Verse Magazine Edition 47 by Verse Magazine

VERSE

Edition 47 Free

We’re not really Strangers Me & My Mind

Caring

Pumpkin Boy

Being Human in the world today

Contents cover photography Matisse Chambers

Interview with Madison Antony

Team’s Letter

Verse Spotify Skipping A Beat

Caring

The Hat Man

Weekend

She

Being Human in the world today

Photography by Matisse Chambers

Artworks by Angel Marie Baguinat

Awareness

Diamonds in the rough

Little Red Hood

Pumpkin Boy

Witch Trails

We’re not really strangers

Shower Thoughts

Ocean Diamonds

Me & My Mind

Mechanical Fragility

Remember

Interview with batyr Dear Father Pride Month Interview with Elijah Hartshorne, Rainbow Club + Access Guild President’s Letter Your Sign as: Music Genre’s

IT WAS AND ALWAYS WILL BE ABORIGINAL LAND. Verse Magazine acknowledges the Kaurna, Boandik and Barngarla First Nations People as the traditional custodians of the unceded lands that are now home to the Univeristy of South Australia’s campuses in Adelaide, Mount Gambier and Whyalla. Verse Magazine respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past, present and emerging. Verse Magazine also acknowledge the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia.

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Team’s Letters

The end of July always brings blues, what feels like the slow burn of a winter that will never end. Yet, at the same time, I look back and think about how the second semester has arrived. Not only do I get flashbacks of the past six months, but the last four years. Questioning have I done enough? What could I of done better? It’s a bittersweet feeling entering your last semester. What felt like a build-up of so long only has a certain amount of months and weeks left. Wherever you are in your university journey, I encourage you to reflect upon it by delving into this edition and asking yourself the hard questions — opening your heart and ears to what the stories, photographs and words have to say. Thank you to all who contributed to this edition; it would always be nothing without you!

head editor Verse Team comms & digital editor Matisse Chambers graphic designers Isabelle Raven & Kyle Feirclough design & production consultant Jackson Polley design & production consultant Rachael Sharman printer Newstyle Print

Verse magazine has come a long way in the many years that I have been a student at UniSA, and I am proud of that. I am really excited to see all of the amazing versions that will be produced in the future.

Time is moving far too fast; here we are, about three quarters into the year. This may be daunting for some, especially as they enter the final stretch of their degree, or it’s exciting to be realising the opportunities the next chapter possesses.

Verse magazine is the ideal publication for all UniSA students to share their creativity. People can exchange knowledge and innovations, which is fantastic and a terrific platform for students to demonstrate what they want to contribute to society.

Maybe it’s just another semester to you? Either way, we encourage you to vulnerably check in with yourself and take a minute to slow down. How are you? What’s on your mind? What do you need right now?

It can be difficult to put yourself out there and express your ideas, but it is amazing when you do. The people you interact with and work with, the new skills you learn, and the knowledge you acquire are all ultimately worthwhile.

I propose making a warm meal, chucking on ‘A Dedication to Skipping a Beat’ (via our Spotify), nestling yourself into a comfy spot and enjoying all that Edition 47 has to offer. We hope you’re just as amazed as us at the raw talent that has emerged from students to fill these pages.

Express your creativity and have your artwork exhibited as a year-long outdoor mural on City West Campus.

Open to all UniSA Students.

Submit your artwork by Monday 15 August for your chance to

win one of two $500 Gift Pay vouchers.

USASA. sa.edu.au/ ArtOnCampus

playlist You photography Isabelle Raven

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Edition 47 | 2022

The Hat Man

words Michael Bell illustration Kyle Feirclough

Cory stopped breathing for a second. His eyes remained trained on the wardrobe.

The man shaped thing stood in the corner. Cory tried not to see it, but it was persistent. Twitching and flickering as he tried to ignore it.

Up the figure went, long limbs remaining limp as first the head rose, a shape on the head like a top hat appeared, under which the head turned to watch him.

He had gone to bed, eyes sore from playing video games so late. This was the seventh time in seven days. He longed for sleep, but it constantly evaded him. Not one light was left on in the house. He stared through the dark in the direction of the ceiling.

The torso rose, arms hanging by its sides as it now stood to its full height. It towered over his prone form. Cory lay, hoping that it was still his imagination.

There was constant noise. Traffic, the hum of electricity, odd barks of neighbourhood dogs. Quiet ticking of his clock. He rolled over, looked through the window. The soft blue glow of the moonlight barely penetrated his curtains. It blurred edges and stretched shadows.

The man shaped thing stood in the corner. Cory tried not to see it, but it was persistent. Twitching and flickering as he tried to ignore it. The head tilted and slumped, the action moving the head to look at him.

The thoughts rolled through his head on a windmill of misery. Every little thing he had done of said wrong, replayed in his mind over and over like a cd stuck.

The top hat man flickered again as it reached a long arm out towards him. And then it was gone. Cory sat up, panting as his heart tried to settle. It was all in his head. For sure.

Every night it was like this. Eyes stuck open, sleep a breath away and yet tantalisingly out of reach. The clothes on the chair in the corner look like a figure slumped over, arms hanging down and head limp. Cory’s brain filled in gaps with imagined details. Then it moved. He looked away quickly, heart beating in his ears. It was in his head. For sure. He stared back at the ceiling. The pile twitched, and slowly started to rise from the slump. The clock ticked.

artwork Natasha Teoh

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artwork Alexandrina Seager

words & artwork Georgia Thomson

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Being Human in the world today words Michael Bell

The call to come home had reached you too late. The mission had been long. You found yourself fumbling with preparations, hoping to finish the last experiments before you left. The solar panels had gotten stuck on the haulage ropes.

collected at a satellite orbiting Osteros. Each one was conflicting. Politicians shown downplaying the possible effects, funding going towards possible conflict with the Europa colonists. They argued with each other. Reports that there was nothing to be afraid of clashing with scientists warning that a series of arks should be made, just in case the worst came.

The trip was quiet as usual. Space and time were abundant resources and the company disliked unnecessary fuel expenditures.

Some people said it was the end, calling for Gods and angels. Some said that the earth deserved it.

The files that had been drifting to you slowly met you on your path back through the sky. The first reported an asteroid headed for the moon. They predicted that it probably wouldn’t be dangerous, and that the earth might not be affected. News reporters shown arguing with scientists about the accuracy of their predictions.

You tried to hurry, using the fuel injectors to move the ship along, before an automated system kicked in, shutting the emergency fuel down as the computer sensed no problems in the storage tanks. A recorded voice from the corporation floated down from the intercom. A polite warning that marauders and those that ignored company policy would be expelled from the craft.

You roll your eyes at the shows, confident in the science that had propelled you out into space. Then they increased. The first report was 2 months late, all held back and

Verse Magazine

It took energy to fuel these ships. And energy cost. You gave up, sitting with the plants as the reports came in.

procedures, the ship would not have a guiding system to land. ‘Emergency Status has not been established’ called out the automated message.

The scientist thought they could move the asteroid out of the way before it hit, but it would require working with the Mars Resort, who thought ‘earth should solve their own problems’.

If not you, then who? You tried to bypass the system, but it was full of security programs designed to stop you. You ripped out a panel of the ship’s hallway. The red lever should have been there. It was not.

The last report came through. The asteroid had hit. The moon had exploded with the impact. Slow moving asteroids had hit earth, devastating whole towns. The presidents made a speech from their ship as it evacuated.

“The corporation thanks you for your service and warns that unauthorised triggering of emergency systems may result in termination.”

The earth had been knocked out of orbit.

You dropped the metal. No one else came. You are stuck in orbit as the planet of your birth is set adrift.

The earthquakes had started by the time you got there. You heard the sudden influx of voices crying out on the comms as you came within range. Then silence as the station was rocked and swallowed.

But the system is stopping You. You jump up, removing the panel under the control console, pulling out the computers main drive.

You called out back to them, using the ships weak sensors to scan what earth you could. To get down and back up again would take about 7 hours with the emergency protocols. You started pulling the emergency packs off the shelves. Each was a med pack, parachute, rations and small canisters of oxygen, stale from the long-term storage onboard. Without the station on the planet triggering landing

“Tampering with Corporate property may resul-“ It cuts off. You have not flown without the automated system before. You will have to do it manually. But someone, anyone. Just save someone.

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Diamonds in the Rough words Sarah Herrmann

Wednesday begins on the platform. The early-morning wind stings her tired eyes. Fresh air fills her empty lungs – slow, deep breaths. The yellow-gold coat flies…

The murky, muddy windows reflect these souls and stories – those unknown to their fellow passengers. Because it’s only a train, isn’t it? …

The doors glide to a close and opportunity is dashed. The roar subsides to a gentle mumble as she walks across the aging floor – scarred and speckled with the rush and race of humanity.

A babbling baby bounces on a parental knee: grinning toothily, knowing nothing at all. Schoolgirls whisper about homework and cruel boys.

The announcements reverberate, whirling across the carriage, revealing an ocean of colour and shape. The embodiment of a cultural mingling pot so unlike the usual trickle of familiar faces.

The stark innocence produces eye-rolls and smirks. Two strangers beam over that lust for life that they had since forgotten.

It’s foreign to a simple rural girl. But new eyes see differently – and it’s beautiful. Diverse, bold, and rich.

The train is magical, alive just for a moment. The beams that radiate from their rosy cheeks dim as a scowler silences them.

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Her heart drops. The stab of pain stings. Like when you recall a song, or detect a scent from a past time, from a past life.

Magenta-eyed sisters clad in graphic tees and jeans, reek of cigarette smoke and oily French fries. They smile. A bearded man scrawls with pen on paper. Wearing heavy headphones and a wedding band, he smiles.

Children still filled with promise. Hopeful and innocent. Unaware of how soon those feelings will pass.

A glowing young couple with bounds of bouncing hair have bright and curious eyes only for each other. They smile.

Adults may stare – blankly into the void. Interaction: a rarity. Black mirrors controlling. Loneliness is so clear, here.

…

She yearns for the comfort of childhood remembered in that carriage that morning. But the train travels forward in a new direction. Hope still exists.

Perhaps it’s not only a train. But a place that before release into the unwelcoming world – whoever you are, however flawed you may be – you belong.

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THE HEART OF EACH EDITION HOLDS PLACE FOR DEDICATED CONTENT SURROUNDING MENTAL HEALTH, STYLE, TABOO AND THE ENVIRONMENT. TRIGGER WARNING

The following section contains content some may find disturbing or upsetting.

Mental Health

PUMPKIN BOY words Leon Taylor

I’m so sorry pumpkin boy, maybe I’m the one that’s rotting after all.

I stand in my own bathroom but I am lost. Not only have I lost myself, but I have lost you.

I look in the mirror and hollow eyes stare back at me. Worms replace tears, crawling out of the newly empty sockets; whispering secrets in foreign tongue. I reach up and place a tender hand onto my skin. Flesh tears as contact is made, but there is no blood. Only rot.

I am powerless yet I am my own destruction. Deep down I know it is too late for me, for I will never truly be able to change. I could paint my face back orange, use pretty perfumes to hide the sour odour. But you would know. I have always been rotting to you.

Have I turned into those I hated? I wanted to be better. To be clean. A tender touch turns into agony, pumpkin pulp under my nails. Chunks of flesh fall to the flood, exposing the mould and bruises that lay beneath. It is ugly. I am ugly.

The emptiness mixes with doubt, questions blooming like flowers in the garden bed of my mind. Have you been feeding me a beautiful lie? Had you known from the start that I was this way? I warned you, but you decided to stay.

I have seen this rot before. We are not unacquainted. The sour smell of rotting vegetables assaults my nostrils but I welcome it with open arms. Slowly, I lean forward as the vomit in my stomach begins to surface simultaneously with the memories I had long forgotten.

Staying is easy but loving is difficult. I will never know if you did love me, or if it was a façade of compost to make the rot come quicker. My legs grow weak for I am sick. I want to scream, to ask you for forgiveness, for help, to explain, anything. But as my mouth opens, I am met only with silence before more flies escape the prison that was once my mind.

But only flies escape my mouth, their buzz a familiar hum I am all but too used to. Their wings flap back and forward, a rhythm only insects could follow. They are hungry and wish to feast on me. My hand extends neatly decorated by the pulp which was once my cheeks. As I watch the fly approach my hand as if it were a dog gifted with a new bone, the empty feeling in my stomach grows larger, consuming me at a minute’s notice. My mind races with thoughts, yet it is still empty.

I am a child, yet I am a monster. I yearn for the familiarity that plagued my past. Passion that is nothing but toxicity with a bow wrapped around it. The truth is pumpkin boy, I don’t know how to be healthy. I don’t know how to stop the rot.

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I wish I could tell you I’m sorry, but I know it is too late. Your rot is so little, untouched and unspread, who am I to nourish it?

There are many of us, but I am one of few. Millions of us have pumpkins for heads, a lot have started to decay. But my decay is powerful, a burden grown over years. It has grown like a disease, fed by others rotting vegetables I had gotten too close to. You see, the rot does not start on its own. It spreads like a parasite, fed by those too reckless to care. I have tried for so long not to fester yet here I stand, soft orange tones overwhelmed by brown and black ooze. As you lay in your slumber, I stand awake and alone, knowing my words have lost all of their meaning. I stand in fear, for I am not brave enough to compromise your rest. Is it that, or am I scared that you will see the disfigurement that has now consumed me?

My heart thumps tormented by powerlessness. Its shackles grow tighter as I gaze upon you. Could I be so stupid to take your arm and place it upon myself? We could play house, pretending everything is okay. I could sleep, not consumed by the guilt of the words I did not have the courage to say.

How many spare parts will I have to find before you will believe that it has gone away? I could get a new nose or eyes. Flashy and bold, uncontaminated by the rot eating at my brain. But it is pointless, I have tried so hard to hide it already, a battle inevitably lost. If only surgeries and transplants could give me my dignity back.

If I was to lay next to you in silence, pretending there is a brand-new pumpkin upon my face, would the worms crawl out and eat you too? It appears so, for I have hurt you more than they ever will.

With unwashed hands and a mutilated face, I exit the bathroom. The worms and flies find a way back into my brain, digging their way through the hardened outer skin. As I walk between rooms they dig further, desperation in their movements as my skin begins to give way. These insects hide from what I must face.

artwork Isabella Wood

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Inspired by @werenotreallystrangers, we posed a few questions on our Instagram Story in early July. We received some vulnerable, anonymous answers and would like to share some of them with you. It’s always good to check in with not only yourself, but also your mates.

“I feel kinda out of it but I’m also happy.” “It’s weird. I think I’m doing okay and then I spend all of Friday having a breakdown and feeling inadequate.” “Fine... I guess.” “Actually doing really well.” “Sometimes sad and sometimes happy but always a little lost and untethered.” “Doing pretty well, been practicing ‘Top 3 things I’m grateful for’ everyday.”

“What I can actually achieve.” “My friend has mental health issues and I’m not sure if I’m of much help by just listening.” “That now is the time to try new things, heal from the past and stop looking back.” “Do I truly want to follow through with my lifeplan, or has my ideal life changed?” “Feeling good doesn’t have to be everyday.”

“My partner for always being there for me.” “My boyfriend who has supported and loved me unconditionally through all.” “My girlfriend - she takes good care of me.” “My friends.” “My best friend for her support.” “Myself, for sticking with it after all the times I didn’t believe I could.”

Mental Health

“Living Life Queen Size.” “The Recovery.” “Making Rhythm With No Tune.” “Chapter 21: The One Where The Shit Hits The Fan.” “Turmoil.” “Winning & Losing.” “Growing.” “Slowly But Surely.” “Scattered Showers.” “Wondering.” “Metamorphosis.”

“Team/community building. I have the confidence to set boundaries and be politely upfront and honest. I don’t play games. I’m also good at validating fellow team mates. I encourage them to have a voice. There’s something about being neurodivergent and having mental illness that has shaped me into a person I like. Even though it’s really hard sometimes.” “Ideation.” “My resilience.” (x3) “Determination.” “Empathy.” “Having a laugh.” “My perseverance.”

“My grandma.” “My family.” “My boyfriends mum.” “My oldest brother.” “My ex.” “Past friends who couldn’t understand my or my struggles.” “The person I used to be. Before I got sick. Before I had to grow up. Before all the break ups.”

“Be compassionate and nurture your soul.” “It’s better to burn than to fade away.” “Do your best and you’ll have no regret.” “Be you. Never let anybody tell you otherwise.” “Take your time, you have so much time.” “Things always work out.” “Slow down and let go.”

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artwork Callum Muzyka

Environment

photography Justin Leung

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Shower Thoughts She stared at the rain She watched the droplets bounce off her arms She loved the warm rain She didn’t mind the cold tiles She closed her eyes She imagined the next time it rained She would welcome her damp clothes She would let out a ridiculous laugh She would dance, like one of those movies But this wasn’t a movie, and this isn’t rain She turned off the shower She was ready to face her problems again

words Anonymous artwork Isabelle Raven

Environment

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Ocean Diamonds words Emilia Bovingdon

Silence. Stillness. Secrets

The tide of the ocean is out a little window in time where an entire hidden ecosystem is exposed to those who stroll past to view it. The ocean slowly recedes, she’s inviting people in as prey, a wise tactic to ambush those who pry into her secrets for too long. The sound of crashing waves fills the air, the rumble of noise telling passers-by that she is awake and waiting. Her waves like a siren song call to people, drawing them closer into her arms. She lies in wait, watching as humans’ trespass carelessly into her boundaries. Perhaps she wonders why people could be so obnoxious and careless with the fragile world that lives beneath their feet. Perhaps she wonders how she can stop people from meddling in things they don’t understand. The crashing of waves is louder when humans steal from the rockpools, as they take what ’t theirs.

Children play in the distance on the other end of the beach where the sand is smooth and no rockpools reside. Their faint laughter is carried down the beach on the crisp, icy breeze. Children splash in the water and play cricket with their families. Each time cricket balls are hit the ocean reaches her hands out in hopes to steal them and add them to her mysterious collection. Other children hide from her hands on towels as they wait for their parents to finish cooking on their portable BBQ’s. Cars are rowed up against the sand dunes with unintentional groups of colours and brands. They seem to go for miles and miles. Some families sit in tents that they spent the morning building in hopes to shield themselves from the sun and the siren songs. Some lay on towels willingly soaking up the sun and listening to her voice. Others are drawn into her as they dare to walk deeper into the ocean, floating and diving beneath her surface. Sandcastles are spread across the sand where their proud kings and queens look out at the ocean below. After they leave in the late afternoon the tide will strike the walls of their kingdoms, tearing them down and returning them to grains of sand.

Rockpools span for miles, full of life. Full of mysteries. Beams of sunlight hit the water, causing the small ripples to glisten and shine like rare ocean diamonds. Darkness fills the pools where light does not dare to touch. Wind hits the water encouraging the surface to become rough and sharp. The life inside while small, is lively. Crabs scowl the floor of the pools to steal their newest home and shrimp float around in groups searching for a feast. Round domes of shell suction to the sides of the rocky formations and house seasnails. Their shells textured and swirling with patterns and colours, each one different and unique to the next. Puffer fish wash up onto the beach from the arms of the ocean and fall into the rockpools, forced to wait there till the tide comes in and releases them from their entrapment.

The tide makes her way back in, slowly covering the little world between the rocks. Those walking along the sand are pushed closer and closer to the enormous rock faces that have been meticulously sculpted by the wind itself. Another attempt to keep the humans are far from her secrets as possible. The world that was once visible has been hidden once again, its secrets returned to the sea.

Environment

photography Justin Leung

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artworks Isabella Wood

Environment

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Me & My Mind words Mitchell Darcy

My name is Mitchell Darcy. And this is my story. Now, I know what you are thinking. ‘Ugh! This is just going to be another one of those boring, old stories with some narrator doing one of those voiceovers.’ Well, guess what? You’re right but trust me. You might enjoy this one. First, let me tell you about myself. I am in the young adult age range (21 years old), I enjoy playing video games and writing stories, I live with my mother, father and my cat (most annoying cat in my life, to be more specific) and I have autism spectrum disorder. The neurological learning disorder that completely rewires your brain and makes you struggle to know or do something without further understanding. You know the one. I am writing this story to tell you about the things that go through my mind, including what my life would be like as if it was a video game, what my job is like, what my future as a writer could be like and if there are other universes out there, with a different version of me in each of them. For those that watch superhero movies, you guessed it. This is my origin story. However, there will not be an ‘after-credits scene’ at the end. Sucks, huh? Well, don’t panic. Because you just might enjoy this one.

Born with autism, I always struggled to understand everything without having specific instruction and details on what I had to do and always performed in a systematic order that I felt comfortable with, whether it is in a chronological order or in an order of easiest to hardest, like following a timetable or schedule of lesson and activities. In school, I was never able to complete certain lessons and make friends really well because my autism stressed me out in situations like exams and assemblies. And it made me unable to speak up and develop social anxiety. I spent time with different tutors and homework clubs to allow me to finish my homework and practice being better at social interactions and class participation. As I studied through primary school, my autism became easier to control and my anxiety levels calmed down, allowing me to do better in my lessons. In high school, I pushed through my autism obstacles by understanding more about what autism is and I studied as hard as I could to get to where I am now. I grew outside of my comfort zone by trying new lessons, attempting new challenges and skills and by asking my teachers and peers for help

Taboo

Today, I am proud of my autism and I use it to push through many challenges and obstacles to continue doing good things. or how their days have been. And this allowed me to push my fears aside to be more socially communicative and became more comfortable asking for support when I needed it. After graduating high school, I am now in control of my autism and I am becoming better at my studies and time management, which has become really handy for my university studies now. Today, I am proud of my autism and I use it to push through many challenges and obstacles to continue doing good things.

me is a video game and that with the world changing, so too will my skills and experiences. For my job, I am working as a casual retail worker at Woolworths. My hours are random, depending on how busy I am and how I am feeling, whether I have studies to complete or if I feel sick or in pain. Apart from that though, I am proud of my job. Sometimes, I work as the trolley collector, where I go into the car park and collect the trolleys that people leave everywhere. Seriously, what is wrong with people? Once I collect the trolleys, I return them to the collection bay inside the store so that the customers can use them. I also work on the front end registers, helping customers pay for their shopping and packing their bags for them. I also work out how much change I give to the customers when they pay or ask for money out, which means that I have to rely on math and deductions to make sure it is correct. It is difficult during the COVID pandemic and with my studies becoming more important but apart from all that, I enjoy this job because it allows me to get good money to help pay for the bills and give myself some spending money for another video game or new clothes for work or everyday life. I am respectful towards my fellow team members and the customers that I serve and I am doing good work, helping the store when I can.

As a massive video gamer, I have always wondered what it is like when I see everyone around do almost the same, exact tasks on different days. This makes me wonder if I am the main character in my own video game while everyone else around me, including my family and friends, are non-player characters (NPC’s) doing a repeated set of activities each day, like going to work, watching television or playing on their phones. And then there’s me. I am the main character in a game where I am playing in first-person mode, where I cannot see my body, unless I am standing in a mirror. But I can instead see my hands, feet and what objects I am using and hold. Every day, I perform a different set of tasks, as if I am given a list of missions to complete. These missions include ‘complete university studies’, ‘go to work’ and ‘wash dishes’. And as I do these things, my experience changes and I become better at these tasks, as if my character was levelling up after gaining experience points for completing a mission. During this, I believe that the world around

In the future, I hope to become a successful author and publish my own stories. Right now, I am writing short stories for fun, in the superhero and crime

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genres. For my inspirations, I research, watch, read and play lots of video games, movies, TV shows and books to help me create my own characters and franchises. Sometimes, I write fanfiction stories based on my favourite franchises, including Marvel, Star Wars and video games like Assassin’s Creed. I do not publish these stories because of copyright laws but they are still fun to write about regardless. For my writing career, I am studying creative writing at university to help improve my writing techniques, word choice and sentence structure. I have learned how to write flash fiction stories, different forms of poetry, paraphrasing and paragraph breaks. With these techniques, I have improved my writing for my assignments and my stories. After my studies, I will have gotten my degree and I will become a better writer, utilising the techniques that I have learned from my courses. Once I become a published writer,

I am enjoying writing because it allows me to get away from the stress of work and studying while also turning my creative ideas into stories. I have always been a big believer that our universe is bigger than we think and that there may be other universes out there, with other versions of us in each of them. So I believe that there could other versions of Mitchell Darcy in a different universe, each with a different behaviour, profession and lifestyle. For example, in one universe, I could be a police officer, solving crimes, analysing evidence and putting criminals in prison. And in another, I would an evil dictator ruling a dystopian society, driving people into homelessness and slavery while I stay protected with riches and a powerful army of robot soldiers. I believe that in the future once scientist develop technology to travel to other universes, I would visit some of these dimensions and learn about what kind of life they are living and who they are. Maybe they are good people with good families and lives. Maybe their worlds do not have a COVID pandemic. And maybe they could encourage me to continue to do good things in my current life and never give up. It is a mystery that has been on my mind for a long time. Today, I still wonder if there are other worlds beyond our universe and if they are worth visiting.

I hope to create novels and stories that will interest readers and fans of specific genres, including crime and dystopian novels.

In the event of an apocalypse, whether it is a zombie apocalypse or a nuclear wasteland, I could be one of the last survivors on the planet. I would avoid all

Me & My Mind

of the hoarders and raiders by hiding in an abandoned station or supermarket and have enough supplies to lower my hunger and thirst and weapons to keep me safe. It would be difficult to trust anyone because of how everyone is trying to survive in an apocalyptic world, killing each for more supplies and better weapons. Before the apocalypse begins, I would need to put my body through dangerous survival and weapons training. I have learned about surviving the apocalypse in movies and video games but once it does happen, you are going to need more skill and survival than you realise. And sometimes, you have to make tough choices to keep surviving because like I said, nobody can be trusted. There will be survivors that will be greedy or pretending to be desperate and steal everything from you, mostly your weapons and supplies, leaving you for dead with nothing to defend yourself. The apocalypse is a dangerous world, regardless of what kind it is so my advice? Do not trust anyone. And don’t go outside either.

to always encourage yourself to keep going and never give up, regardless of what it is you are doing.

In the end, I am proud of the person that I have become today, with my studies, my job and my lifestyle taking good turns. Despite everything that is happening, including COVID, more study assignments and more work shifts, I am working and studying harder than ever and never giving up, even at the most challenging times. Everyone that has supported me on my journey, my family and friends, I thank them for supporting me. I am writing this to tell not only myself, but to anyone that reads this story,

I believe that if you do this, you can do good things in your future. I know mine is just beginning. I am ready for what comes next in my life and I will always tell myself to look out for bigger opportunities and new experiences. My name is Mitchell Darcy. And this is my story. Thank you and goodbye.

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Mechanical Fragility

words & artwork Isabelle Raven

We are sexualised for where the fat falls on our bodies and quite frankly, I’ve had enough. By embracing the curvy nature of the female form, Mechanical Fragility highlights that the female body is natural and is to be understood as such. The ebbs and flows of negative ruminations cause serious effect to not only the body, but also mental health, which in turn has a decaying effect on the quality of life. Establishing a positive relationship with the body by disregarding societal expectations and understanding the innately gorgeous, sculptural state of ourselves will guide the system to change and improve the value we place on ourselves. It’s quite unfortunate we have to consider how to create this change in first place. For me, body image and insecurities are congruent. I’ve lived most of my life double checking myself in the mirror and constantly thinking about the way I’m being visually perceived. It is the broken capitalist system we are under which has instilled these insecurities. The beauty industry plays a huge role in this, viewing profit as a positive outcome; never addressing the negative side effects of their industry model. By living in this female body, we are subject to the calls from across the street, the expectation to fit in to a tiny frame set by society and to loathe ourselves for the curves that protect our organs. We are situated in a vicious cycle that reinforces the negative ruminations we have become so dismissive of through the system we live under.

Taboo

photography Alena Sopotsko

Edition 47 | 2022

REMEMBER words Michael Bell

The girl marched through the dead city ruins, the wind whispering through the broken glass to create a haunting echo. She was small, missed by the dark shapes that now prowled the streets. Brother told her to hide when they came. He taught her how to choose the cloth that matched the walls. To blend. No more brother. No more mother. The sickness got them. It tried to get her first, but mother said she was too strong, so it went into mother and brother. She did not remember being sick. The body forgets, brother said. “To survive. Pain to strong, overwhelms.” He had stopped, coughing. A shape suddenly appeared to her left. She spun, holding a small knife. Protection. Always protect. Brother had rules. He helped mother first, before he had the sickness. Taught her things. Useful things. How to hide, when to run. What was good eating. Where to bury mother. The dusty shape was her, reflected in glass. The knife disappeared again. Her face was as sharp as the knife in the glass. Not much food survived. Not much grew anymore. She had forgotten mother’s face. Maybe the head forgets too. She remembered the dress, covered in dirt. Mother had been lighter than brother. She wished she forgot that. The girl stopped suddenly and looked down. Creeping up through the crack in the concrete was a dandelion. Its little yellow flowers waved at the disbelieving girl. Everything was dead here. Everything. She felt something rising in her chest. She pulled one of her collecting jars out of her bag. The knife appeared, stabbing the edge of the plant to pull it from the crack. She placed it carefully into the jar. Not everything was dead. Not her.

Taboo

artwork Kali Ivancevic

Edition 47 | 2022

Interview with

Madison Antony We interviewed Madison Antony, Edible Blooms’ Marketing Coordinator and 2021 Uni SA graduate about her transition from uni to career, her university experience and advice to those studying and soon to be working in the same field! interviewer Matisse Chambers interviewee Madison Antony

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A brief introduction of yourself !

I’m Madison, I am 22 and the Edible Blooms Marketing Coordinator located here in Adelaide Head Office!

What degree did you study at UniSA and why did you choose it?

I studied a Bachelor of Marketing & Communications, as I had a huge love for business and design whilst at school. I felt as though this course had the perfect combination of that and various pathways I could choose to go down.

What are some valuable lesson/s you learnt through university that you still refer to now? Time management and hitting deadlines! If a task comes up, don’t put it off, get started on it earlier rather than later – it’s usually easier than expected if you start earlier!

How did you find the transition from university to the workforce?

Very easy for me! I was lucky enough to be offered a full time role a few months prior to graduating.

Tell us about how the opportunity came about to work for Edible Blooms while studying?

I completed an Internship with Edible Blooms, in replacement of two electives. I just heard of the opportunity through word of mouth and the UniSA business school helped me set up my placement.

How helpful was studying and working in your field at the same time?

Having real world experience whilst studying made a lot of the course content easier to understand and applicable in real world environments.

What kind of responsibilities does your position entail and what’s the most rewarding part?

I have a wide role; containing social media marketing, EDM & flow creation, website maintenance, blog & seo writing, produce development, product uploads & collaborations.

What advice would you give current students studying the same degree as you? I will always encourage doing an internship, it is your best way to get your foot in the door to gain some real workplace experience! Do you have any career aspirations or dreams you’d love to accomplish? I am currently really happy of where I am right now in my career. Working within a supportive, bubbly & driven environment, as I complete my study for a certificate in Leadership & Management. One day I would like to have my own Marketing Team!

Edition 47 | 2022

photos Matisse Chambers

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Edition 47 | 2022

photo Matisse Chambers

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Caring the boy that cries out and screams so loud wants to be heard coddled and cared for

but caring is exhausting and so are you just forget it all and go back to your bleakness eventually you’ll get stronger and blame me for weakness words Eliza Dunn

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Comic Yen Nguyen 43

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Elysium

words & artwork Angel Marie Baguinat

“Elysium” was inspired by an original piece my brother, Emmanuel John, wrote about love and loss. The first few lines of the song go “Pity the roses for they got no blame, torn from Elysium for a lover’s game”. Elysium was painted with gold and black acrylic, with dried flowers from ex-lovers. A reminder that it is better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all.

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Healing Hope words & artwork Angel Marie Baguinat

Healing Hope was painted at the genesis of the pandemic, exploring how trauma can look different for different people but there is hope and healing in the same way the sun rises and falls.

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Masquerade words & artwork Angel Marie Baguinat

Masquerade was inspired by a classical piece by a friend, Noah Max, composed in London. A piece that was celebratory and joyful - how life ought to be. It acknowledges that while darkness in life can still exist there is much joy to be celebrated amidst.

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Awareness words Eliza Dunn

You say hindsight is real and you’re right – it is. But so is awareness, consideration, honesty and poise.

So, think of that next time… before you make so much noise.

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Little Red Hood words Alicia Hancock

The silence of the wood was eerie, but what was eerier was the glimpse of a blood-red cape you could catch every so often between the trees, you never saw the wearer, but they were short, and holding something that glinted in the soft moonlight. Their footsteps were inaudible, as they crept through the undergrowth, seeking out their prey. You’d heard people talking in town today about the red hood. “Silent and deadly,” they said, “they’re on a hunt for the wolf,” they said. You hadn’t taken much heed to their warnings, and besides, you had to get to your granny’s house, there was no other path you could take. Now you sit as still as possible, hoping against hope they don’t see you hiding. There it is again! The swoosh of red, and the shimmer of a silver blade. But wait! There is something else, a streak of grey, fur? Maybe. You watch with wide eyes and find yourself covering your mouth to keep from yelling out, as the hood darts forward and the wolf cries out in pain. The sound is the worst part by far, you can hear every movement of the knife, slashing, tearing into the animal without mercy, as it screams in agony. You think you hear a bone break, but you can’t be sure, maybe it was just a branch, you tell yourself, maybe it was just a branch. Eventually, the wolf’s cries cease. It must be dead. Now is your chance to run, you stand up slowly, still trying to keep as quiet as possible, and take a few careful steps away from the scene. Not careful enough. SNAP! The hood turns, and underneath it, you see the last thing you expected. A child. A little girl. With blood splattered on her face, and down her front. And she is smiling.

Verse Magazine

artwork Kali Ivancevic

Edition 47 | 2022

Verse Magazine

artworks Kali Ivancevic

Edition 47 | 2022

batyr x Verse

Tell us a bit about batyr as a for-purpose organisation at UniSA?

“batyr is a for-purpose mental health organisation, created and driven by young people. We smash the stigma surrounding mental ill-health and empower young people to reach out for help. Our main focus at the university is to create a community that supports students’ mental health and wellbeing. We act as a bridging service to connect students with the resources available to them.” - Annabelle “Annabelle has summed it up pretty well! I think I would add that batyr is passionate about making students feel less alone about struggling with their mental health. By creating a conversation about it we can work to normalise the topic so not only can we casually ask our friends how they are going, but so they feel comfortable answering honestly.” - Emily

How can people access Batyr and experience the work you do to address the elephant in the room? “It’s so fantastic to see familiar faces at our event as people recognise us. We reach more people every year and I hope we continue to keep meeting more people and having positive conversations about mental health.” - Annabelle

“To find out more about batyr Australia the online website has a lot of great information regarding what we are and what we do.” - Georgia

“Because we are quite a small group, the majority of our work is done through online spaces such as our Instagram @batyr. unisa. We are very active there providing tips and advice for managing your mental health. We also advertise all of our events there, everyone is welcome to come along, meet the team, and have some important conversations.” - Emily “We have a-lot of events on campus and try to get around to all campuses and see you all and have a chat! our unisa instagram is a place to keep up to date with our team and catch all of our event dates and details @batyr.unisa” - Georgia “@batyraus instagram also shares a lot of important information and is a platform for many voices to be heard with links to the @ourherd.io app.” - Georgia

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When you joined batyr what goal did you set out to achieve? Have you achieved it? “At the beginning of this year, I set out to help batyr smash the stigma on campus. If we can make it easier for even one person to talk about mental health in their own lives then that’s all I could ask for.” - Annabelle “My goal when joining batyr was to help create an environment at UniSA where mental health is not a topic that is avoided. I believe that we have smashed that goal and have been blown away by the incredible participation we have had on campus so far. I really hope we can continue to smash the mental health stigma for good.” - Emily

of the year I was so excited to begin the journey as a part of the exec, my goal was to share my knowledge and introduce as many uni students to batyr in the way I had my first interactions that inspired me to apply. I have definitely met a-lot of amazing students who have been willing to learn and have a conversation around the importance of mental health which I believe we both left the conversation achieving something meaningful. I have grown my own knowledge and sense of self through interacting with an amazing group of like-minded individuals and getting to participate in on-campus events at the University.” - Georgia

“When joining batyr at the beginning of the year I had only had a few interactions with batyr speakers and uni exec members. The one or two short interactions I did have were really meaningful and stuck with me in a sense of how distinctively important and emerging the organisation was. After learning more about the organisation through our training at the beginning

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Dear Father

words Melissa Raymond photography Justin Leung

Dear Father, Never shall I forget the things you taught, Never shall I forget the courage you etched, Never shall I forget the adventures we took — the dreams I had! Never shall I forget how to pour my tea, from height it’s the colonial Englishman in me. Never shall I forget the piano cords you adored, the Beethoven melodies I strived to record, Never shall I forget the Yorkshire walks, the rivers, the meadows, and the haunted English moors, Never shall I forget how to make a mash, a porridge of sorts — stir to make a figure of 8, Never shall I forget the sleepless nights, the hunger endured, the homelessness, the hopelessness, the heartbreak — I saw, I see. Never shall I forget the unanswered questions, the absent father, Never shall I forget my graduation, my wedding day, their first day at school, their grandparent’s day, Never shall I forget her graduation, her awards, her second breath and thank God the third! Never shall I forget her fear, her sorrow, her ache, her announcement NEVER TRUST! Never shall I forget the night you left, the note you left, the silence — you left! Never shall I forget those final words, I love you, never forget. Never shall I forget that you, forgot — me.

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Interview with

Rainbow Club interviewee Elijah Hartshorne

Why you started the club? Our predecessor club UniSA Pride had folded in 2013, resulting in a lack of representation and opportunity for queer students on campus. So, in late 2015, a group of students from a range of socio-economic backgrounds and political beliefs banded together with the shared goal of reviving queer student life at UniSA and keeping it active. We started with 27 members, and we’re now one of the largest USASA Clubs - we already had more than 260 members at the beginning of 2022.

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We provide a space for queer students to be our authentic selves in a safe and supportive environment.

What does your club do? We provide a space for queer students to be our authentic selves in a safe and supportive environment, while advocating on our community’s behalf to improve the services UniSA offers to us. We also hold a variety of events both online and in-person throughout the year. Allies are welcome and have been integral to helping us achieve our goals.

Our Treasurer Elijah Hartshorne he/him

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How is your club accessible to students? We have a strong online presence through social media such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Discord. We also have a physical presence at Mawson Lakes, where our wheelchair-accessible office will be opening as a safe space for queer students to use soon. Our online events Queer Film Nights and Jackbox Nights are very popular with our members - we provide closed captions for deaf and hard-of-hearing members. Where available, we also apply settings in Jackbox games to reduce strobing and fast movement for members that have photosensory needs.

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How can students get involved? Join our club for free through USASA, come along to an event, and follow us on social media. We’re also always keen to have volunteers help out. Feel free to send us a DM if there’s an idea you have for us. Keep an eye out for giveaways and freebies!

Join Us Here!

https://www.facebook.com/ unisarainbowclub/

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Interview with The Access Guild

interviewee Evan Johnson

Why did you start the Access Guild? We started Access Guild because we noticed a gap in student clubs related to disability, chronic illness, neurodivergency, and mental illness. We decided having a student-led club for this area was vital in ensuring our voices are heard within the UniSA community, as well as promoting social inclusion through inclusive events and community building. As people with lived experience of disability, we understand the importance of connection to those who understand us. Access Guild fills this through student-led and studentfocused engagment. What does the Access Guild do? Our current main platform of engagement with students is via our Discord server, which can be found on our USASA page! The Discord server gives students a place to meet and engage with other students, as well as ask for advice regarding studying at university with a disability. We plan to also hold some in-person events as well as online throughout the year. It has just been difficult so far with covid and many of us having compromised immune systems. We also have been advocating and working with the university to create a better learning and social environment for disabled students.

How is he Access Guild accessible to students? Our club is predominately online currently in our Discord server, which is accessible to anyone with a device and the internet, and works with screenreaders! We ensure in our online space that all pictures have image descriptions, tone indicators are used, and there are no flashing gifs/ videos. This is to ensure our space can be as accessible as possible. And we also welcome any suggestions on how to improve this too! We plan to eventually run in-person events that will be accessible and inclusive. We welcome all event suggestions and appreciate members reaching out wanting to help organise and run events!

Join Us Here!

How can students get involved? Join our club for free through the USASA website, join our discord server, come along to an event, and follow us on social media.

Verse Magazine

free massages, sports and the arts all coming together in one. As we look to the future the reps are working hard to ensure student wellbeing is key to all we do and we’re looking at both the preventative measures but also the support that the University should be providing for students into the future. The Student Reps have also been working hard on ensuring that students on-campus and online have every opportunity to reconnect with one another post covid. As mentioned in earlier letters this has been our key theme for the year and a series of events and food stalls have popped up over previous months to allow for that reconnection.

President’s Letter

Most recently, we also had Pride Month with the Uni hosting Drag Bingo at My Lover Cindi, which was a fantastic night. Followed by USASA’s very own Pride Fair in the student lounge to celebrate the end of Pride Month. The event did well to create a safe space for all students who attended and boasted several different activities from biscuit decorating to a queer quiz hosted by some of our own UniSA and USASA staff in drag. It’s always important to take opportunities like Pride Month to remember and appreciate where we’ve come from as we strive for better.

For many of us, it’s the first time we’ve been on campus since we started our degrees and we’re “returning” to an unfamiliar University life to which we haven’t yet become fully accustomed to. As we approach study period 5 and winter school is almost over it’s been an unusually cold couple of months, but we’ve made it through. Many of us have endured the cold winter, dressed in a blanket or Oodie of choice with a cup of hot chocolate and textbook in hand. It’s now an important time to reflect on the year so far. What’s working and what’s not. What makes us happy, and which unnecessary stresses are worth giving a little less attention to. We’re at that critical point, we’re at the top of the hill and we’re only going to pick up speed from here.

Best of luck for SP5. Until next time, Isaac Solomon

Over at USASA, we’ve been working hard on looking at student wellbeing. This year we saw the continuation of our Working on Wellness program with a month of events such as nature walks, petting zoos,

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The Signs as Songs words & illustrations Kyle Feirclough

Aries

21 Mar – 19 Apr Rock’n’Roll Jump - Van Halen Full of energy — you’re always on the move. You like nothing more than to dance your heart out with loud rock sounds.

Taurus

20 Apr – 20 May Alternative Somebody Else - The 1975 You love to show your uniqueness any way possible, alternative indie music is just your jam.

Cancer

Gemini

21 June – 22 Jul Soundtrack

21 May – 20 June Country

Cornfield Chase - Hans Zimmer The best way to describe you is artistic, and similarly to movie music — you melt people’s hearts.

Jolene - Dolly Parton Just like country music — you’re catchy and can’t get out of people’s heads. You’re all anyone thinks about, weather they want to or not

Leo

23 Jul – 22 Aug Classical Raindrops - Frederic Chopin Clean and powerful, just like the zodiac Leo, classical music speaks loudly to the people that enjoy it.

Virgo

23 Aug – 22 Sep Jazz Solitude - Billie Holiday You’re soulful & with that comes a level of lax. However, hidden behind your soft exterior you are bright and ferocious — full of energy.

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Capricorn 22 Dec – 19 Jan Heavy Metal

Master of Puppets - Metallica Power is what runs through your veins when music like this comes on. The chaos of heavy metal lets you out of your architecturally constructed shell and brings out your inner fun.

Aquarius 20 Jan – 18 Feb Disco

Boogie Oogie Oogie - ATaste Of Honey Get down and groove! You love to dance and disco is the perfect genre for you to do that too. Get out on that dance floor and show everyone your skilled moves.

Libra

23 Sep – 22 Oct Pop

Pisces

19 Feb – 20 Mar K-Pop

Ghost - Justin Bieber You’re everyones favourite and you’re easy to listen to. Your vibes are good and you harmonise easily to most people’s wavelengths.

Dynamite - BTS Similarly to Libra you’re really well known and popular, but you’re more artistic and creative. You love showing off your inner glow through your catchy personality.

Scorpio

23 Oct – 21 Nov Emo The Foundations of Decay - My Chemical Romance On the outside you’re dark & gloomy but your insides are meaningful and important. All you want to achieve is to be understood and appreciated by the people around you.

Sagittarius 22 Nov – 21 Dec Electronic

Levels - Avicii. Energy! Energy! Energy! Pump yourself up. You’re the best of the best when it comes to creating electric environments. You’re livly and that presence follows you everywhere.

CLUB AWARDS Nominations Open Do you know a USASA Club or Executive that has knocked it out of the park in 2022? See the full list of categories and nominate a deserving club today!

USASA.sa.edu.au/ClubAwards

Speed Friending Meet fellow students, build connections & make new friends. Thur 18 August • 5:00 pm - 7:30 pm, Chateau Apollo $5.00 tix, includes a drink on arrival & food SpeedFriendingSP5.eventbrite.com.au

Contributors Access Guild Alena Sopotsko Alexandrina Seager Alicia Hancock Angel Marie Baguinat batyr Callum Muzyka Eliza Dunn Emilia Bovingdon Georgia Thomson Isaac Soloman Isabella Wood Isabelle Raven Justin Leung Kali Ivancevic Kyle Feirclough Leon Taylor Madison Antony Matisse Chambers Melissa Raymond Michael Bell Mitchell Darcy Natasha Teoh Sarah Herrmann UniSA Rainbow Club Yen Nguyen

@ access_guild @alena_sopotsko @alexandrinaseager @_alicia.hancock_ @angelmarieb.97 @batyr.unisa | @batyraus @muzinkarts @elizadunnn @georgia.thom_ @isaacdsolomon @atlantisarts @nevari.indd @_just_tin @kali.ivancevic @_kyle.ai @sybyrnetics @matissechambers

@xmiyakiix @sarahherrmann_ @unisarainbowclub @hee.pasta221

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