It is with great pride that I present to you the Fall 2011 issue of The York Street Muse—the official literary and arts magazine of Davenport College at Yale.
In some ways, the Muse is old: it is part of a tradition of literary and arts publications produced by Davenport College students (which, although originally named The York Street Muse, have sometimes been called Davenport Sketchbook or Portfolio). And like these earlier publications, this issue of the Muse showcases the creative talent of students within (and beyond) the Davenport community.
But in many ways, the Muse is new: we have relaunched a publication that my class watched fizzle out midway through our freshman year, and which I had always hoped to rebuild as an upperclassman. Fortunately, our talented and tireless editorial staff helped to transform this hope into a reality. They have infused the magazine with new energy and fresh wit, selecting the writing and images that resonated most strongly with them. And of course, the Muse has a brand new look, brilliantly conceived by Designer Rachel Needle ’13.
Yet perhaps what is newest about the Muse is that it is now at once bolder and more introspective than ever: in this issue, many of the featured works dare to tackle, in one way or another, our titular theme of creativity itself—as well as the fragmentation, and sometimes the reassembly (of mind, body, and materials), that this creative process often entails. And there is no shying away from the cover, on which the Muse itself tells you, in no uncertain terms, to read its contents.
As editors, we challenged each artist and writer to channel his or her own ‘muse’ and to show us what inspires each of them. The submissions we received inspired us.
Sincerely,
Lindsay Gellman ‘12
Editor-in-Chief