Andrew Smiglowski

I graduated from Mount St. Mary's University in the Spring of 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts degree; I majored in English and minored in both creative writing and history. I am looking to work my way into the literary world as a writer or an editor, and my college education has equipped me with the tools and understanding to pursue this dream relentlessly. For two and a half years I was a staff writer for Mount St. Mary's University's newspaper, "The Mountain Echo," which was first printed in 1879. I am proud to be a part of over 140 years of journalistic tradition for "The Echo." I was also a staff editor and contributor to Mount St. Mary's award-winning literary and arts magazine, "Lighted Corners," which is printed annually. "Lighted Corners" has won many awards for both individual and staff accomplishments, including a number of Columbia Scholastic Press Association awards. Those opportunities helped me flourish as a writer, editor, and member of a creative team. Outside of those two outlets, I also regularly create written content for its own sake; I enjoy writing poetry and short stories in my free time.

January 16, 2020

"Friction"

This is the most sexually graphic and unapologetically open poem that I've ever written; it explores the correlation between self-loathing and masochism.

September 1, 2019

"Wait, You Said it's Only How Much?"

This poem is easily one of my most irreverent, and if you know my poetic style, you'll notice that it's incredibly self-aware in its mockery.

August 30, 2019

"Sea Glass"

Sometimes, things must first be broken and discarded before they can fully achieve their purpose and fulfillment; Being broken is not the end. It is merely a chance for a new beginning.

August 10, 2019

"For My Sunflower, the Sunshine of My Life"

Wouldn't it be nice to abandon all of life's problems in favor of the freedom of nature and the simple, yet busy life of a bee?

"Time Flies When You're Somewhere Else"

The trouble with the magic of daydreaming is that once you realize that you are daydreaming, the magic is over.

"Churning Without Ceasing"

There's something about the incredible and unshakeable might of the ocean that should terrify us, not fill us with peace.

"Starry-eyed"

This poem focuses on the belief that even though we, as humans, are a microscopic component of a much larger cosmos, our problems and emotions cannot always be looked at through such a lens. Although small in the grand scheme of the universe, the emotions we feel are still very real, and daresay, even a pivotal extension of the vastness of space.

"Season's Pleadings"

This little ditty is sung from the perspective of a man who is asking the woman he loves to stay with him on a particularly cold evening.

February 4, 2019

"Heaven on Earth"

This poem is an homage to the timeless greats Robert Frost and William Wordsworth. These two poets are a few of the very best, especially when it comes to depictions of nature, and their respective works inspired me to write a piece of my own.

January 14, 2019

"Snowblindness"

This short poem showcases the very first stages of survivor's guilt, seen through the eyes of a young man.

January 11, 2019

"Midnight Colors"

This poem is a slight homage to Sylvia Plath's work that also has deep roots in my own family history. As tragedy befalls a young couple, both their minds and their marriage begin to crumble around them, and their lives will never again be the same.

October 20, 2018

"What Remains"

Love comes and goes, as do those who provide and require it. But the constant, throughout it all, is the desire for a destination, a place to rest your heart.

October 12, 2018

"What Must Be"

This poem questions the course of the speaker's life. He is plagued by the idea that his life could have (and perhaps should have) been different, and he contemplates whether or not the path of life that he has blazed for himself is one he wants to continue treading.

Lighted Corners - Spring 2018 • April 26, 2018

[A bird flew over the city streets]

This small poem is a tragically-ironic look at human life from the perspective of an inquisitive, avian passerby.

"The Great 'ism'"

This poem is an intimate and personal expose of the struggles of a man who tries to cope with his difficult life. It paints a grim picture of the human condition that far too often falls from grace.

"Waking Dream"

This poem is a sweet ode to a woman who has gained the love and attention of a hopeless romantic.

February 14, 2017

"The Apple of Mine Eye"

This poem was my first attempt at writing in an archaic, romantic style. I find it indicative of John Dunne's romantic works, albeit lacking his mastery of the English language.

January 29, 2017

"Multiverse Envy"

Here, we see a speaker who is jealous of both his dreams and the iterations of himself that exist within them. He concocts a plan to take their blissful happiness and make it his own, but will he succeed?

November 23, 2016

"The Least of These: Adam and Eve"

This is one of the first poems I ever wrote. It has been lengthened and polished numerous times since I first wrote it, but the core ideas remain the same. In this poem lies a retelling of the story of Adam and Eve from the Book of Genesis. In this version, Adam asks God for another chance, this time, without the interference of Eve. But sometimes, it's best to be careful what you wish for. Things can always, always get worse.