Invitation to MU Voices

Let your light shine!

We are pleased to announce the publication of the Winter 2012 edition of MU Voices, Madonna University's online literary publication. This semester, we are concentrating on an online version in order to allow our readers to comment on their favorite selections. Contributors were asked to share their poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, song lyrics, prayers, photographs, drawings, and paintings, so readers have a variety of types of writing to enjoy.

We hope you enjoy this collaborative effort. MU Voices is co-sponsored by the Madonna Pen, our campus writing group, and the Madonna University Writing Center. This edition has been lovingly edited by Marian Woyciehowicz Gonsior and Frances FitzGerald.

I am a friend to ... by Zoe' Hollins

 

I am a friend to many…I am a friend to the most minute thing such as the dust that accumulates in my home. We tend to meet quite often and I often wonder why dust tends to visit so often, bringing its entire family along.

I am a friend to pen and paper, forever making lists consisting of events, projects and purchase lists. I often have a backup list to the 1^st list of things that still have yet to be done.

I am a friend to my thoughts, always having something or someone on my mind; wishing, wondering and praying for the best. I often think outside of my current state of being and place myself somewhere more relaxing and pleasing to the eye, where my phone won’t ring and no one will need, want or demand and where there is no physical, mental or emotional upheaval.

From the Valentine's Day Write-a-Thon

I am a hot mess.

I hope thou can loveth me,

Because I can sing.

Done in 30 seconds

***

Sorry Valentines that I have been busy and it is too late to send a card.

I will give you a kiss that you make you tard.

Give me a present and you will be pleasant

I wonder by Tywonn Mitchell

I wonder what I should do next. I just gave the two kids a bath and they should be on their way to sleep in a minute. This babysitting job is the easiest job I've ever had. Maybe the Williams have some cool things around the house for me to find. I know they have something in their room worth searching for. I have to make sure the kids are asleep first. After making sure the kids are asleep, I open the William's master bedroom and began to search. As I looked under their mattress, I aw a picture that was really funny to me. There was Mr and Ms Williams in the 70's when they first met. Both of them had on high heel shoes and had afros. I was the funniest thing ever because they were making weird poses. I laughed for about 15 minutes until Mr. Williams walked in and caught me with the photo.

Cinders by Jacob Gregor

Aye, Cinders. What a poor girl? She's always bumbling and fumbling over everything. Earlier this year, as she was watering the flower baskets having out the window, she absent mindedly get distracted with a pooch walking the palace grounds below. Before she knew it, she had washed all the soil and flowers clean out of the window box, and the grimy water was trickling down the castle wall and into the window of the room just below. That room just happened to be the abode of the crash-trained fairy godmother Georgetta.

Now Georgetta was not exactly please with the sloppy mud-water running into her dwelling place, and she decided to put an end to the hap-hazard, care free coordination-less princess. Pulling out her kettle and lighting and caldron, Georgetta began concocting a remedy spell. First, she poured in a base of unctuous chicken broth, in order to smooth out the girl's wild body movements. Next, she threw in a bowl of hawk eyes to increase young Cinder's ability to focus. Finally, she threw in a few strands of lamb's wool to provide the princess with a little dose of serenity.

All this brewing and bubbling was certainly done with the best intentions, but unfortunately it did not have the best results. The chicken broth got confused and rather than smoothing out the wild actions of the princess, caused her to randomly let out a "cock-a-doodle-doo" every now and then. The hawk eyes didn't help Cinder's focus; they only made her all the more curious. And the lamb's wool, the saddest of all, caused the future queen to grey prematurely.

These horrible effects had a determined effect on Cinder's self image. Every time prince charming came around , she mysteriously disappeared. One day, in order to avoid the woos of her former lover, Cinders hid in the palace refrigerator. Moments later, the palace cook, just as her body had spilled out of that fridge into the prince, the sob-story of her life spilled into the cook's heart.

Eventually their eyes met. There was no mistaking it: it was true love. The cook fell for her because of the smell of chicken broth spewing out of her body. The princess loved him because of his culinary skill.

Later that day they set out for the hills. They were free at last, happy at last, together forever. Who could blame them? They were a perfect match. As the cook continued to supply Cinder's belly with satisfaction, she continued to inspire him with her chicken broth scent, and they lived happily ever after.

Morning by Wick Atwood

The morning that I will never forget, but still try too from the painful Staturday at 10 am, The day started off as a typical day and as a family we gathered around the TV waiting for college football to start and that is where we would lay all day long. This Saturday had one event that changed the rest of the day. Right around 10 our parents called us into the family room because they felt today was the day to talk about how they met each other and landed up with together. As we complained and slugged our way into the room to hear this story we don't really want to know. Then as we all poled on the couch to hear the famous meeting of my mother and father. Instead of extending it longer and long they decided to get it short and get to the point where they became one like the normal high school sweetheart story that has a few bumps and turns in it. IT all started at freshman orientation where after living in the same city all their loves they finally met as they took seats next to each other during the boring lecture about the school. They never said a word to each other nor make eye contact with each other and that was the end of that. They both excelled in athletics being captains on their sports teams. They dated people throughout high school then senior year rolled around and wanting to just have fun so they were both single. Also with their academics and athletics they also wanted to have a little money in their pockets. My dad worked in a machine shop and my mom at McDonalds. I'm thinking in my mind during this story those have nothing to do with each other. Back to the story, as every morning on the weekends my mother would work drive-thru and my grandfather would come thru and order coffee instead of being a normal customer and taking the coffee and leaving he would always be in a crabby mood yelling at her to hurry up. Finally one day she finds out who it is and that Monday at school she confronts my dad and talks about what my grandfather would do and as a normal male he laughed and shrugged it off as no big deal, and turned around and walked off. Later that day my mother now with some of her friends confronted him again about it and this time not letting he get away she stared making a big scene and hit him right across the face. After she was suspended for a few days she then returned to school and apologized to him when he gave her the cold shoulder and just ignored the apology. That Friday was prom and that was the biggest dance of the year and they both had dates who ended up leaving them to be with someone else. Now both alone they run into each other at the dance and instead of standing by the punch bowl they decided to dance together. The night continued to get better and better and they finally went to an after party together where they grew closer and closer. The next day they began hanging out daily they fell for each other and then became a couple. A couple years later they were married. As they finished the story my brothers and I looked at each other and thought to ourselves thanks for wasting those 10 minutes of our lives and we continued to do our normal Saturday routine, but in all different rooms.

Balloon by Kyongtaek Mun

When I was 17 I met a girl who I loved the most in my life

Everything was black and white except the girl.

So I blew the balloon with my love bigger and bigger.

Because I believed bigger balloon would show bigger love.

But my balloon popped up because it was too big.

After first love my second love came to me.

At this time I decided to blow a balloon very little because I was afraid that it would be popped up again.

But the balloon dropped to the ground and popped up because there was enough air in it.

Now I am still thinking how big balloon will be appropriate.

Any advice?