By Rosanne Pagano Over the course of four drizzly weeks in March 2022, a time when both interviewer and subject were on the road, making it hard for one to catch up with the other, writer and APU faculty member Rosanne Pagano met for a scattering of conversations about the how and why of teaching her craft. Pagano, dressed in a V-neck black sweater, faded wide-legged jeans and damp Blundstones, was prompt and organized; she asked for interview questions in advance (not all were supplied) and arrived with brief, messily handwritten notes entered in pencil in the pocket-sized Rhodia notebook she carries everywhere. We met four-and-a half times at a…
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Not for the Streets
By Samuel Henderson Being human is complex and unique; art, music, religion, technology, morality and self-reflection, set us apart from the rest of the animal kingdom. With so much complexity to our daily lives, it is too easily forgotten that we are animals and belong to nature. We have spent so much time, effort, and money protecting ourselves from the harshness of nature after all. Ironically, human beings belong in nature, we were never meant to thrive in the streets. Overcrowded cities have begun to dominate today’s society, many of which are rampant with crime, pollution, and numerous social issues. We have created a society based around economic success; the…
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“It’s Loud Up Here”
By Jordan Hales How do you know what to write? Where do the ideas come from? From what is your inspiration pulled? Do you stare at the wall until it tells you what to write? Do you ask Pinterest for writing prompts? Do you wait until someone tells you what to write? How do you know what to write? How does an artist decide what to paint? How does a songwriter find her muse? How does an architect know where to start? How does a dancer know which way to move and shape their body? How does a writer know what to write? How do I—as a writer—know what to…
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You Old Dog
By Miles Dennis You were born, one among many, and from the very start You were never alone Your mother and your siblings were all you knew A dune of moving fur to roll on and wrestle with Though you hurt each other On needle-teeth Bites and scratches Your orange coats never showed red Because it was all play, your children’s games And one day they were gone They picked you up and Carried you away and They were frightening and You missed mother and All your brethren and yet The ones who took you Loved you all the same They held you and Sat for hours in that warm…
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The Haircut
By Mario Jose F Vinoya Content Warning: animal abuse It was January 31, 2022, a bright sunny Monday over the city of Anchorage, with cold winds of 10 degrees. I was only supposed to be gone for an hour and a half, only to get a haircut from my friend during the early morning of 11 am. The haircut was supposed to be a new change for me, as I was starting in-person on the school campus the following week. I had excitement in my stomach to meet new people and try a new look. I was done with these thin strands of Asian hair on my head because it…
