From Back To Front

A bit of advice when skimming The Archive: start at the back. Jennie Berkesch's full-color photograph, a chain of Chinese firecrackers, is vibrant and explosive. After savoring the screaming lines of color, dig into some words-Duke's sleek and shiny answer to a lit magazine boasts 64 pages of poetry and prose. Most of the stories and photographs revolve around some sort of journey, and many times the authors follow through with their promises to take you somewhere good.

Recommended reading starts on page seven, with Lisa Rying scoring major points for her understated look into the mind of a tourist ("This Rome"). Her poem begins "I do not wish to be translated" and travels from there. Ben Morris uses his "Speed of Dreams" not to travel but to hover, weaving in and out of memories and dreams in enjoyable, floating prose. Perhaps most enjoyable are his vignettes, which toss together nifty-sounding words that make almost no sense.

In "Afterlife," Amy Vyas employs a punctuated rhythm to tell a story of empty mobility. In a rare moment of stasis, Kelly Lynn Mulvey captures a moment at the kitchen counter. Her 13-line poem, "Baking, distracted, while you brood," is startling, simple, and eager to be read more than once. Michael Baumrind turns in the obligatory smirk story with "Gibb Industries," a short piece that starts, "I used to smoke weed." The thing is, what should be obnoxious is actually a compelling read, and almost begs to be made into a film.

Uttama Sharma's family saga, "Ancestry," uses gaps in her poetry to let readers fill in the blanks. And Amy Vyas succeeds again at the end, with another six-incher called "Convertible." It's a one-page summary of a relationship, and while it could be cheesy because its material is familiar, it triumphs because everyone can relate.

Several students submitted photos for this fall's Archive, and most of them contribute to the unstated travel theme. Lily Hayes Kaufman offers readers a visual itinerary of her trips, while Terry Schuster's photos of children are honest and silly, shuttling viewers back in time. Nitin Mofwani needs to get a job at National Geographic; his shots are all prime targets for postcard shoppers. And along with her back cover, Jennie Berkesch leaves her mark on the title page as well.

The Archive is printed on really thick, shiny paper. It has the feel of a magazine, and the look of a slick travel guide. While it's a far cry from a professional anthology, it is a nice way to absorb the work of Duke students. And since it's totally free, taking a ride through the pages of The Archive is highly recommended. Just make sure you start at the back.