wind had picked up and the sky was growing black.

The lifeguard was glad it was getting near his quitting time

that

and down

you about was

scrambled down the stand and headed

boy." just

to ask

You don't even know what want." can't spare any money this week. My anniversary is this week and have to get something

— expensive."

"Okay — Okay.

place for sure suicide." " Just try,

came

Charlie,

it,

couldn't think of a better

"I

I

nice

nothing."

my

girl

to the water.

nudging him.

a second.

"Forget

save you but good, boy."

I'd

way down

a favor."

lifeguard?"

of the

"What do you mean

next to the lifeguard.

sitting

said,

her

"Nope."

bottom

at the

"Hey, Lifeguard," Charlie

a few seconds he was crawling over the ledge and

in

"O

the

made

"Huh?"

hear the sound

I

of

looked up, but the lifeguard was intently watching the

the yellow bikini as she

in

So

just

staring

seems

real.

I

at

You

—

purple

ink.

the

me, you know?

the

in

When

lots of nights

gather up

reach for a cigarette it

because

it

think I'm crazy,

is

Most

the

He

could close the beach

go home. He climbed down and went up to bath house to tell them to make an announcement that beach would close in fifteen minutes, due to the storm. just

came back he climbed back up

he his

of the

magazines and

jacket.

He

the ladder to

closed

his

umbrella.

people had gone home hours before and those

few after-dinner swimmers were now gathering their beach

huh?"

19

equipment together. Sometime during the evening the back tomorrow and he could ask her lots

of girls.

down from

out. Well,

The lifeguard sighed ever so his

stand as the

last

of the

the ridge of sand that separated the

girl in

Perhaps she would be

had slipped away.

the yellow bikini

slightly

there

were

and climbed

people climbed over

beach from the parking

lot.

As he reached

the bottom

top of a dune further

The wind was particles of sand

down

he saw a figure standing on

the beach.

It

looked

like

Charlie.

across the beach now, drawing up

lashing

and whipping them around. They attacked

the lifeguard as he started to walk towards the figure on the

dune. The beach was closed. "Hey," yelled out the lifeguard, but

his

voice was drowned by the sound of waves harshly

slapping on the beach, and the wind and the

gulls.

The figure began to walk slowly down the beach, staring straight

ahead towards

the

sea.

Halfway down the beach

he stopped. The lifeguard stopped too, and looked out to-

wards the water. The waves were high and the

gulls flew in

swoops

they sought.

into

The sun was partially

them and upwards without the setting

covered

it,

fish

m

below the water, but the black clouds

and

it

was getting very dark. The figure of

20

* the

man was

but a

lifeguard could

tell

HONORABLE MENTION

shadow halfway down the beach, but the was moving again moving quickly

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

that he

towards the water.

"Hey!" screamed the

his

arms flew out

at the

His neck whipped back and

wind and the sand. The half-darkness

veiled the runner as he raced

water.

TO MY UNBORN

lifeguard.

The figure was now running.

down

the beach and into the

The crashing

There was a splashing that came above the angry

that did not

fit in

The shore

and the wind, a splashing with the beach noise. The splashing stopped.

sound of the waves and the

gulls

Even though the storm sounds were loud and

shrill,

it

Little

Into

seemed

deeper and deeper

to

be

sinking

push him away, but

in

one mighty wrench.

Into the sand.

stood confused, trembling, and desperately alone

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;an

for

your moment of

And

your

life will

Ebb and flow like this tender Ocean: you will play along the

feet

his

life

Sunshine.

knew would not come again, but he did to

you.

One.

Will send you crashing full-long

The lifeguard had no idea how long he stood there just for the sound tried

like

Like the rolling surf.

staring out towards the dark waters, straining

not move. The wind

waves upon

of the

much

Soon my body,

seemed

an unbearable silence to the lifeguard.

of splashing that he

is

He

World's edge,

inter-

these tiny

like

Piper gulls scurrying

loper on the storm-darkened beach.

down

the

Foamy beach.

Sometimes you

will

Spew

silly

like

those

(Trying so hard to

Or perhaps

21

plunge and dolphins

be whales)

you'll lazy

along

Like a sluggish sand snail, Content with your own little

BOOK REVIEW

Sea-oat castle.

And when you have spent your Sunbeamed glory, gentle Night Will come to you and wrap You, child of In

my

Death

Had Two

Sons by Yael Dayan;

New

McGraw-hlill Book Company,

York; 1967.

body.

her soft film and carry you,

Like the tide, to

And

mighty Neptune.

weave for you a Bed-time story and he will say he

Death

will

"Your father was Your mother was The sea."

a sunset in

Dayan,

to you:

and

Had Two

Sons

the

is

daughter of General

Dayan chooses post-war Israel. Her novel setting Miss

love with

is

most recent novel by Yael

Moshe Dayan

of

the one she

familiar with

treats an

is

Israel.

The

unusual father-son rela-

tionship.

Haim Kalinsky is a little man; an old man; a dying man.

Once, however, he was forced to play God. A profitable Jewish merchant in Poland, Haim had a comfortable home, a loving wife,

and

Martha Hall

wife, tion

Haim's

and two

sons.

comfortable

Then the Nazis invaded Poland

world

man choose which

of his

two sons would

Samuel, and David was led off to

and

disappeared.

and then he and his sons were forced camp. There the Nazi soldiers made a fate.

lost

his

small, frightened

Haim

live.

Fate

is

clutched

unpredictable

ways which cannot be determined nor explained David escaped and made it safely to Israel where

acts in

by man.

he grew into a strong, handsome man. concentration camp.

Haim

Samuel died

lived through the horrors of the Nazi

re-established his business after the war.

22

He

into a concentra-

in

the

occupation and

Later he remarried.

Throughout

time,

this

both David and

his

SOMETIMES

father thought the

other dead, but through the efforts of refugee agencies, the

two were reunited,

hlaim brought

his

second family

only to find a hostile and alien country, and a son

to Israel,

who

rejected

him.

As hlaim forgetting

Kalinsky lay dying,

past and

the

and time. The ically

David faced the choice of the barriers built

separated Haim and David

wall that

by is

guilt

Life really

graph-

When When

represented by the road that separated David's apart-

ment from the his

crossing

where

hospital

window David could see

his father

his

father's

awaited death. From

Had Two

Sons

is

As David recreates

insight

into

When When

learn

he

is,

incidents from his past

character,

that

of

his

for

tomorrow

happiness, sometimes.

father,

we

are given

and

into

troubles and

trials

are hiding;

a gentle wind's laughter asks not

what comes

God is too good to you, sometimes.

When Heaven has shown you its glory

the

Through the flashbacks more about David and what has made him the man

But sorrow

and

And sometimes

tears

make

there lust

their

Isn't

marks through the years

a sometime.

and we better understand and sympathize with the

struggle he undergoes.

Deatfi Had Two Sons produces a good character man who had denied his past, only to be faced with of re-openIng

and love chance well as

study of a the choice

a part of himself as a gesture of forgiveness

man. The reader sympathizes with David, be able to open his heart and accept the has offered him to be a man who can love as

to a dying

and hopes he fate

Linda Pelikan

will

be loved.

,

,

,

after

You put away memories, sometimes.

built around flashbacks into David's

the newly developing Israel.

spirit of

we

his

Is

Nothing can bother you, sometimes.

is

arated him from hlaim.

Miss Dayan's novel

honey-eyed sorrow looks round

Existence

David's struggle to forgive and remove the barrier that sep-

past.

wonderful, sometimes.

room, but he could

Death

not bring himself to cross the street.

is

everything's golden and rosy;

.

Judy Leach 23

24

^

HONORABLE MENTION

The complete destruction

Of my

Of

CARNIVAL

soul

the creation

In

yours.

One

solitary

Stream

of light

my

Creeping across

life

Forgetfulness Like a shroud

Martha Hall

Falling over my Weary mind And over everything

a

Crucifix swinging

Aimlessly Like a broken

And

pendulum

Here am Somewhere between A nun and a bawd,

A

Trembling within myself

Scarlet hands

one second Beyond the immediate

My own personal nightmare.

When will be over.

Mind

This mortal Hell,

I

Slips slowly

Living

And

and white faces-

This carousel?

thoughts screaming

Life

Always questioning: is

away.

bright vision of

it

stretching out

For other thoughts,

What

the hourglass sand

And

love?

is I

a

game

don't want

To play Anymore.

25

*

HONORABLE MENTION

her

In

room her

collection

doll

covered an entire

These antiquated figures ranged from the worn rag

wall.

doll with

one button eye with which Miss Simms had played some

fifty

years before, to a prim, starched French doll that her widower

THE OLD MAID

father

had brought

to his only

daughter. The

was a

life-size

baby

doll that so

resembled an

to

be eternally upon the verge The atmosphere was one of

Miss her

Simms was

girl

friends that she

"gentleman friend" was Miss Victoria Simms lived alone

ment

in

would bring

the second floor apart-

of a respectable crumbling brownstone.

unmarried lady such as

Miss Simms prided

herself

keep

all

amount

of

dusting

un-

unmistakably

spots,

in

rouge, still

her slight frame.

glowed

from

her

styled in the tight

in

a fuzzy

young woman shown, hanging beside World War picture of her as a volunteer I

nurse.

Miss Simms would have had a terribly lonely existence were it

not for her dearly beloved parrot. Lord Byron. The

had been chosen by Miss Simms

on

ment, but she

her neatness, both of her person and her housekeeping, though she often despaired of the

bright

her bed,

had so painstakingly stitched. windows and there was never a

speck of dust to be found.

Often she letters,

curls of the gay, bright

needlepoint doilies that she ruffled the

remain single after her

and become pleasantly melancholy

wrinkled cheeks and she wore her hair

herself.

Her three-room apartment was done in the heavy Victohad seen so much parloring in her girlhood.

The arms and backs of the furniture were covered by the curtains

to

the great war.

Miss Simms had a withered girlishness

Two

rian furniture that

Ching

In

reading them.

hood that had once been fashionable was now rather weary and gave idle passers the impression of genteel poverty. It was a safe area though, and Miss Simms considered it ideal for an

word

She often reminded

bundle of crackling, yellowed

the faded blue ribbon,

tie

The neighbor-

forth a

seemed

fussy old maidishness, a

had chosen killed

it

of dimpling into a smile.

never to use.

careful

addition

latest

infant

fits

required to

of

own.

her China figurines and other what-nots sparkling.

26

felt

it

in

name

a fanciful, romantic

suited the fine bird for he

mo-

was subject

to

melancholy that uncannily seemed to coincide with her

According

Simms, Lord Byron had shown from the

to Miss

have heard, v/hen passing outside the parlor window,

to

voice speaking such phrases the

Particularly

an unusual aptitude for speech. Several neighbors claimed

first

same southern

ance

seemed

reported, he often

versing with

at a fantastic rate.

his

mistress.

someone who gave more

It

mother his

actually con-

was embarrassing

really to visit

in

linguistic

Her only

remained stubbornly so nervous.

Whenever

he sat on

his

made

visitors

cage too near the

sensed

for his

came

at

remembered

over tea and

ladies for

it

been

at times that the bird

of

their

silly

would be

fearful

of careful handling

violets, the

his

reat

trip

to the pet store,

the incident earlier

the

In

Lord Byron,

for

afternoon that had

Lord Byron,

the midst of

in

"Windy

old bag!"

Poor Miss Simms had failed to felt

her face redden

under the disapproving eyes of her companions.

She fussed

hostile eyes.

I

at

him as she took

wish you wouldn't

do

that!

off her things,

It's

She would sco'd

cage when harsh with

I

have guests."

not to

product of years

him,

do bad

I

will

have

27

you know. to

If

cover your

Feeling that she had been a bit too

she offered a bribe,

"Now mama

things like that any more,

what she brought her baby from the store."

and transplanting.

"You bad boy,

terribly rude,

you continue to behave that way,

tisement was of a gentle sort for the bird was far dearer to her

pampered African

the ladies might

that

purpose of buying a delicacy

rudeness after her friends had gone. Yet her chas-

than even her

breath.

moments.

particularly embarrassing.

muttered,

resented their presence

gossiping.

his

comments. To make matters worse,

conceal her giggles and she had then

made him

an afternoon of chatter,

them with gleaming

Lord

Mrs. WInthrop's description of her gall bladder operation had

She dared not

because

of

little

Lord Byron

Miss Simms very uncomfortable for she knew her

and disapproved him

they

perch staring

girls

the fact that

before her friends.

silent

his

in

else,

caustic

Miss Simms, after returning from a

and she often shyly mentioned

regret rested

trick

mother who hears her baby crying long

a

the most inappropriate

the parrot was not unlike that of a

triumphs to the

a

the midst of a conversation with

marks were often singularly amusing, causing her to laugh

of her time to the parrot than to her

a precocious child

in

even to put

This

his

for the express

latest

cakes.

like

before anyone catch

guests.

Miss Simms' pride

in

Within

be

to

Simms was

Miss

to

and he would mutter something under

Miss Simms,

Under Miss Simm's guid-

as his mistress.

trying

She would be

the ladies

language fluency had increased to the point

his

visitors

his

"Polly want a cracker," with

as,

vocabulary had developed

his

two years that,

lilt

Byron's.

If

you promise will

give you

BLUE

She slipped her wrinkled, veined hand seed

his

and

dish,

He wobbled

on

his

breaking one of

A

vague yet

perch and long,

his

face,

yet passed quickly.

baby,

mama

ing

stuffed

the

back on

where

his

the

fell

she

it,

bird

in

bottom

to the

brilliantly

slightly terrified look

will fix

into the

cage

to get

doing so she brushed against the bird.

In

blue

tail

her

make you hands,

all

she

gently

placed

taxidermist

had

mended

it

from

his

having

and

sad, bright.

full,

cool.

and

gently,

putting off sleep for tomorrow.

Where does

right,

well." Then, cradl-

perch and smoothed the feathers around

and

beautiful

Blue sings smoothly

feathers.

all

Is

Soft

swept across Miss Simm's

She murmured, "That's will

Blue

of the cage,

it

come

but

from the sky?

Shiny and silvery, snowy and dark;

him neck

Blue seeks

open space and shadows.

Wondering why

been

wrung.

I

It

exists,

look at the sky.

Blue floats

and

melts, laughs

and

Blue accepts

and

cries.

rejects

blending or blowing away.

Blue breathes

Cynthia Wolfe

Blue grabs

life

and

sees,

moves and

and colors

thinks.

It

without having to explain.

I

I

look;

and wondering why

can't

be

Blue,

I

cry.

Donna Barnes

28

AND

CAREFUL WHEN YOU CROSS THE STREET

BE

What

if

the sun should fall?

Goose bumps or

depending on where fatal

A

if

lands

burns;

thought to ponder

when not

We shall overcome to

Ban the Bomb, Get our boys out of .. (remember Rome) .

Donna Barnes

29

FRIENDSHIP

The simple its

string vibrating

way through space

Through miles and miles of oblivious ears.

To

find a voice, a similar vibration

The Voice

of a Friend.

Carol Brotherton

30

PATRONS Baldwin's, Farmville, Virginia

Stackpole Components

Mr.

F.

H.

Company,

Kilpatrick, Stackpole

P.

O. Box

M

Components Co.

Mr. Daniel A. Bunn, Stackpole Components Co.

The Personnel Department

Longwood

of Stackpole

Components Co.

Jeweler, Farmville, Virginia

Farmville Manufacturing Co., Shopping Center

Cedar Brook Grant's,

Restaurant, Rice

Road

Shopping Center

Owen-Sanford, Shopping Center Gray's Collins Funeral

Home &

Florist

Carter's Florist

Leggett's Farmville Herald

College Shoppe Crute's

Newman's Men's Shop 31