Comment, Prose

The Elephant in the Room

by Vittorio P. Cuneo-Flood A habit is a quality of the soul which disposes us to certain acts; a virtue is a good habit which dis— … woah woah woah, hold on a second … soul?! Aren’t humans, like, the product of millions of years of evolution or something? How can we sincerely claim that […]

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Playlist

Habits Playlist

OK, you probably already know what to expect here. A compilation of various tracks of popular music inspired by the theme of this issue, with some text explaining that you need to scan the code using the Spotify app on your mobile device. Now, how many of you actually listen to the playlist? Each one […]

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Puzzle

Cryptic Crossword [6]

by Siddiq Islam Editor’s note: The solutions to this puzzle are available here. Across 1 Rest on back wheel (6) 4 Beginner with no pen eraser (6) 9 Era of mindless rage (3) 10 Last of cacti in Sahara ill (5) 11 To hang but with no initial laughing allowed (3) 12 Hilly Tour d’England […]

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Poetry, Translation

A Dream / Un Rêve

by Yu Yan A Childplaying on the ground.An Adult comes,the castle collapses,she settles in another grassland.The school pronounces wronglyher name, and childrengiggling ask,Where are you from.Why? she says,I come from afar.She takes the train to dig upher lost snowman, only to finda hostile kingdomwhose entrance code has changed. Un Enfantjouant à même le sol.Un Adulte […]

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Art, Culture, Prose

AULT: Mastering the Craft

by David Akanji Welcome to AULT, the arts and culture column of The Poor Print, written by David Akanji (me).
AULT exists to refocus our minds, re-engaging ourselves with art and cultural understanding. I’ll be focusing on current opinions/events/issues in the art world, but more importantly how we as students, citizens, and humans fit into it. […]

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Music score

Echoes of Thought

for narrator and solo instrument by Alessandro MacKinnon-Botti This performance art piece aims to engage the audience with a thoughtful exploration of diverse opinions, with the narrator and solo instrument weaving together a combination of both introspection and emotion. Editor’s note:
Alessandro MacKinnon-Botti kindly suggests
that recorded performances of this piece be sent
in to him by email […]

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Humour, Prose

‘Dear Beary …’ [24]

by Beary McBearface Hello there! My name’s Beary, one of the giant teddy bears who hang out in the JCR – I’m the brown one; my purple counterpart is John Henry. As The Poor Print’s self-anointed agony aunt, I’m here to help you with any troubles you’re facing. Please send me your college (or general) worries, […]

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Art, Culture, Prose

AULT: Must Good Art Involve Pain?

by David Akanji Welcome to AULT, the arts and culture column of The Poor Print, written by David Akanji (me).
AULT exists to refocus our minds, re-engaging ourselves with art and cultural understanding. I’ll be focusing on current opinions/events/issues in the art world, but more importantly how we as students, citizens, and humans fit into it. […]

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Prose

Hindsight Is a Horrible Thing

by Anonymous Strolling I was, down the soft dunes
of a sea-facing shore. A man squatted, staring out at the susurrous undulations before him. His eyes glowed like pearls, his skin fair and spotless. His cheeks proudly rose out from dark hairs around his chin. How beautiful a beard can be on a man. And he […]

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Prose

Pursue Pleasure

by Vittorio P. Cuneo-Flood I’m a raging hedonist, As hedy as can be. You’ve never met a man who loves Pleasure more than me. Never ever I tell Thee! Let me assume, that you, like me, wish to live the most pleasurable existence possible. It seems to me, that since this is the ultimate aim […]

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Poetry

On That Fond Place of Baconnated Breathing

by Benjamin Elliot Nolan A bench stands alone We once sat there Me and you Then you turned to raspberry blue Do you even remember Happy days, dulcet decembers Us two sitting there In fumeur formation Now just you Those pretted eyes that I despise Does it taste the same Can you explain Coffee grounds […]

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Playlist

Opinions Playlist

As a fellow person, we’re sure you have some opinions about current affairs in the world today: political unrest, environmental concerns, human rights, just to name a few. Protest and outcry find their way into literature, into art and into music. We invite you to think about ways in which you want to express your […]

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Culture, Music, Music score, Prose

Realism Unleashed:
Sonic Choreography

by Alessandro MacKinnon-Botti Embrace sonic realism through Sonic Choreography: use your body’s movements to create a living auditory canvas that captures the everyday. Sonic Choreography is an innovative way to express everyday realism. Your visual map becomes a musical score, translating the everyday into a unique auditory performance. For instance, once the idea has been […]

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Poetry, Translation

乡愁 / Homesickness

by 席慕蓉 (Xi Murong), translated by Yu Yan 故乡的歌是一支清远的笛 总在有月亮的晚上响起 故乡的面貌却是一种模糊的怅惘 仿佛雾里的挥手别离 离别后 乡愁是一棵没有年轮的树 永不老去 Songs from my hometown are the
silvery tinkling of a bamboo flute, always heard on the moon-adorned night. The landscape of my hometown,
however, is the vagueness of a dejection, as if waving goodbye to me in a fog. After we part, […]

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Comment, Prose

Realism Resurgent: Lessons from Ukraine

by Anna Bartlett In 2023 there are more state-based conflicts than in any other year since the end of World War Two. Is this a return to realism or a signal of a new era of conflict? One of the oldest approaches to global politics, realism in international relations highlights the primacy of state self […]

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Editorial, Prose

A Word from the Editors: Realism

by Siddiq Islam REALISM – late 18th century:
from real + -ism, after German Realismus Realism is humans’ attempt at capturing the world around them in a ‘realistic’ way. The word applies itself in many contexts, from the art world, where painters try to depict natural objects as accurately as possible rather than the more symbolic […]

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Poetry

Performative Self-Contradiction

by Vittorio P. Cuneo-Flood Darst thou accuse me of being a fool,
If I hold to the truth: ’tis the same for us all.
The gall! The cheek! That you would dare say:
We live in a lie so there isn’t a way. Nay, I do not mind to disagree,
But I can’t accept, that you are free
To say […]

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Poetry

Soldier’s Breakfast

by Siddiq Islam Pile up a few more eggs onto my plate.
They lie there slopped among the ample meats.
Another meal the same and never late,
The yolks devoured. On my brute mouth eats.
The camp is calm and peaceful, full of hate.
How lovely next to bombed, imprisoned streets.
What separates is nothing but a gate,
My army and the […]

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Humour, Prose

Origin

by Kilian King The JCR President and porter looked at each other, then back at the gently smoking crater in front of them, then at each other again. After an awkward silence, the porter cleared his throat and looked at her impatiently. ‘Are you not even going to try and explain yourself?’ he asked, in […]

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Editorial, Prose

A Word from the Editors: Origin

by Jerric Chong ORIGIN – early 16th century:
from French origine, from Latin origo, origin-,
from oriri ‘to rise’. [Oxford Languages] So here you are at last, donning your sub fusc and gown and traipsing up the steps of the Sheldonian with hundreds of others to hear some unintelligible Latin muttered at you, before filing out into […]

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Art, Culture, Prose

AULT: Limitless

by David Akanji Welcome to AULT, the arts and culture column of The Poor Print, written by David Akanji (me). AULT exists to refocus some of our minds,
re-engaging ourselves with art and cultural understandings. I’ll be focusing on current opinions/events/issues in the art world, but more importantly how
we as students, citizens, and humans fit into […]

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Playlist

Origin Playlist

For more inspiration on this issue’s theme,
check out this playlist, curated by one of our editors.
It features some popular tunes you may (or may not) have heard before, and the tracks they sample. Listen and embark on a journey of discovery while reading the first issue of the new academic year! To access the playlist, […]

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College, Music, Prose, Reviews

October Champagne Concert 2023: A Review

by Jerric Chong As you will undoubtedly have gleaned from the grey, hulking buildings occupying the northern half of Oriel’s usually picturesque Second Quad, the Senior Library is out of commission as one of the nicest spaces to study in Oxford, instead awaiting its conversion into a temporary dining facility while the hall closes (for […]

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Poetry

Original Thought

by Siddiq Islam Darst thou accuse me of incompetence, Of such patheticism? What nonsense! That I could not formulate out of nought What might be called an ‘Original Thought’, A concept that no other man has conjured, But when was the last time somebody wondered: How many iPhone chargers tall my mum is; If Hello […]

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