poetry, fiction, essays, interviews, translations, music, visual arts
Spring 2023
Art
Fiction
The Man Who Couldn’t Fly
By Annie Johnson
The Old Gods
By Elyse Yost
Grape Jolly Ranchers
By Annie Johnson
Creative Non-Fiction
I’m Only Sleeping
By Claire Taylor
The Batman of Davis
By Elliot Russel
Poetry
爸爸妈妈,你们快一点儿吧 (Mom and Dad, Please Hurry)
By Zoe Gurney
2008 Recession Sestina
by Shannon Abbott
Infatuation
by Sophia Sherwood
The Day I Knew I Could Never Love You Again
By Morgan Acord
Double Sonnet for Loving the Bandit
by Anonymous
Three Untitled
By Sophia Sherwood
This Story is Unavailable
By Phoenix Alarcio
Silence at 3am
by Hayden Ruben
Maybe the Man in the Moon is Real
by Morgan Acord
The Life of a Tower Princess
By Sophia G.S.
Little Red Wagon
by Shannon Abbott
Parent to Child
by Leo V. Kaplan
Moores Park
by Claire Taylor
In the Palm of my Hand
by Sophia G.S.
Sonnet for What’s Between the Lines
by Phoenix Alarcio
Sonnet for Night Walks
by Shannon Abbott
May I Offer You a Rose
by Zoe Gurney
From the Editor
We are very excited to present this year’s edition of The Cauldron. After three years of non-physical editions, setbacks due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and a multitude of other factors, we are back in your hands. That is, provided you’re currently reading the physical copy and not the digital edition. It is somewhat stripped-down compared to years past, but it is here, and it is yours.
The amazing artwork on the covers of this edition was submitted by Elyse Yost. The front cover piece is titled “Interlaced” and the back cover is titled “Lost and Found.” While putting this edition together, we were faced with the challenge of organizing many wonderful yet distinct pieces of literature. How were we to assemble these into a cohesive magazine, with clear lines of thought? Well, here is guide to the forty-second edition of The Cauldron, as well as some insight into our thought process:
We start off with a series of proclamations, “I want” “I want” “I want.” With these strong beginnings, we intended to shine a light on the desires of those around us. What has the world prevented us from taking and enjoying for ourselves? How have many of us been denied the rights and privileges afforded to others? Strength in the face of adversity, resistance, and rebellion opposed to the weight of the world which threatens to crush us. I like to think of our first several pieces as the grievances of our generation.
With “This Story is Unavailable” and “Silence at 3am,” we move to the transitioning section of the edition. “Pondering” is how I would best describe this movement. What fascinating things do sleep and dreams bring us? What fantasies have played out in our minds? What curious events have we witnessed?
Our final segment opens with “Little Red Wagon.” Here, we have absorbed all of our previous experiences. We have raged and cried and wondered, and now we will hope. We will hope for love and curiosity and that the injustices of the world may one day be washed away. This year’s edition of The Cauldron closes with the poem “May I Offer You a Rose.” And though you will soon have the opportunity to read it yourself (or perhaps you skipped ahead and have read it before this preface), I would like to share a couple lines from this delightful piece:
“We embrace life. We embrace community. We work to embrace ourselves.”
These are the final words I would like to say to all those who have been so thoughtful as to pick up a copy of this edition: Remember that we are all on this little rock hurtling through space.. There are many who have come before us, and there are many who will come after. But you are here now, so enjoy every moment you can. Love yourself. Love your friends. Love your enemies. We have to live together, after all.
Thomas Hole,
Editor-in-Chief
Awards
Divine Crow Awards
The Divine Crow Awards are given each year to three exceptional pieces in The Cauldron. A writer from the extended Kalamazoo community judges the pieces blindly.
This year’s judge is Sofía Aguilar, a first generation college graduate and recipient of many awards for creative writing. She currently works as a freelance journalist operating out of Los Angeles.
The recipients of this year’s Divine Crow Awards are:
- “Double Sonnet for Loving the Bandit” submitted anonymously
- “The Batman of Davis” by Elliot Russel
- “Moores Park” by Claire Taylor.
Stephanie Vibbert Award
The Stephanie Vibbert Award is given to one work which exemplifies the intersection between creative writing and community engagement. This award honors Stephanie Vibbert, a senior English and Psychology double major who died in a car accident returning from a peace march in Washington D.C. in 2003. Stephanie’s life was passionately devoted to both creativity and community service. This award was created to encourage Kalamazoo College writers to use their creativity to reflect upon and explore issues of poverty, human rights, sexual orientation, race, class, gender, and cultural diversity.
The recipient of this year’s Stephanie Vibbert Award is “May I Offer You a Rose” by Zoe Gurney.
Staff
Co-Editors-In-Chief
- Thomas Hole
- Phoenix Alarcio
Submissions Editor
- Greta Salmun
Secretary
- Hannah Durant
Editors
- Keegan Sweeney
- Lana Alvey
- Gi Salvatierra
- Ana Garcia
- Sofia Rowland
- Iris Chalk
- Fiona Schaffer
- Hannah Durant
Staff Advisor
- Dr. Andy Mozina
Acknowledgements
Thomas would like to acknowledge and extend his gratitude to:
Everyone who submitted pieces for this new era of The Cauldron.
Phoenix Alarcio, my co-editor-in-chief and wonderful teammate.
Liz Candido, for allowing us to unveil the cauldron in Stetson Chapel this year as in years past.
Jon Collier, Carolyn Zinn, and Debra Stevens, for helping us to resurrect The Cauldron in physical and digital form.
The entirety of the cauldron staff, who have stuck with me despite communication and scheduling troubles.
Sofía Aguilar, for combing through submissions to choose this year’s winners.
And you, the readers. I mean it. Thank you.