Dictionary

Poem by Amisha Walton

Giving too many people the power to define me

Hurt and criticism hold me back

Like a road block with no detours

Desires to be accepted override anything I have to say They say my potential and talent is nonexistent

Question marks nonexistent in my head

Only periods

Periodically sensing my soul sinking further inside

My soft-spoken voice fades

Mute

Tuning in to the channels that berate me

Not a motivated bone in my body

Simply still

Listening

Waiting for these Merriam-Websters

To individually spell out every adjective and synonym

Of me

I sit up head high like a good pupil

Jotting down notes

Careful not to miss any points

Yet any good student should know the value of research

Accuracy's role in the definition of a definition is as crucial as the oxygen flowing through my lungs

Labels come alive only if I allow

Acceptance is not necessary

20 something years to conclude

Only I have the tools necessary to choose

Allow myself to drown in a sea of false views

Blindly accept them or float on top of it

Like the queen of my own castle

I'm taking me back

I define me

Poem by William Sack

Burnt Chemical marshmallow

I learned today

That you can’t microwave coffee cups

Coffee machine

Too complex to use

Hot water machine

Broken

A person passes

Quickly taking it out of the microwave

Two more pass

Scorched plastics

Invade the lungs

And they know me

A mug is retrieved

In the cup’s stead

The beans

Aren’t the only things

Crushed

A sip

To test the water’s heat

Ow Pain

Is a rubber band

Snapped against the lips

Who knew

The smell of bitter caramel

And charred wood

That conjures images of a rising sun

And corporate logos

And sunnyside eggs

And toast

Could come from such inky blackness?

And yet

My quill cannot keep up

Priorities

Permeate the consciousness

So the first sip

Disappoints

Chocolate ash

A rich thief

Completes its conquest of the tongue

Even in the depths

Of midnight troves

A vacuum subsumes sweetness

Like the cold to heat

Or the dark to light

The following slurps

Get better

A coating of the tongue

Feigns a fruity flavor

And an assumption

Of complexity

The anti-purgatory

That is the inside of the mug

Is prevalent

As calescence wanes

And the sips get colder

Before long

Vivacity fades

And stillness is achieved

The sourness

Once overcome by the heat

Overtakes all

Something in the Water

Essay by Kayla Hess

When it comes to running outdoor track and field, you must be prepared to face unpredictable weather. I have competed in my fair share of collegiate track and field meets and I’ve experienced a great variety of conditions; hand numbing cold, scorching heat, blustery winds. One meet in the past in which the weather threw a few curveballs was when my track team traveled to Manchester University in Indiana. When we arrived, lugging all our gear with us, the sun was bright in the sky, and it appeared a beautiful spring morning. Little did we know, this was only a false precursor as to what would come.

As the day progressed, the cheerful sun was replaced by overcast and moody clouds. Before long, raindrops began to fall slowly then rapidly, picking up speed. We hoped that it would just rain, that the events could continue. However, when we felt the loud rumbles of thunder and saw sharp flashes of lightning snap across the sky, it was clearly a sign that the meet had to be put to a halt. We packed up our team camp and went inside to wait it out.

Some runners dislike running in the rain because they hate to have their precious shoes get soggy like drenched sponges. But I’ve never minded getting my shoes damp. If you look past getting wet, it can be exhilarating. I boldly race through the puddles and watch as droplets spray in every direction under my feet. I run, my legs pumping, the drops of water rolling down my face and I feel unstoppable instead of deterred. The rain has never frightened me, like a child, I embrace it and welcome its presence. It gives me the chance to be carefree, to leave my worries behind for a little while.

With the rain, I believe there’s a new emotional experience every time the clouds roll through. When it lightly patters against the window outside, I feel a sense of calm and tranquility. It’s the kind of rain that makes you want to curl up with a good book and stay in a while. Other times the rain falls steadily and rhythmically, and I am filled with newfound energy and a desire to be productive. There are other days when it does nothing but pound relentlessly against the pavement, and it leaves me wistful for what once was or could be, not quite sad, but not fully happy either.

I’ve found that running in the rain is as much a spiritual experience as it is a physical one. In Christianity, water has always been viewed as a symbol of new life and rebirth. When people are baptized, they are immersed in water and afterwards promise to dedicate themselves to their newfound belief in God. When I run in the rain, I feel connected to God, it's his way of letting me know his presence. Water is such a beautiful thing; it's refreshing and renews my soul. At the same time, it’s a symbol of reaffirming my belief that I am committed to him and that I’ll keep the faith. Despite whatever comes, good or bad.

Running is like my maintaining relationship with God because it isn’t always the easy. There are days when my legs are sore and feel heavy, times when I doubt my abilities. I have a busy schedule that can keep me from reading the Bible and praying like I should. But I couldn’t imagine my life without either one of these things. Being a runner fills me with purpose, and it is one of my greatest joys, I love it truly. It’s been one of the best gifts I’ve ever received from God, having the ability to run and do well.

It is worth pushing through the setbacks if it means I can grow and become stronger, because progress comes with patience and time. My relationship with God, is continually changing, and the challenges I face are only meant to reinforce the faith that is already there. God never breaks his promises, and he has come through so many times before for my wellbeing, and that’s one thing that’ll never change.

Luckily, at the track meet at Manchester, we didn’t have to wait long before the storm delay was canceled, and we could head back outside. I was itching to race in the 4x400 meter relay, it was the other race I was competing in that day besides the 1500-meter run. Though I consider myself more of a distance runner, I like doing a sprinting event every now and then because it helps me to work on developing my speed.

As a runner, especially a distance runner, you should have a good balance of speed and endurance. The endurance keeps you able to resist the fatigue that can come with running at a high intensity for a longer amount of time. While the speed enables you to move past competitors and finish with power. You cannot have one without the other, even if you are a sprinter.

The thunderstorms may have ended; however, the rain would not be kept away. By the time my teammates and I were preparing to race, the rain had started back up again and was coming down hard. Several other girls from different teams and I were all huddled together, shivering in our singlets and spandex shorts, waiting for our turn in the relay. Before I knew it, I made my way over to the relay exchange zone and got into position.

As my teammate raced towards me through the blinding rain, I held my hand out behind me to grab the baton. Once I had grasped it in my hand, I sped off. Immediately, I saw a girl ahead of me and I locked her in my sights. Ramping up my speed, I flew past her and kept pushing forwards. The downpour only made me want to run faster, and my determined focus was only on the track ahead of me, everything else was irrelevant.

My arms were moving, and my legs were pumping, striking the track, splashing droplets of water everywhere. I could hear my coach calling out to me, cheering me on as I rounded the last corner. I headed for the finish, sprinting as fast as I could. I crossed the line, tired but fulfilled because I had done what I set out to do.

This meet at Manchester was special for me because it was one of my first outdoor track meets during my freshman year, and it reminded me that I was entering a new stage of my life as a collegiate athlete for the Mount. I had achieved the goal I always wanted to when I was in high school, being able to run in college, and I was seeing it come to fruition. Racing in the 4x400 meter relay that day was memorable, not only because I did well, but also because of the rain itself. There was something in the water that day that pushed me to go further, the rain must have given off a pulsing energy. Or, rather, there could have been something in me that day. A sense of hope in what I could do, and a sense of pride in the jersey I wore. Running in the rain isn’t for everyone. Although, you may miss experiencing something special if you don’t try it.