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At Brown University, 14 August 2025
It is a fitting name, at least,
For every building that I see
Is carved from this old color, like
Some wise and sprawling, kindly tree.
It’s island academia,
Amidst a bustling Providence;
I sit upon the quad, in thought
Of hues that sing and words that dance.
The students are yet to arrive,
The Pembroke green is hushed in wait,
And though I have not seen it all,
I did make sure to see the gate.
These ivy bricks and ivy roads
Instill in me a sense of home,
But oh, the places still to see,
And oh, the sights I’ve yet to roam!
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C. Walker is a poet studying English Literature and Creative Writing at Cornell University. He is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Lucky Lizard Journal. His debut chapbook Vale was recently published through Kelsay Books. His poetry is published or forthcoming in various journals and magazines, including Home Planet News, Aphelion, and Rainy Day. His website is www.cwalkerpoetry.com.
Our college and university academic institutions surely are like a timeless island–an oasis amidst bustling surroundings. This detachment from reality can be both a blessing and a curse. As a visitor, it is a pleasant place of sightseeing and contemplation. Your pleasant peaceful portrayal of Brown University brought back fond memories of my own visits to various institutions of higher education. In other words, I like your poem a lot.
Thank you!
Of course you are a student. The unbounded optimism of youth is apparent in your voice. It was wonderful to read and reminisce on days in college. Thank you for that.
Hopeful and idealistic as all young students should be! I wish you well this year and onward.
Caidan, I have my own special memories of the Brown Quad filled with people on my sister’s Commencement Day. And having been born in a more obscure university town, I felt at home in Providence. Thanks for the well-written reminder of academic atmosphere, and for the reflection that it is always a transient residence.