Aglow

Rowan Eschen

amid rustling grass and indigo-dark

sky they rise, a comfort of gold

overwhelming the night, embers oscillating above

maybe they mirror us in admiration, igniting

to reflect the heart-pounding clasp of

your hand in mine

.          .    .              .           .       .      .      .     .  .

.    .   sparks  .        .   .          .        .     . .     .     .          .  .

.       .    .       chispas .    .       .       .            .  .       .  .     .   .

.       .    .      .      .     . .          .                .   .       .       .       .   .

we light the trees dark night forgotten

your grin twirling my smile

effervescent as floating fireflies

their glimmer in your eyes, my chest

rekindling drifting ash to blaze

of strength once more beaming

our glow reflects honestly, earnestly

amid the stars who disappeared to grant

us sole luminance of this moment

with evergreen bows briskly rustling

and our sparks spinning above

and within, alive and glittering

as your jacket embraces my shoulders.

Lily Toenjes

Biography: My name is Lily Toenjes, and I’m a third-year student at Oregon State University. I’ve been painting since I was born and it’s turned into one of my biggest passions!

Artist Statement: This is an homage to my childhood home. I received a telescope on my 12th birthday and would spend my nights lying in my backyard, staring at the stars. I’ve been looking at the stars all my life, and they’ve been looking at me.

Rowan Eschen

Biography: Rowan Eschen is an emerging poet from Boise, Idaho, currently studying English Literature at OSU. She loves being outside and is forever a hopeless romantic, both of which are frequently reflected in her poetry. She loves to travel and meet new people, and can often be found curled up with a book or chatting instead of doing her homework.

Artist Statement: In some ways, this piece started for me as a vision of fireflies. I’ve never seen one in reality, but there’s something about the wonder and joy of what I imagine that experience to be like that for me paralleled those trying-not-to-smile-too-big moments at the start of a relationship. The flicker of sparks in your chest that my parents always called chispas. This piece was an ode to the vision of that giddy energy, the sideways glance to see someone already smiling at you, and the surreal joy of something just beginning.