- steph (she/her)

- Grace (She/Her)

-ronan (he/they)

The worn and outdated fabric seemed out of place in the white-walled, LED lit hallway of the physics building. To me, couches feel closely linked to long rest and moments of pausing, but hallways quite the opposite. Thinking about it now, the two aren't as different as they both seemed at first- they're inbetweens, places of waiting, places of sitting and wondering.

-Chloë (she/her)

- Nathan

-Alexis

- Mathew (he/him)

-Anchaly Senthilvel (she/her)

-Elly Hobday (she/her)

Last semester there was a day where there was a fog that laid all across campus. While walking towards my next class I saw this crow in a tree and thought it was a perfect picture. This photo feels very eerie to me and I think it is very reminiscent of the poet Edgar Allen Poe. I always find myself taking photos in moments to document them like little memories that I cant forget about. And I think that in itself is very poetic, because that is why we take photos, to document and hold onto the places we've been and the things that we have experienced.

-Isabelle (she/her)

I took this photo during our finals season, a couple of weeks ago.

During finals season everybody around you, including yourself, are constantly burnt out and tired, so this sunset was a nice contrast to that.

Finals/ the winter season is cold and dark, whereas this sunset was bright and warm. There’s also something poetic about these two trees sitting alone together. They have each other, but at the same time it’s kind of lonely how they’re so isolated in between houses in an alleyway.

-Frank (He/Him)

- Seyara (she/her)

- Sara

- Thanadol Tam (He/Him)

- Advika (She/Her)

- Shifak Shafi (He/Him)

- Maria she/her

I found a variety of mosses and small plants growing through the cracks of some old bricks in an abandoned lot. The area was once a lawn bowling field- one that was used a lot when I was a kid. I remember playing on the nearby playground and seeing people play on the field, thinking to myself how odd it was to have bowling on a lawn (lol).

I really enjoy the visuals of the bright textured green against the cement along with the symmetrical lines and patterns that it creates.

I find the idea of life prospering after abandonment very poetic, as well as how life can grow in such odd and nutrient-deficient locations.

I think the moss between these bricks is a parallel to how humans can flourish in the absence of certain people, as well as how one can thrive despite one’s unfavourable surroundings/upbringing.

-Mark

- Maria she/her

-- Anna, tired Sauder student and a writer's block poet (she/her)

-Talia L. Kent-Snowsell (she/her)

-Hui Hui he/him

I know this is maybe not the prettiest photo and I know it is a bit silly, but I think this is poetic because it made me stop and look more intentionally. I started to imagine all the pastry items as people. To me I feel like the muffins in the basket are looking down at their fallen sisters, while the four fallen muffins lay there, pressed upon the glass, knowing that they will never fulfill their muffin purpose, as they will eventually be thrown out. The other pastry items watch, thankful they are safe within their baskets, but fearful of if that were to happen to them next. I think this could apply to many people who feel stuck against glass wishing to find their purpose, or I think it could also just be the sad muffin life cycle.

-Nigel (He/Him)

-Jenny (she/her)

Here is why I found my photo to be poetic. (The more poetic noticings are towards the bottom of the list)

• Contrast between light and dark (gets lighter the further along the “path” you move) 

• The green light symbolizing go yet the photo having a quality of stillness, peace and tranquility

• Contrast between finding tranquility within the business of the city 

• Constantly urged by the motion around us yet a reminder to turn the subtle and still moments into inspiration that motivates action 

• The silhouette of the buildings as something concrete 

• The wires looking as though they trace a path through the sky, a road full of possibilities 

• The road in the sky urges you to approach peacefully without caution 

• Tranquility 

• The moon fading in on the left yet absurdly present at the same time 

• The street name cut out because it does not matter where you’re going just that you are on journey towards somewhere and nowhere all at the same time 

• The slight graininess of the image adds to the illusive aura evoked. 

• The dimensions of the buildings as if they pile up on one another stacking up to something larger than themselves 

• While simultaneously the path that you walk is the one that is not the most present within in the photo, the direction you are headed in is the one where the buildings begin to recede getting smaller and smaller as you go, symbolizing that the entirety of the journey is not yet known. 

• You cannot always see with absolute clarity where you will end up but we can often see sections of our path and how to navigate these sections until the destination we reach becomes clear 

• The unknowingness of life

• The beauty in discovery 

• Not a straight path, but it is a linear one 

• The blocks we build may not add up in an anticipated way but they bring us somewhere brighter than before (the path of creative writing) 

Here is why I found my photo to be poetic (The more poetic noticings are towards the bottom of the list)

• Contrast between light and dark (gets lighter the further along the “path” you move) 

• The green light symbolizing go yet the photo having a quality of stillness, peace and tranquility

• Contrast between finding tranquility within the business of the city 

• Constantly urged by the motion around us yet a reminder to turn the subtle and still moments into inspiration that motivates action 

• The silhouette of the buildings as something concrete 

• The wires looking as though they trace a path through the sky, a road full of possibilities 

• The road in the sky urges you to approach peacefully without caution 

• Tranquility 

• The moon fading in on the left yet absurdly present at the same time 

• The street name cut out because it does not matter where you’re going just that you are on journey towards somewhere and nowhere all at the same time 

• The slight graininess of the image adds to the illusive aura evoked. 

• The dimensions of the buildings as if they pile up on one another stacking up to something larger than themselves 

• While simultaneously the path that you walk is the one that is not the most present within in the photo, the direction you are headed in is the one where the buildings begin to recede getting smaller and smaller as you go, symbolizing that the entirety of the journey is not yet known. 

• You cannot always see with absolute clarity where you will end up but we can often see sections of our path and how to navigate these sections until the destination we reach becomes clear 

• The unknowingness of life

• The beauty in discovery 

• Not a straight path, but it is a linear one 

• The blocks we build may not add up in an anticipated way but they bring us somewhere brighter than before (the path of creative writing) 

- Riley (any pronouns)

P.S. The soup was really good.

Now, the house stands empty, but it doesn’t feel abandoned. It carries an energy, a quiet sense that Artie’s presence still lingers. Inside the clubhouse, a photo and plaque honor his memory, yet it’s his house, untouched and weathered, that feels the most alive. Sometimes, when the wind shifts or a bird lands lightly on the roof, I feel as though he’s still there - his bark echoing faintly in the stillness. The emptiness of the dog house holds more than silence; it holds a reflection of loss, of time passing, and of something intangible yet deeply felt.

The dog house feels like more than a structure - it’s a symbol of connection, memory, and the mystery of what remains after life ends. It brings up thoughts of life and death, of how certain presences linger even when they are physically gone. I wonder if spirits like Artie’s stay close, woven into the places they loved, quietly watching. His house becomes a space for these thoughts, a reminder that some bonds transcend the physical world.

Noticing this dog house feels poetic because it invites a deeper awareness of the subtle textures of life. The worn wood, the faded paint, the scattered pine needles, and the golden light of evening create a scene that holds emotion and meaning. It feels like a bridge between the tangible and the intangible, between memory and presence.

I miss Artie. His bark once echoed across the range, pro shop, clubhouse, and parking lot, a sound of life and connection. Now, I imagine him still patrolling, his spirit tied to this place. In my mind, I hear him calling out again, “I’m still here, don’t disturb me.” The dog house becomes a quiet monument, holding the weight of his absence and the enduring warmth of his presence.

- Jess Lee (he/him)

-Nicole Sidhu (she/her)

-Maryam (she/her)

I find it very poetic that I happened upon this tree with this specific engraving, as my partner and I’s initials are also P and J. Seeing this carving reminded me of him, whom I don’t get to see often, as he lives in Ontario while I attend school here at UBC. Oddly enough, this tree brought me comfort in thinking and hoping that the love shared by the artists of this heart lasted in time. Their mark of love has been weathered and worn through the passage of time, yet the sentiment still remains. Despite the hardship of being away from each other, the love my partner and I have still stands, just as this heart on this tree still exists.

-Phoenix (they/them)

the theme was nostalgia, and i got dramatic with it thinking about my holiday last week at my home country, where i ended a-um, situationship. every pattern of the collage - collected from the team's materials, somehow fitted quite perfectly to what i was feeling, about the work, the situationship, the world that i am living in. aggressively, it turnt into a love letter, gently, it turns into a political statement. and i was satisfied with it.

Lam (she/her)

-Carter (he/him)

- Ura

I feel that images are not a good way to capture a moment. Light is the only thing captured in a picture. Not a feeling, the environment, or a story. However they can help remind us of those things, if you are lucky. It is hard to notice the period of the crashing waves, or the misty drizzle accompanied by a winter gale. The precipitous drop off does not have quite the same affect. Nor can you see and feel who is important to you standing to the left, right, and just behind. There is no heartbreaking story of a mother, wife, writer, who told a citizen next to her to call 911 before jumping to her death. You cannot capture the Kite just above hovering perfectly still, eyes focused, beak pointing into the magenta flowers that poke out of the carpet of Ice Plant like beacons of imagination and expression. There's so much more to a picture than a scene, or a moment in time captured.

Ura

-Arinze

It is a torn up sock.

While getting ready to go out today, I noticed how worn and beat up my socks had become. Normally, this would just be a minor inconvenience, quickly figured out by ordering a new pack online. But after clocking  just how frayed they were,  it struck me as a metaphor. People in life often become so consumed by their routines, habits, and larger goals that they fail to notice the smaller details of life right in front of them. Things that many might not notice can be quietly destructive, wearing away bit by bit. And, much like these old socks, it’s only when things are on the verge of falling apart that we finally realize the damage.

I saw this little guy on the sidewalk on my morning commute. I find it poetic because I keep finding myself tracing the spiral on his shell with my finger, with my mouse or just with my eyes. Although the shell seems smooth and soft, I rationally know it's quite hard and protective. I wonder if the shell were bigger it could act as a reflective surface seeming as it has a polished look.

-Sophia

dasha (she her)

I find this photo really beautiful because of the memories that I link to it. Also, you wouldn't have known that just focusing your gaze to the right side of the photo, you can see the edges of incoming rain. The way nature is framed in a photograph, not showing its full wonder is something that I find very poetic. As cliché as it sounds, I look back on this photo to remind myself that it is the journey that matters, sometimes even more so than the destination.

- Julia (she/her)

This pile of scraps made me realize that there is beauty in the things we create without meaning to, and we should be more mindful of that beauty in our day to day lives.

-Annie

- Cheryl

-Justin

Freya (she/they)

- Abbey (she/her)

- Sollune (she/they)

- Lilah (she/her)

This is a photo I took of some shelves in my room. The result of a girl getting ready for a night out, the same shelves that house everyday items used for school and self-care. I stood there looking at it thinking, "This is poetry." Almost like a time capsule of the subconscious thoughts one carries and motions one goes through as a girl in her first year of university.

- Meg (She/Her)

- Pragya Mittal (she/her)

• Zohal

-Serena (she/her)

-Cam

-Anchaly Senthilvel (she/her)

-Kristin

My week has been really chaotic, so I wasn’t really able to observe things in depth in my surroundings, but I found this photo from last Thursday.

I know it just seems to be a picture of a random car’s radio, but this has context.

I had a really bad day that day, and I was driving to my mom’s work to pick her up, and I was waiting in the parking lot ruminating. I was going through the different radio channels, and my ruminating stopped when I heard this song (Sweater Weather by The Neighbourhood) because this song was one of my top songs on Spotify Wrapped in 2021. So it kinda took me back to that year and I was kind of missing it, which is weird because people usually don’t like being reminded of their covid era (lol).

The reason why I found this poetic is because I found it fascinating that a simple things (like a song) can allow people to shut off their current thoughts and bring them back to a meaningful (or simpler) time in their lives.

Anyways, I don’t know if it really is that poetic, but I thought it could be worth mentioning!

Sandy (she/her)

- Yash Katyal (He/Him)

-Sumeet (He/Him)

— Elita (she/her)

- Coral Hetherington (she/her)

• Lulu Liu (them)

What a visual; a man's hands, and a ladybug. A force far more powerful than she will ever be, larger than thousands of her little bodies, and she had nowhere to go. While it is such a common thing for humans to see little bugs and scoop them up and release them after (typically out of mere curiosity), I couldn't ignore the feminist implications of this image. It is simply intriguing.

-Mia

Kuvar Dhaliwal (He/Him)

- Chanpreet (she/her)

I wondered what constituted certain plants to be deemed worthy of being inside. I asked if the plants wondered the same.

Harper (she/her)

- Jessica Lam (she/her)

David T. (He/Him)

-Anna (she/her)

- Veronica

This is an image of 2 porta-potties I saw at thr construction site of Oakridge centre. It may seem kind of dumb, but I think it's very poetic in the how the 2 stalls stand out. If you were to stand near the construction site, you'd be overwhelmed by the ear-shattering sounds of power tools and the gigantic cranes towering over you, but these two porta-potties stand stock-still in wait. What strikes me about these two characters is their symmetry and stillness among its messily-built and constantly moving surroundings. In a way, I think the porta-potties convey a stability and confidence that comes with the company of another person. But also, they're filled with poop and many other disgusting things so I may just be spouting nonsense!

Oranges themselves mean love to me. They hold memories of my dad peeling them for me when they have especially thick skin, of my ex boyfriend holding segments up to the light so he can hand me the ones without seeds, of sharing a mandarin from a friend’s lunch bag.

This photo evokes a sense of loneliness. Who left this mandarin here? Was it purposeful? If not, will they know it’s gone? Will it be eaten, or thrown away?

I felt a sense of connection with this mandarin. As if I was the only one to notice its presence. It was a bit funny to see fruit on the floor—mundane yet unordinary.

☆Sarah Li (she/her)

Arjun

• Jacobo Abad Gonzalez (he/him)

• Colleen (She/Her)

- Elizabeth (she/her)

-Go Nakamura (he/him). 

Hi everyone! My name is Stacey, and I use she/her pronouns. The poetic thing that I found is a blue light shining on a wall in BC Binnings at UBC. It caught my eye since it was the middle of the day, so I was confused as to how this occurred. In a way, it almost looks like moonlight/spotlight. This effect occurred since there is a window that reflected this light, but there was some blue reflective board against the window. There happened to be enough daylight to shine through and reflect onto the wall. I find this to be poetic since I’ve never seen this, and it also has both day (since it is daytime during then) and night (the effect of the blue board against the window).

Emily (she/her)

-Hayden

-roz <3

I was walking around campus getting to know some students when I heard construction and felt compelled to look up. Sometimes the most beautiful thing we can do is see something, and I don't mean to see and recognize what we know of something like how we see an apple as a apple. But instead let our minds melt into wonder and witness the possibilities over the limitations of our world in the same way we see galaxies; that kind of seeing.

The person who is working on that building is probably used to what they do, but to me, I see sparkles and cosmos erupting from their hands. Where they are doing another days work to some, to me they hold the light and my wonder at how there is magic in the everyday if we lay our eyes bare to all life's potential.

If we opened ourselves up to the evolution of our knowing in all its context of emotion, story, and teaching rather than just plain old textbook knowing---the love we could hold for each other would be revolutionary. Maybe with this we'd shine, realizing that just because this light that we hold isn't untouchable like the stars and isn't known in all its glory---doesn't mean it's meaningless.

And besides, whose to tell me it's more beautiful to be bewitched by the unknown of strangers from afar, than knowing the outlines of my lovers palm?

Aspirations to create, a hunger for newness. Green turned brown, sultry turned piercing. From afar it appears elementary, but each step forward reveals a new intricacy.

-Shannon (she/her)

This leaf marches across the road, a print in time that anchors me in the present while reminding me that life is fleeting.

-Tate (He/Him)

— Mariana (she/her)

- Yun Kim

• Patricia (she/her)

- Katrina

Beautiful views and nature have always been my greatest inspiration for writing and poetry. This time, it was sunset, and we were rushing to return our bikes before the rental shop closed. We didn’t stop to take perfect pictures, but sometimes the beauty finds you when you least expect it.

As we biked along the seawall, the sunlight felt elusive—appearing and disappearing behind curves and barriers. Each turn was like a question: would the light return, or would it vanish again?

It wasn’t exactly during this moment, but later, still by the sea, I noticed a strong smell. It was like dried squid or grilled fish with heavy canola oil. It wasn’t a scent I particularly liked, but it felt strangely fitting. The paradox that struck me was this: the smell of the sea reminded me of these cooked foods, but at the same time, those foods contain the sea itself. Whether it’s seawater or the creatures within it, the sea exists in them too. It made me wonder—was the sea in the food, or was the food a part of the sea? It felt like a chicken-and-egg question, an endless cycle where one contains the other.

During 2023, I spontaneously took this image of my friends on set for a school film. It was not during filming, but while they were talking casually during a break.

The short film in question is about 3 friends (2 in the photo) having to pick their universities. While they want each other to pursue their dreams, they all are willing to sacrifice their own. At the end they are force to come to terms with the impossibility of that future.

Somehow this photo feels like part of the film; The lighting, framing and body language all feels intentionally depicting a late night between 2 friends simply enjoying each others company one last time. In a sense, it probably feels that way because it's true, it is a moment between friends nearing our graduation. It might be on set, but we were hanging out, enjoying each other's company in the dead of night. Now that I have become the futures of the characters, I cant help but see the unintentional poetry in this accidental image, how it represents the film, the feelings behind the film, and the reality all at once.