Hobart Park 2000
Summary of Issue
The 2000 edition of Davidson’s Hobart Park literary magazine consists of seventeen poems (predominantly free verse), two short fiction works, and four photographs. The issue’s four black and white photographs display scenes of nature; however, none are captioned. This issue has fewer contributors than most Hobart Park issues.
Notably, the 2000 issue is shorter than the most other Hobart Park publications and lacks an editor’s note. The cover page is simple in design, bearing a black background with white text. The page's plain formatting matches the cover’s modesty.
Students across all class years contributed to the issue. Three Davidson professors also contributed: Gill Holland (English), Mark McCulloh (German), and Alan Michael Parker (English). Many contributors majored in English, while others majored in Anthropology, Biology, Spanish, and Religion. The issue was edited by Christian Hunt (‘00), and some of the associate editors doubled as contributors.
The issue does not reference current events of 2000, such as the presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore or the aftermath of Y2K. Instead, it includes timeless themes. Love, sex, and relationships appear in “Quickening,” “My Father’s Boss,” “Shed Skins,” “Morning,” and other works. Several works include nature imagery: “Restoration,” describes the Gobi Desert, and the photographs all depict the outdoors. The works “Klopstock at Woodstock,” “Kachhua,” and the excerpt from “Dogs of Negril” reference various cultures and describe how they intersect. Some experimental poems also interact with their forms: “My Father’s Boss” includes the title as the first line, and “Waking” describes its own creation. [1]
Analysis of "My Father's Boss"
This four-stanza, free verse poem diverges from conventional romantic relationships discussed in the other works by exploring themes of sexual exploitation, abuse, and danger. The poem begins—perhaps before the reader is ready—with the title, “My Father’s Boss” becoming part of the first sentence. The inappropriate power dynamic between the boss and the high-school protagonist invokes a sense of unease.
The poem’s varied line length and enjambment further serve to put readers on edge, creating an irregular pace and emphasizing underlying messages. “To see me” (L2) is isolated from “home safely” (L3), suggesting the boss drives the speaker home because he wants to see her, not because he wants to get her home safely. Seemingly oblivious to the boss’s perversion, the speaker “enjoy[s] the ride” (L25) and allows her skirt to ride up her thighs (L26). [2]
Hazelton (‘00) graduated from Davidson college with a Bachelor’s Degree in English. She later received a MFA in Poetry from the University of Notre Dame (‘05) and a Doctorate in Philosophy from Florida State University (‘10). [3] As of 2022, she is an associate professor at North Central College and an acclaimed poet. [3] [4] She has publised four books of original poetry. [5]
Analysis of "Klopstock at Woodstock"
Mark McCulloh’s eighteen-line poem in rhyming couplets highlights a recurring theme of the 2000 issue of Hobart Park: intersecting cultures. This cross-cultural exploration is evident from the title: “Klopstock” references German poet Friedrich Klopstock, and “Woodstock” references the 1969 festival held in Bethel, New York. Throughout the poem, the speaker connects artists from different times and locations. They also analyze the role these artists play as people who interact with and critique their own nations and cultures.
In the eighth line, the speaker mentions “the anthem’s parody at Woodstock,” recalling Jimi Hendrix’s haunting rendition of the “Star Spangled Banner”—an action generally perceived as his form of political protest. The poem also contains phrases such as “destroyer of the national glue” (L2) and “Our rhetoric of protest sets us free” (L11), further exploring tension between nationalism and dissent. Within these references, the speaker maintains a tone of confusion, labeling his situation as “morass” (L15) and saying “I don’t know what to do” (L1). [6]
At the time this issue of Hobart Park was published, Mark McCulloh was a German professor finishing his 18th year at Davidson College. McCulloh would continue to work at Davidson until retiring in 2016. [7] While teaching at Davidson, he published two books: the 2003 Understanding W.G. Sebald and the 2006 co-authored W.G Sebald: History - Memory - Trauma. [8]
Citations
1. Davidson College. Hobart Park. 2000.
2. Hazelton, Rebecca. "My Father's Boss." Hobart Park. 2000: 4.
4. "Rebecca Hazelton." Poetry Foundation, https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/rebecca-hazelton.
5. "Rebecca Hazelton." Rebecca Hazelton, https://rebeccahazelton.com.
6. McCulloh, Mark. "Klopstock at Woodstock." Hobart Park. 2000: 13.
8. "Books by Mark Richard McCulloh." BukRate, https://bukrate.com/author/mark-richard-mcculloh.
Authors
Ava M., Caroline R., Joanna S., Tristan A.