1. Sundays too my father got up early

and put his clothes on in the blueblack cold,

then with cracked hands that ached

from labor in the weekday weather made

banked fires blaze. No one ever thanked him.

I’d wake and hear the cold splintering, breaking.

When the rooms were warm, he’d call,

and slowly I would rise and dress,

fearing the chronic angers of that house,

Speaking indifferently to him,

who had driven out the cold

and polished my good shoes as well.

What did I know, what did I know

of love’s austere and lonely offices?

–Those Winter Sundays- Robert Hayden

2. The woods are lovely, dark and deep,   

3. The days are short,

The sun a spark,

Hung thin between

The dark and dark.

4. 

5. The giant trees are bending

At morning in the dark I rise

By: Chalene Riser

A beautiful part about being an English Major  is the chance to experience the classics. I say that with more than just a little sarcasm.

Don’t get me wrong, I have fallen in love with my fair share of classic literature. I understand that these timeless novels, plays and stories are meant to enrich our minds…but I’m usually dozing off before I can trudge through the archaic language and soggy allusions.

That’s were technology comes in. Because the world thinks these ‘classics’ are meant to be ‘enjoyed’ by the masses their audio readings are all online. Here is my little confession—though you may take it as a homework saving tip—when you have to read those coma inducing classics, listen to them instead! But don’t just listen to someone else chug through the reading, go to settings and speed it up. Now I still get through all my readings, but at twice the speed! If you can’t find a audio recording of a play, usually you can find a performance of it on youtube, which can also be sped up. Trust me, it works. I only wish I had discovered this tidbit before my last semester…

That holly jolly time of year is quickly approaching and if you have a literary lover in your life, you may be wondering what exactly is on their Christmas list.  Though we are not mind readers, we have complied a pretty good Christmas gift list to help you. We are sure that you’ll find exactly what you need.

Mugs-

Nothing says “let’s read by the fire” like a steaming mug full of your favorite hot beverage. This Christmas give the gift of cozy hydration with a cute exterior. Find in here.

Library Card-

As everybody’s favorite aardvark Arthur once said, “having fun isn’t hard when you’ve got a library card.” Little did he know that cute decor isn’t hard either when you’ve got a library card. Add a little literary love to any room here.

Candle-

Give the gift of unique smells this holiday season and brighten a loved ones life with this one of a kind candle. You won’t regret it. Find this candle and many others just like this here.

Pun book-

Enable the punner that plagues your life by giving the ultimate gift of selfless love. If your loved one has to be the punniest person in the room,  lend them a hand, buy them this book.

Pillow-

Falling asleep mid-read has never been more convenient or appropriate. Find this fluffy book here and make dreaming a possibility, literally.

Led Zeppelin-

Combining the love of classic rock and literary classics has never been easier. Led Zeppelin albums disguised in book covers gives rock lovers a set of albums that blend in nicely on the bookshelf. Find them here.

Bookmark-

If you have a reader who falls asleep absorbed in words, this is the bookmark that  they need in their life. Save the book from being sleepily dogeared and save the reader from frantic page searches the next morning. This Christmas give a functional gift that is perfect for any reader in your life. Find it here.

Books-

Sometimes the best gifts are the most obvious ones. If your little book worm has a favorite book, think of purchasing a nice copy of that text. This is a beautiful gift that will make any book worm wiggle, which is a good thing. Find this book and other ones like it here.

Vase-

Is there any better use for a book jacket than turning it into a decorative vase? We think not. Give a little extra class to any room in the home with this decorative book vase. It’s a gift that any reader would love to use in the decorating of their own little library. Find it here.

Purse-

The contents of a woman’s purse have long been considered a mystery, that being said, we think this particular book purse is incredibly appropriate. Find this Sherlock Holmes purse here and give that Sherlock lover in your life the chance to add even a little bit more mystery to their handbag.

Jewelry-

You can’t make a literary lovers Christmas list without including book jewelry. We have selected the best of the best with this classic Nancy Drew tribute bracelet, but for those of you whose jewelry taste is a little more subtle, there are products out there for you as well. Find this practically perfect Nancy Drew bracelet here and all sorts of other book jewelry here.

BYU’s English Society presents Epsiode 011 of My Story, featuring host Davis Blount and alumna Katie Robison. 

BYU’s English Society present Episode 11 of Major English News. Hosts Chalene and Davis present the weekly news and celebrate ThanksgEnglish.

The English Society presents another episode of its weekly video news show, featuring Davis and Chalene breaking all things breaking news regarding the English major.

By: Sarah Bonney

For anyone thinking about a career in academics, graduate school is a must, and even if you’re not, an English MA or PhD can be a valuable addition to your English BA and your ability as a reader, writer, and critic. Although graduate school isn’t for everyone and a graduate degree isn’t necessary for every career, deciding if, when, and where to go to graduate school can be an overwhelming decision. If you’re wondering if graduate school just might be for you, here’s a little information to give you a taste of what graduate school means and how to get your application started.

What?

Master’s Degree- An English MA takes 1-2 years depending on the school. You have the chance to hone your analysis and writing skills as you take classes based on a specialty you select early in your program. While an English BA gives you an overview of English literature and the various genres of English literature, an MA allows you to specialize in a subject of your choice; some example of specialities include Medieval Studies, Creative Writing, 20th Century American Literature, and so on.

PhD- An English PhD takes 4-6 years depending on the school. If you aim to teach at the university level, you will need a PhD. Similarly to an MA, you will specialize, but your research and education will be at a deeper level than that of an MA. In the past, prospective PhD students were required to have completed an MA before applying, but in recent years, many schools have begun allowing students without an MA to enroll in PhD programs. This is dependent on university policy.

When?

While many choose graduate school years after they graduate with their BA as a career changer or a promotion catalyst, going to graduate school right after undergraduate is arguably the easiest transition. However, graduate school can be a beneficial choice at any stage in life, and the decision of when is based on personal circumstances.

Where?

After deciding you’d like to attend graduate school, your next big decision is where to apply. There are many factors you’ll want to consider when looking at schools, and it does require some research. Here are some questions to be thinking about when considering a school’s location:

* Geographically, is it somewhere I’d like to live? If you’re considering a PhD, you will be living there for 4-6 years.

* How expensive would it be to live in this area? Living in New York City is a lot more expensive than living in Provo.

* If you’re single and ready to mingle: How big is the YSA ward in the area? You can check this on lds.org.

* Does this school have faculty members I would be interested in working with? On your application, you need to select faculty members you would like to work with. This is also something you’ll want to address in your statement of purpose. (See “How?”)

Visiting schools is highly recommended before applying. A quick day trip to the campus will give you a better feel for the school than hundreds of hours on their university website.

How?

In order to attend any graduate school, you need to apply and be accepted. Application deadlines range from early December through April during the academic year preceding the year you plan to enroll in a graduate program. Most English graduate school programs require:

1. An online application accessible on their university website

2. A writing sample. Requirements can range from 6-20 pages.

3. A GRE test score. You may also need to take the GRE English Literature subject test, although not all graduate school applications require it.

4. Three letters of recommendation.

5. Statement of purpose. This is your application essay.

6. Transcript(s) from all previously attended universities.

7. Curriculum Vitae/Resume.

8. Application fee. This varies depending on the school.

Some Final Words

Deciding if, when, and where to go to graduate school are intimidating decisions, but if you have questions about whether it could be right for you, there are people on campus reading and willing to help. Make an appointment with an advisor or, even better, stop by one of your professor’s office hours. Any one of them will have an MA, a PhD, or both and will most likely be happy to talk to you about their experiences and your concerns.

https://soundcloud.com/byu-english-society/my-story-episode-009-adrian-thayn-and-hadley-griggs

This week’s episode features Adrian Thayn and Hadley Griggs, editor-in-chief and staffer for BYU’s Creative Writing Journal Inscape, discussing their experiences working on the journal and the benefits of being involved with a publication.