Poetry
The poetry displayed on Alkive are pieces I wrote from my creative writing class during my senior year of high school. I tend to not limit myself to rigid poetic structuring; however, I attempt to incorporate a rhyme scheme and consistent syllable count. Additionally, when constructing the subjects of my poetry, I usually take inspiration from posts on my Pinterest feed–much of which are paintings by famous and unsung artists alike. For example, “Ode to June” reimagines the story behind Frederic Leighton’s Flaming June from the perspective of June’s love, quietly contemplating her as she sleeps.
Property of Gerard Laroche
As mentioned in my blog post titled, “Fleeting,” “Property of Gerard Laroche” follows a love story I wrote during my senior year through a compilation of journal entries, letters, and other miscellaneous texts. The plot centers around a writer, Gerard Laroche, falling for a ghost, Elaine Gardiner, who haunts his home in Nottingham from one fateful night. The idea for my story stemmed directly from George Roux’s breathtaking painting titled “Spirit,” created in 1885. When I created the initial project for my creative writing class, I hand-made a composition notebook with the journal entries written inside. Additionally, I included handwritten letters on parchment I aged via coffee grounds and careful wielding of fire to burn the edges and complete the antique look. (Dear younger readers: do not attempt without adult supervision.) Transforming a physical project into a digital project posed multiple challenges, as I intended for the original construction to be a very personal story to unfold. Thus, some of the intimate charm has been lost in my inability to replicate a tactile experience. Nonetheless, I offer an online version of Gerard’s account.
