The Words: April 2026
Irish Literature class supports Celtic Junction
This semester, Professor Amy Elkins and students in her English-240: Irish Literature class are reminding us that Irish and Irish-American culture holds a more complex understanding of ‘home’ than what’s on the other side of the rainbow, or the Atlantic, for that matter.
New Books from Professors Daylanne English and Peter Bognanni
On the first day of April, Professors Daylanne English and Peter Bognanni shared with us the upcoming book projects that they’ve been working on for the past couple of years.
11th Annual Apps and Alums: A Recap!
For its 11th year running, Macalester’s chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, the English Honor Society (EHS), hosted Apps and Alums, where students past and present gather in Olin-Rice’s Smail Gallery to chat, swap stories, and dispense advice over delicious appetizers.
A Moment of Silence: Capstone Presentation by Beja Puškášová
A blue hue filled the room while audience members chatted amongst themselves. A pregnant Black trans woman entered, carrying a baby whose distant crying was heard over the speakers. In a recreation of the birth of Jesus, the woman sat, protecting and rocking her baby until darkness. The crowd was silenced, and the show began.
MacSlams preps for Midwest Poetry Mash-Up at Coffee House
For members of Macalester’s competitive slam poetry team, MacSlams, the transition from April to May brings much more than the lead-up to summer break, finals stressors, and last-minute study sessions. From April 30th – May 2nd, the five-poet team will perform the work they’ve been polishing since January at the annual Midwest Poetry Mash-Up, which brings poets from across the globe together in Minneapolis for three days of competition.
Rachel Gold and Student Interns Talk the Newest Issue of Sinister Wisdom in Lit Salon Q&A
In the last Literary Salon of March, Professor Rachel Gold was joined by two of her student interns and co-editors, Ella Stern ’27 and Beja Puškášová ’26 to talk about the newest issue of Sinister Wisdom. The quarterly literary and art journal is the oldest lesbian venue for creative work, founded in 1976 by Harriet Desmoines and Catherine Nicholson. Since its founding, Sinister Wisdom has welcomed a handful of prominent lesbian and feminist writers, such as Adrienne Rich, Michelle Cliff, and Audre Lorde — the former two serving as co-editors.
Paul’s Study Away Experience
As my time studying abroad in Milan draws to a close, there’s an Italian phrase I keep returning to; “ogni momento è unico” which translates to “every moment is unique.” The sentiment actually originates from the Japanese philosophy of ichi-go ichi-e, though I found the quote inscribed in the entrance archway to a garden in the Italian mountain village of Bormio. The international provenance of this phrase mirrors my experience of Milan, a growing city of immigrants of manifold nationalities. The phrase itself reminds me to cherish each moment.
Words in the Wild: The Mac Weekly
The basement laundry room of Bowman Hall may not be the hottest spot to spend your Wednesday nights, but that is exactly what we have done for the better part of the last four years. Each week, The Mac Weekly meets in the depths of Macalester’s dorm buildings. Our staff pitches, writes, edits, and publishes an eight-page issue each week, complete with our own photos, graphics, and crossword puzzles.
Student/Faculty Accolades
Read the monthly roundup of student/faculty accolades here.