Wilson’s own literary magazine, The Bottom Shelf
Review, is teaming up with Wilson’s Chaplain Rosie
Magee in celebration of the labyrinth.
What is a labyrinth, you may ask? The labyrinth is not to be
confused with a maze. While mazes are designed to trick you with dead ends and
false paths, the labyrinth has only one path leading into the center and the
same path leads back out. Rather than a game, labyrinth offers a metaphorical
pilgrimage—a walking meditation. As Helen Curry once noted, “Our quest, I feel,
can be summarized as this single obligation: to switch from life-as-maze to
life-as-labyrinth. The transformation from maze to labyrinth requires us to
dismiss much of our conditioning, to reevaluate our identity, and to apply a new
context to our lives.”
For part of its Spring 2013 Issue, the BSR will have a
section of poems, fiction pieces, and essays entirely devoted to the concept of
the labyrinth. Examine what the idea of “finding one’s self in a labyrinth”
(literal or metaphorical) might mean to you. Write a poem that responds to Mary
Wroth, the great English sonneteer of the labyrinth. Or write a short story
where your main character finds herself dealing with a metaphorical labyrinth.
Or write about your own experiences in labyrinths, whether real or imagined.
Your creativity is your only limitation!
Your creativity is your only limitation!
And to sweeten the pot, the Chaplain’s Office will be
sponsoring a contest. The best pieces written by both students and faculty/staff
(separate categories) will win a fantastic gift card. So send your work in
today!
All undergraduate and graduate students are eligible, as are
all faculty and staff.
To submit, please email your piece to Dr. Michael G.
Cornelius at mcornelius@wilson.edu no later than MONDAY MARCH
25. You may enter up to 3 submissions (but send each as a separate file.) Send
your pieces as .doc or .rtf files only. If you have any questions, please
contact Dr. Cornelius. Please mark the subject line of your email “BSR
Labyrinth.”
The BSR is also soliciting creative works of
all genres and on all themes for its issue. Submit those works using the same
directions as the other. Please mark the subject line of your email “BSR.”
Remember: “A maze is designed for you to lose yourself; a
labyrinth is designed for you to find yourself.”
(Want to learn more about the labyrinth? Need inspiration?
Check out the links below, or talk to Chaplain Rosie.)
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