An eclectic mix of Spanish prose, poetry and photography is featured in this year鈥檚
Azahares, the annual literary magazine published by the University of Arkansas 鈥� Fort
Smith that is now available to pick up both on campus and in the community.
Included in this year鈥檚 magazine are works by AV抖阴 students, local high school students, and authors from across the United States. Dr. Mary Sobhani, assistant professor and program coordinator in the World Languages Department, said the photography by AV抖阴 student Jesus Sedeno-Gutierrez was a highlight in this year鈥檚 publication.
鈥淭he deeply saturated colors of 鈥楤alcones de Puebla, M茅xico鈥� makes it almost jump off the page,鈥� Sobhani said. 鈥淲e see a vibrantly scarlet wall with three wrought-iron balconies framed in a deep blue. A blooming pot of red geraniums on the foremost balcony is a delightful touch of home.鈥�
Sobhani also enjoyed Rocio Bravo鈥檚 poem 鈥淭us manos,鈥� an homage to the poet鈥檚 father, who is a Mexican field-worker in California.
鈥淭hrough the metonymic focus on 鈥榯us manos鈥� 鈥� 鈥榶our hands鈥� 鈥� the poem offers an expression of love an gratitude from daughter to father, as well as a promise for better days to come,鈥� Sobhani said.
The literary magazine also featured poems by Muldrow High School Spanish students, 鈥渨hose art contributions also grace the pages of our magazine,鈥� according to Sobhani.
鈥淪ince the magazine strives to be an arena of creative expression for AV抖阴 and beyond, we're pleased that these students contributed to the edition, and we hope that they will become our future AV抖阴 freshmen,鈥� Sobhani said.
Included in this year鈥檚 magazine are works by:
Austin, Texas: Anya Qureshi.
Brooklyn, N.Y.: Rocio Bravo.
DeKalb, Ill.: Emily Stuebing.
Fort Smith: Lydia Bush and Jesus Sedeno-Gutierrez.
Harrison: Elaine Bieber.
Monterrey, Mexico: Edith Gabel.
Muldrow, Okla.: Hannah Blackwood, Molly Cherry and Cassidy Pettigrew.
Pocahontas: Cristiana Nash.
Roanoke, Va.: Kohava Blount.
The 鈥淎zahares鈥� 2017 editorial board consists of Dr. Francesco Tarelli, assistant professor of world languages; Dr. Rosario Nolasco-Schultheiss, assistant professor of world languages; Madeline Martinez, instructor of world languages; Dr. Ana Mar铆a Romo Blas, assistant professor of world languages, Lynda McClellan, adjunct professor of world languages, Gray Langston, adjunct professor of world language, and Dr. Mary Sobhani, assistant professor of world languages. The publication of the magazine is made possible through the support of Dr. Paul B. Beran, AV抖阴 chancellor; Dr. Georgia Hale, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs; Dr. Paul Hankins, dean of the College of Communication, Languages, Arts and Social Sciences, and Dr. Paulette Meikle, associate dean of the College of Communication, Languages, Arts and Social Sciences. Cover art and magazine layout were designed by Danielle Kling of the AV抖阴 Marketing and Communications Office.
Free copies of 鈥淎zahares鈥� are available at the Boreham Library on AV抖阴 campus, as well as at the Fort Smith Public Library main branch. For more information, contact Sobhani at mary.sobhani@uafs.edu or 479-788-7979.
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