A Review of the BYU English Symposium

Brigham Young University students recently gathered for the English Symposium, which highlighted various literary and writing accomplishments found among university students. It was interesting to see students present on meaningful topics and to share their love of the English language. I had the opportunity to attend two of the many sessions which the symposium offered, including the Creative Writing: Undergraduate: Poetry Winners, and Native American Literature.

I greatly enjoyed the listening to the poetry winners. The Hart-Larson Poetry first place winner, Bayley Goldsberry, began with two interesting pieces which discussed the role that Heavenly Mother played in the creation of the world. As she read both "Breath of Life" and "From the Dust", she breathed life into a warm and eternal parent. Goldsberry then went on to share a poem about her father. As the audience listened, the realistic imagery that she used in the poem allowed us to see her father in the same way that she has idolized him in the way only a child can.

Another poet, Rachel Dalrymple, shared a poem of hers as well, although I did not enjoy it quite as well as some of the others. It was obvious that she was a gifted writer, but in my opinion this talent did not translate over to her poetry. Her language was rather technical, invoking a sense of logic rather than emotion. It had very little imagery, and what images she did have (such as describing heels making "a clickety sound") could have been improved upon.

After the poets read their work, they opened up the floor to questions. I enjoyed one particular response where one writer said that poetry is "putting words to something indescribable."

The second session which I attended was interesting, but was in no way as upbeat as the first. All of the authors purpose was clear: that Native American authors are still very relevant. One student, Carly Callister, presented her paper entitled, "Uncovering the Voices that Have Been Silenced: How Cherokee Young Women are Continuing the Traditions of their Ancestors through Literature". In this paper, she outlines how Cherokee women were seen as strong mother figures who raised their voices to be heard. They were an example of leadership among the tribe, even when the Native Americans were forced from their homes and forced to embark on the Trail of Tears. Callister reminded her audience that moral beauty never fades away, and that culture is something that we should be proud of and fight for. Our country still has many people who are bi-racial and bi-cultural, and their words have just as great of a meaning of those without split backgrounds.

Overall, the English Symposium reminded me of why I has decided to become an English major. The love of literature and language is something special and should be revered as such.