Open Mic Hosted by the Aurora and the Office of Counseling and Wellness
March 17th, 2019
Photo Taken by Kass Williams
"Poetry, Coffee, and Cookies"
Aurora Plenary Session at the 2019 Writing Showcase
March 25th, 2019
Photo Taken by Katherine Osborne
Executive Editor Kass Williams, Editorial Assistant Emily Alexander, and Coeditor Emily Coleman at the 2019 D&E Activities Fair
April 13th, 2019
Executive Editor Kass Williams Outside of Ralston Press in Buckhannon, West Virginia
April 26th, 2019
Photo Taken by Emily Alexander
Coeditor Emily Coleman, Executive Editor Kass Williams, and Editorial Assistant Emily Alexander holding freshly printed copies of the 2019 Aurora!
April 29th, 2019
Photo Taken by Ester Bolmenaes
D&E Student Kaylee Wagner Reading her Poem, "What I Wish Someone Told Me," at the 2019 Aurora Launch Party
April 29th, 2019
Photo Taken by Emily Alexander
Our 2019 edition is here!
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A Note from the Editors
Dear Readers,
This year marks a change in our literary magazine’s history. In response to the evolving needs of our readers, the Aurora is now entering the digital landscape. On the Davis & Elkins College Library’s website, you will find the new site for our beloved literary magazine. Here, you can browse our archives from past Aurora editions, view the current Aurora edition, find information on our magazine’s history and staff, and more.
We would like to thank you for your encouragement and support. It is you, the reader, who drives this magazine. When you turn this page, you will not simply find individual contributions to the Aurora. Rather, you will be captivated by a narrative that blends the voices, experiences, and emotions of every artist within these pages. The 2019 edition of the Aurora is not merely a magazine: it is the collective conscience of a people, detailing our struggles, inspirations, and courage. Upon reading our magazine, you will begin a journey, stepping through the past, present, and future with the turn of each page.
The beginning of our magazine reflects on our history—as individuals, as a country, as a people—and the tensions that continue to haunt us. Further on, we explore current issues in society and the ways in which we overcome such issues, such as drawing on the world around us for creative and spiritual inspiration. Finally, our magazine concludes with messages of hope for the future, presenting solutions for overcoming the emotional and political turmoil of our time.
When you finally set this magazine down, we hope you will feel empowered and inspired, which truly reflects the Aurora's mission.
Sincerely,
The Editors
We are now accepting submissions for the 2020 Aurora!
Stitched Together by a Common Thread
Every year, students email us their photography, art, poetry, and creative writing, influenced by their experiences, their thoughts, and their feelings. Everyone's experience is unique, as is everyone's perspective, so it is truly stunning when we, as editors, find patterns in the submissions we receive. In the 2019 Aurora, many patterns are illuminated, and below, we have outlined the common threads lacing this year's magazine together.
Women in Appalachia
Many of our poetry submissions feature women--strong women, oppressed women, broken women--but casting its shadowy figure over these female characters is the great Appalachian Mountains. In the following poems, our authors express the effects of Appalachian life on our people, especially females.
"If These Mountains Could Speak" by Megan Carder
"Untruth" by Cassidy Connor
"Growing Women in Appalachia" by Samantha Kirk
"Legacy Lost" by Cassidy Connor
And below are submissions that feature women in various lights:
"How Daddy Got me to Help Out" by Samantha Kirk
"Of Their Bone" by Jamey Perrine
"How to be the Perfect Daughter" by Alexis Smith
"Who Stole Your Voice?" by Megan Carder
Aaliyah by Jakeya Perrin
"Writing Letters at Bible School" by Cassidy Connor
MMA by Jakeya Perrin
"Herself" by Ester Bolmenaes
"Some Lessons in 'Plus'" by Jamey Perrine
"Journals of an Angry Woman" by Ester Bolmenaes
"Persephone and her Flower" by Bayli Rhodes
"Song of the Goddesses" by Bayli Rhodes
Allegheny Mountain View by Julianna Singleton
Political and Social Issues
While it is true that we each experience the world differently, the issues we face as a country--due to race, gender, and other factors--affect everyone. This year's magazine highlights some of the most pressing matters that have bludgeoned our country in the past and, even now, bleed into today's society.
"Paying off Cancer" by Alexis Smith
"What Do You Remember?" by Bill King
"Spirits" by Lauren Tydings
"What Makes Us?" by Joshua Thompson
"Blue" by Ester Bolmenaes
"How to be the Perfect Daughter" by Alexis Smith
"I Was Born a Unicorn" by Everton Carvalho
Expressing the effects of our experiences through art is not only cathartic for ourselves, but is healing for those with whom we share our art. By submitting to the Aurora, you can help weave the thread that stitches the D&E community together. Check out the 2019 Aurora either by visiting our "Current Issue" tab or by finding a copy in the campus library or English lounge.