In WSU Vancouver’s small literary arts community, many appreciate the value of writing and find joy in sharing their art through spoken words. On Feb. 17, the Salmon Creek Journal hosted a virtual open mic night, titled “Nature” where students shared and listened to others’ poetic works.
Renee Hollopeter, junior English major, and the journal’s poetry editor, organized the open mic night as a way for students to connect and share their work online over Zoom.
“When I applied to the journal, I didn’t know there was going to be a pandemic, and I loved the idea of an on-campus poetry night, with the snaps, the whole thing. Obviously, that couldn’t happen, so I figured that Zoom would be the next best thing,” Hollopeter said. “I love the idea of people reading poems centered around a certain theme and hearing how people respond to that. This is why I was drawn to the idea of nature because I know there are so many different ways to talk about nature and what it means to you.”
The theme for the open mic night, “Nature,” served as a subset of the journal’s broader theme “Growth.” Hollopeter credited her decision as related to the content of previous student submissions and to Mary Oliver, a renowned poet whose work is inspired by nature. She also said nature is a great form of subject matter, notably for eager poets who choose to write about their emotions in response to their environment.
“Nature mirrors the way we are growing, or maybe seeing a natural phenomenon that we’re able to better understand. I think when you’re forced to slow down and notice things, you realize that nature is very cyclical like we are, so I thought that would be a really cool and timely thing to focus on,” Hollopeter said.
During the event, Hollopeter performed two poems, “Salt and Peppered Clear Cut” a poem comparing her life experiences with nature after the Columbia River Gorge had burned down, and “Running” a narrative based on the way certain places in nature carry different memories.
(Photo courtesy of the Salmon Creek Journal)
Digital technology and culture major and editor-in-chief of the journal, Mallory Hobson, also presented two poems. Hobson presented “Seasonal,” a poem inspired by the duality of nature versus the unnatural setting of a supermarket, and “Rowan,” based on her mother’s knowledge of folklore and Hobson’s childhood imagination of once seeing a creature under her bed.
After the performances, writers engaged in a discussion about their work and creative processes. When it comes to finding inspiration, both Hollopeter and Hobson said their phone notes app is the first place they turn to when referencing random words, or sentences written down throughout the day. During the open mic event, Hobson explained recording thoughts or memories is a great way to begin writing intriguing poetry or short stories.
“I have so many random notes on my phone that are half a sentence, or a few words. Sometimes I’ll wake up in the middle of the night, I dream a lot vividly, and be like ‘that was such a cool dream, this is gonna be an awesome story, or a great poem.’ So that’s definitely a fun way my subconscious has given me inspiration,” Hobson said.
According to Hobson, the journal has other events planned for the year, including a creative writing workshop for students to gather and discuss their writing project endeavors over Zoom. For more information, Hobson recommended that students keep up with SCJs events page here.
Additionally, student, staff and alumni public submissions are being accepted for the 2021 Salmon Creek Journal, themed “Growth,” which will contain photos, poetry, drawings and other forms of art. To learn about the submission process, refer to SCJ’s submission homepage for a chance to have your work featured in this year’s journal.
Olivia is a senior studying English at WSU Vancouver.