Centripetal Release: Poets and Writers celebrate student based literature

Muted lights from Chinese tea-boxes illuminated the Mandarin Taste Bar and Lounge as Plymouth's Poets and Writers held their 12th annual release party for Plymouth's Literary Magazine, Centripetal, this past Thursday, April 21.

"There was an array of diverse pieces submitted and I think Centripetal reflects that," said Co-President of Poets and Writers Kristen Russel.

Members of PSU's literary community gathered together amongst clinks of glasses, microphone adjustments, and hushed voices in order to celebrate the newest publication by hosting an open-mic event for authors to read their recently published work in spring's Centripetal magazine. The publication is PSU's only literary magazine and prints student work ranging from non-fiction, fiction, and poetry. 

The scene held a sense of quiet exaltation from writers and readers alike, all of whom came to support student work, literary achievement, and to enjoy whatever the microphone had to offer. The styles varied with each author, and while some poets showcased their finesse through elements of slam poetry, others chose to let their dense words linger in the stale air of a Plymouth bar. Robby Binette, incorporated elements of both techniques when he recited his poem "The Headless Horsemen in My Head." The poem encapsulated the paranoid mind of an obsessive compulsive recluse and drew its power by combining form and function. The audience could feel the steam from his excitement and quickly attached themselves to it. Other writers, such as Haley Fouts ‘13, expressed provocative and empowering declarations through her poem "Stand." Fout's poem combated the turmoil and strife that young and powerful women must deal with in today's society.

Presidents Kristen Russel and Haley Sciola composed this year's publication by sorting through nearly 106 submissions by students, faculty, and alumni. Of the 106 submissions, the Poets and Writers organization selected and compiled the submissions into 23 selections with a focus to select works that, "illustrate both the obstacles one can encounter and the triumphs one can gain," according to the Editors' note. 

"Most of the submissions were prose, which was surprising because we usually get significantly more poetry," said Russel.

Although the newest edition boasts more prose, the poets at Thursday night's release party made their presence known. Leslie Goden's poem "Son", a poem depicting the confusion and passion of child birth, gripped audiences with passages such as:

"You were four months old the first time I really saw you.I took a pill for pain. Something lifted. A heavy presence stepped aside and there you were."

The newest edition of Centripetal can be located in the Poets and Writers office in the HUB, and submissions for next fall's issue will be collected in the upcoming semester.