Dear Reader,
PLU’s first Saxifrage flowers burst through stone in 1975, when student editor Megan Beckman Benton and her editorial team launched the journal. Since then, Saxifrage has endured as a nourishing space for students to publish original poetry, prose, and art. During Saxifrage’s 50-year lifespan, the journal has published over 2,000 creative works from 902 artists, writers, and composers. On this golden anniversary of creativity and community, we express our sincere gratitude to everyone who has kept the journal alive and made it what Saxifrage is today.
In preparing this edition, we returned to our roots by revisiting the journal’s history, connecting with founders, editors, and contributors, and deepening our appreciation for literary journals. Saxifrage holds a unique place on PLU’s campus; it is run by, and for, students. The pieces that follow represent not only Saxifrage, but the world, at a turning point. Perhaps what follows can be a source of hope, or an indication of what might come next. Whatever happens in the next fifty years, there will be people documenting their lives in their art. So long as that is happening, we will try to capture it.
We thank everyone who has supported Saxifrage over the past half-century. We extend our gratitude to Janelle Brockman (JB) for their support; Lauren Loftis and Rona Kaufman for assisting our research; Megan Beckman Benton, Wendy Call, Kevin McKeon, Julie Carlson, and Solveig Robinson for sharing experiences; Jim Albrecht for guiding our team out of the dark; and to Leila Renee for helping us stay balanced in the light. Lastly, we are thankful for the PLU English Department, the Office of Advancement, and our printer, Girlie Press. Looking ahead, we hope that students will always have a space where artistic excellence can flower and flourish. We are proud to present this 50th edition of our journal. May it stand as a testament to
the enduring commitment of PLU students to art, expression, creativity, community, and originality.
Cheers,
The Saxifrage Editorial Team