The Wake

How large might I say forever is from here?
How starred might the blank night be without us?When I last looked back at the river I felt its weeds at my ankles and knees.
When I took up the dim waters in my hands I feigned that interest;So, with that in mind, I demand to know where the indelible never is now?
Is this all you’ll tell me, from the bottom rung of a very high ladder: How now?How might the air breathe, how might the pine break, or the mud lift?—
The birch marks the cardinal in the …

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From the cleft of my
breast muscles
heart worms squirm
against the cool air—
swimming up like tadpoles bursting
from the hari-kari pores of the
mud toad’s back.
I detest the shocking horror
of a life within my own,
excreted merciless
to die,
a favored death
away, apart, alone,
than one allowed
within.
I run the afternoons through
corn fields,
jogging dirt packed
county roads, the sweat pours freely
from my muscles loose, my beaded
forehead burning
in the sun.
I dodge the
sink-holes, washboard tracks
and road kill, turtles cracking …

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Passed the market today.
Lettuce, milk, tofu
Mid February - it’s raining, filthy snow.
Dabs of drab left over grass
Grey splotched twigs, perfect slush.
Perfect wakes of half-froze
Water nip my pants, threads trailing.
The almost liquid like slush,
wears a cape like the trees and shrouds
its green vibrancy like a boxelder’s insensitive tans.
It is my shoelaces, my mind
that feels only slush
apparitions and capes.There is the couch.
Stale cigarettes and the absence of oranges, the taste
of one too many chocolates.Beneath the snow were scraps of chalk-marred cardboard, ruffled feathers,
bleeding headlines….

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it didn’t feel like home until i began to leave it
time leaves me behind
your answers leave me questioning
leaves were gone at last
no warm was left on gray skies
and when everything went white
it was just the time between
new places i was trying to get to
solitude weighs heavy now
can’t believe this is what i thought i wanted
just waiting for the next day
now it’s too late
only with you i want to stay
somewhere in the world at one …

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Half by accident I hit a rabbit
Deep in the grey flesh of its thigh
With an arrow
It sat there still as if nothing had happened
Breathed a little
Its nose trembled a little too
Quiet as if in thought then it
Disappeared in a rustle of russetbrown brush
Between two oaktrees with flayed black barkMy brother said that it would crawl off to die
And I knew this as he said it
Might be killed by larger animals
Unseen
And might have a family or children to take care of
Because it was a …

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On October 6, 1998, Matthew Shepard was severely beaten by two young men in a hate crime that shook Laramie, Wyoming, and attracted the attention of the nation. By the time Matthew succumbed to his injuries and died on October 12, 1998, news of Matthew’s beating and death made headlines around the world.Since Matthew’s death his mother, Judy Shepard, travels the nation speaking about hate, intolerance, and a vision for a better future.The number instances of hate and intolerance because of sexual orientation on the University of Minnesota campus was 10 times higher from spring 2003 to fall 2004, …

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It all used to seem so simple. We were all taught some of the most valuable life lessons in kindergarten: if you can’t say anything nice don’t say anything at all, play well with others, and treat others as you wish to be treated. But where along the way do people forget these and start hating others?While tolerance may be the word of choice for most people, Dr. Stephen Feinstein, director of the Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies at the “U,” much prefers the term coexistence. ”Tolerance,” says Feinstein “can really mean intolerance at the same time. Coexistence, means …

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The mood fluctuates from comical to contemplative when the Students for Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms meet at Big Ten Restaurant and Bar for drinks and discussion.Students for Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is a group that was formed nearly a year and a half ago by conservative-leaning university students.Group member Orlando Ochoada claims credit for suggesting the name to the group’s founder, Bob Gindorf. “Everybody knows that Bob Gindorf has never in his life came up with a good idea by himself,” jokes Ochoada, who said he recommended the name when Gindorf said he was going to start a student group …

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This column is the first to result from the newly codified relationship between Radio K and The Wake. In this space, expect to see feature stories of all types from the Radio K news department, music reviews and discussion from the Radio K music department, and a university radio perspective on both the university and on radio.In turn, Radio K is pleased to air “The Wake-Up,” which you can hear on Friday mornings at 8:45 each week that The Wake hits news stands. “The Wake-Up” is a five-minute news feature from The Wake.This first column is an introduction to Radio …

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Homeless. What are the first images that spring into mind? Ideas may vary slightly but overall many people hold the same concept of a homeless person. Everyone sees them passing through Dinkytown. They’ll ask for some spare change or if they can bum a cigarette from passers-by. A majority of the responses are a simple “No, sorry,” or completely ignoring them. Such responses are due to the lack of awareness and education in our community. One effort on campus brought together a few small student organizations to present the Washington Avenue Bridge Sleepover. Students were invited to sleep on the …

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University students probably do not think about Guatemalan farmers regularly, especially during the foggy morning walk from dorm room to cafeteria. But have you ever wondered who’s behind your morning caffeine fix? Minnesota Public Interest Research Group, a student advocacy group dedicated to promoting community issues, is on a statewide campaign to educate students and integrate fair trade products into Minnesota colleges and universities. In a recent study titled “Student Knowledge and Support of Fair Trade,” MPIRG found that students were overwhelmingly in support of fair trade.At the University of Minnesota, MPIRG found that 69 percent of students surveyed …

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The Minnesota Vikings 2004 season ended with a defeat at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the NFL playoffs. The defense was the Achilles heel for the 2004 Vikings squad, which put the focus on defensive improvements for next season. The Vikings have had a very active offeseason, in which they have added five defensive starters. The 2005 Vikings squad is in position to win the NFC North Division barring any major setbacks due to injury.4 D’s for 20051) Discipline. The Vikings must have a disciplined team because they have all the pieces of the …

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The University of Minnesota announced a $35 million corporate sponsorship with TCF Financial Corporation in an effort to jump-start a campaign for a campus football stadium. An on-campus stadium? Are you serious? I didn’t think this day would ever come, but now it looks like it finally will … in four years. My parents aren’t going to like my new seven-year graduation plan.This year I had the opportunity to travel the Midwest, watching our beloved Gophers get their asses kicked at various Big Ten venues. And as disappointing as these games were, the trips were always worthwhile because of that …

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As April nears its end and May soon begins, the baseball season is heating up and getting into full swing. Minnesota baseball fans all over campus are excited to see if their hometown team will play well enough to win its fourth consecutive conference championship. You might think I’m writing about the Minnesota Twins … But wait, this time it’s our Golden Gophers. Yup, that’s right, the Minnesota Gophers baseball program is gunning for its fourth-straight Big Ten championship. This remarkable goal seemed impossible to reach after the team struggled to a 7-11 start. However, the Gophers opened conference play …

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Have you ever gotten the feeling that your young American life, with all of your hopeless problems and confusing issues, merits more significance than your international counterpart’s frivolous existence? Maybe it stems from your folk’s overly gratifying parenting style, calling you princess and mistaking mediocrity for excellence. Or perhaps it’s our consumer culture. You have more useless stuff than everyone else, so surely your life must be more important. Whatever the reason for your ethnocentric worldview, you are undoubtedly right. As unworthy as it may be, what our American generation thinks, believes and ultimately does …

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