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The Battalion
Page 3 • Tuesday, July 6, 2004
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Pursuing poetry
Student-run poetry journal helps answer growing demand for arts in B-CS
By Jose Cruz
THE BATTALION
Growing up as a resident of the Brazos Valley
for the majority of his life, Sam Pittman II, a sen
ior English major, felt like there was something
missing from his life. It wasn’t until Pittman
enrolled in the Creative Writing Program at
Texas A&M that he realized his love for poetry
could lead to publishing his own literary journal.
The “Brazos Gumbo,” an independently pro
duced poetry journal published quarterly, will
feature Brazos Valley’s most talented poets.
“It began as my English 485, Directed Studies
independent project. I write poetry and I’ve
always wanted to publish my own work and oth
ers’ work as well. It started out as a little idea
and it just kept building,” Pittman said.
The journal will strictly showcase poets who
are from the Brazos Valley, but Pittman said that
readers will see a lot of flavors. People should
expect a good mix of poetry and there will be a
little bit for everybody.
Most of the poets who made it into the
“Brazos Gumbo" are students who heard about
the journal through the flyers Pittman put up
around campus and local bookstores.
“I had a feeling people would respond to it if
it was there. From the response I got from the
poets. I get the feeling that they’ve been waiting
for a venue to showcase their poetry. I don't
think I’m alone in this,” he said.
Although Pittman has enjoyed overwhelming
success in his first attempt at recruiting poets, he
is still unsure of how the public will receive the
journal. Some think College Station hasn't yet
reached the artistic level that neighboring cities
such as Austin and Houston have achieved.
Chuck Taylor, coordinator of the Creative
Writing Program, said that as far as he knows,
there hasn't been a student-run literary magazine
in the area for quite some time.
During the 1980s, some members of the facul
ty published a literary magazine, but it only last
ed for two or three years. Taylor believes most of
the problem can be attributed to the lack of a suf
ficient population base to
support the journal.
“We live in a relative
ly small city when you
compare it to cities like
Houston and Austin.
Those cities have many
theaters, art galleries
and venues that show
case the arts and a large
population to support
them. Austin is a great
example of a city that is
tolerant of artists and
artistic freedom. These
cities are hungry for
art,” Taylor said.
Pittman said he
agrees that the Brazos
Valley is definitely lack
ing in this area, but that
he is hoping his journal
will bring some atten
tion to poetry and the
arts to the area.
“I wish there were
more literary venues and
events here. We could
definitely use more
involvement in the arts,
but I’m the type of per
son that if it’s not imme
diately there then 1 will
go find it,” he said.
In this case, Pittman actually created it and is
receiving praise for it.
Taylor said one of the functions of art is to
give a voice to the people who are underrepre
sented in society, and that this is what makes
“Brazos Gumbo” so great.
“I think the journal is very important. Sam is
now representing all different kinds of voices
with the “Brazos Gumbo,”” he said.
Among the poets featured in the debut issue of
“Brazos Gumbo” is Lindsay Sloan, a doctoral stu
dent in business. She said she supports the journal
Brian Wills • THE BATTALION
Senior English major Sam Pittman II is publishing the poetry journal “Brazos Gumbo” with the help of A&M’s Creative Writing Program.
because it is completely student-run, and believes
students will be more willing to contribute and be
involved in it if they are among their peers.
“In our area, poetry has had an underground
following for a while. Most people might not
even know it exists if they are not part of that
following. Things like (the slam poetry event)
Javashock, the P. David Romei Center and now
the “Brazos Gumbo” coming to the forefront in
the past year show that the following is starting
to get bigger,” she said.
Jeff Stumpo, a master’s student in English and
the host of Javashock, said there is a definite
demand for art here in College Station.
“You’d be surprised. Last season we were
averaging an audience of 100 people at
Javashock, and that was largely (due to) word-of-
mouth advertising,” he said.
“I’ve talked to literally hundreds of people just
in Bryan-College Station who want, to some
degree or another, more of the arts,” Stumpo said.
During college, many students look to the arts
See Art on page 4
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