SUNY ULSTER’S ART & LITERARY MAGAZINE VOLUME 2 SPRING 2025 Bryce Casamento U I Wish I wish I could explain to you all that is me All that the world has made me out to be I wish you knew me before I learned to flinch at every touch I wish you knew me before the internal weight of the world began to be too much Before I became so quiet and reserved Back to when I hadn’t ever purged I wish you knew me when I went up to make new friends in school I wish you knew me before skinny was all that was considered cool Before I woke up early just to do my makeup Back to when I felt okay picking a cookie or even a piece of cake up I wish you knew the me whose eyes twinkled in the light of day As now I tend to simply look away I wish you knew the girl with big dreams The little girl whose smile always beamed I am a mere shadow of her now Gosh I am so different somehow Lillian Carey SPARROW STATEMENT Small but strong, sparrows have a unique voice and thrive in their environment. MISSION STATEMENT Sparrow showcases the best creative efforts our students have to offer, featuring poetry, essays, fiction, fine art, graphic design, photography, sculpture, fashion design, and more. The publication strives to reflect the diversity and talent of the SUNY Ulster student community. 2 1. Grieving remembrance Sometimes all i wish to do is hold you but then I remember all that is left is ashes of what once was and a headstone above with my battered flowers lying beside it all So all I can do is close my eyes and try Try to remember your embrace even if I’m left holding onto fleeting air I will keep trying until my end is timed. 2. The universe must be falling apart having pieces of itself landing on earth because when I look in you, I see the universe 3. Why must you rip me away? as if I was nothing but dust against the shelf am I not enough? but, how can i not be. even though i do not fit inside the tattered box you created as my image does not mean I am meant for some box. many become blind to such expectations but i will not fall under such false pretensions my soul was never meant to fit inside a box with a gaudy bow placed effortlessly on top but to be laid across the stars So do not rip at my own heart, when you realize you were blind for centuries My soul does not deserve such damnation Just because your world is crashing does not mean mine has to. Allea Brim Deli Smith Gabriella Sorbara 3 Calico Withall Resonance, My Dark Beach I am falling deep within. What makes me sad, I cannot live within. This deep blue, I think it makes me feel like you. All the pain I feel builds inside me like rage. Resonance, resonance, Do you hear my plea? Calling out to you in this deep blue sea. Finally, I can hear your call. Knowing you, You wouldn’t make me fall. Resonance, resonance, Do you hear my cry? Crying out to you makes me feel like I could die. Resonance, resonance, Can you hear this cry? Without you I will surely fly. Resonance, I am calling out to you. You don’t hear me and I am feeling blue. Resonance, resonance, I am falling deep within. The blue sea can take me but it will never make me thin. Resonance, resonance, Please God hear my cry. Without you or him, I know it’s my time to die. Resonance, resonance, resonance, Please listen to me. Are you there? No. I guess not because you’re already within the deep blue sea. Resonance, my pure dark beach. Why have you gone? It’s because of me. Shereene Baptiste Haley Sioleski 4 AHO! We dance and give reverence, Aho! Smudge the circle- Sing to the creator- Aho! Aho! Aho! Stolen land, the trail of tears Yet the ancestors persevered. The rhythm of the drums connects heartbeat to feet. As our ancestors’ resilience pulses on. Aho! Aho! Aho! Each dance, prayer, and smudge- A call to the spirts. Keepers of the pass, Lenape spirit. Aho! Aho! Aho! With every drumbeat, we honor thy ancestors’ journey, A sacred song of remembrance. Blood-red handprint adorned to flesh, Reminders of the sisters’ lost, My sister is gone! Her name- Their names- Carried on the wind. Spirits fighting to get home. Dance in red as we scream their names Justice for their silent voice- For they shall be with us again. AHO! AHO! AHO! Vanessa Elliott Tessa Delisio Erica Lunden Lyla Casamento 5 PromiseShe’s bored. She’s not alone but the people she’s with aren’t talking about anything interesting. They’re not playing any interesting games. They’re not working on anything important. They’re just talking about dumb stuff. So she’s bored. She stands thereAnd the time goes by slowly. She goes home. She’s sad the event didn’t work out. She hopes maybe the next one will go better. Maybe it won’t be so boring. Wendy Stewart Gina Garofolo-Goodman Autumn Ease As we leave summer behind, Colorful leaves brighten the sky With the yellow, the red, and the orange too There is nothing in between to block my view With creaky trees and golden bloom Spooky souls enter the room As footsteps creak behind the door It’s up to us to find what’s in store Through the window, as clear as it can be The sun shines through with sudden glee As apples pass by continuously As we are pleased, We welcome autumn’s ease. Chloe Canal Maya Farhat 6 Bryce Casamento Debbie Auer Haley Sioleski Debbie Auer 8 Isabella Moldonado Gabriella Sorbara Isabelle Maldonado To Build a Fire Ashes, no coals from a fire burned too bright. No sticks or stones to reclaim what could still be alive. To build a fire you need real things, not hope, or fear of one’s demise. Even then the cold will take your spark, dampen your ambitions and freeze through your heart. But you can not go quietly into that long dark, Pray for a miracle and you may see, Plumes of smoke that welcome thee. Gil Hartrum 9 Tafari The Artist Alivia Dyke L-o-v-e They say u have to find love why can’t it just find me Through trial and error I’ve found the part of myself I lost by the sea Through heart break I’ve found the person who holds my heart’s key Though pain I’ve found the person who’s like pain relief You said love is weird but how complicated can it truly be If I add you and me and subtracted bs wouldn’t u be happy? I have many reasons why I can love you Let me explain One..... you’re outgoing and with that time wit you should neva be plain Two.... I’ve taken many pictures but the ones wit you and me I envision around a frame Three... around you I lose my mind I’m neva the same around you it’s ok to be insane Four..... you’re not a magical healer but your touch heals me of pain Five.... Between the thoughts of my love and My love for u is immortal like the stars in the sky as long as we’re alive it shall neva die Jeremiah McKinney Gabriella Sorbara 10 Harvest In this beautiful season, leaves fall gracefully to the ground, creating a playful atmosphere for children. As the months change, so do the colors around us. A family sets up the table for Thanksgiving, gathering food to share with loved ones and expressing their gratitude to God for the blessings in their lives. It’s important for everyone to have enough to eat, so that no one goes hungry and all are welcomed into a stranger’s home. We are grateful for the kindness and care shown by others, as we come together to celebrate around the globe. This season, let’s show compassion for those experiencing homelessness by providing a warm gathering place and meals, helping to ease their hunger and struggles. Gabrielle Coghlan Disperse The tighter they held, the further I reached the edge of dispersal. It was then I realized, I was a seed. Blinded by their woes, unwitting of the fruit they’d embellished As ballistic as the environment of the plant itself The nature those before me have developed. It was then I’d come one with dormancy. You mustn’t let your seed remain dormant too long, They’ll transpire disharmony burdening others they’re surrounded by. Condensing the chaos, Once capable of blossoming with such beauty Instead, it wilts Instead, it fends for oneself Instead, it dances with misery Instead, It seeks comfort in capricious environments So, please, don’t be afraid to let nature take its course When your seeds are ready for dispersal, Refrain from salting away such attainment. Let their pappus take them to new heights Let gravity’s trials be grounding Let water’s journies show them the Let them germinate. Let them disperse. Isabelle Maldonado Meghan Stone-Wardynski Deli Smith 11 SUNY ULSTER’S ART & LITERARY MAGAZINE A voice to the talented writers and visual artists of all kinds within our SUNY Ulster student community. STUDENT CONTRIBUTORS Debbie Auer Shereene Baptiste Allea Brim Chloe Canal Lillian Carey Bryce Casamento Lyla Casamento Gabrielle Coghlan Tessa Delisio Alivia Dyke Vanessa Elliott Maya Farhat Avryl Fred Gina Garofolo-Goodman Gil Hartrum Erica Lunden Isabelle Maldonado Jeremiah McKinney Haley Sioleski Deli Smith Gabriella Sorbara Wendy Stewart Meghan Stone-Wardynski Tafari The Artist Calico Withall STAFF Matthew Clegg Samantha Chambers Annie Dwyer Rebecca Mercado Rachael Pompeii Penny Rifenburgh Christopher Seubert THANK YOU Deb Kaufman Stacy Dziomba Arianna Moore Dina Pearlman-Ifil Kerri Vitek B. Robert Johnson, Director of Printing & Graphics, for Art Direction & Production PO BOX 557 STONE RIDGE, NEW YORK © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 500.4.25 VOLUME 2 SPRING 2025 STUDENTLIFE@SUNYULSTER.EDU FRONT COVER IMAGE: Avryl Fred