Before we begin I think it would be beneficial to address certain subjects, delve a bit into some particular words to try and find the meaning—or at least a meaning—for what we’re about to get in to. Yeah, I’m talking about Runestone. But what is a Runestone exactly? Well, it doesn’t turn lead into gold like some other fancy rocks out there, nor will it hatch into a dragon if thrown in the fire. But what it can do is tell a tale of heroic proportion, boldly boast of mortal feats and martial prowess, or sing one’s praises long after they perish from this world.
Runestones were used by those prideful Scandinavians way back in the day, carving into naked stone their windswept poems, shield wall songs and Viking exploits, usually in singular praise to some individual more active and vocal than the rest. These stones seem to say, “Clearly I was an important person. Look at what was carved about me!” Now some might consider this to be shameful boasting, but I think there lies within us all a call similar in motive and intent. Who doesn’t secretly want their name to be regarded for all time?
So why all this claptrap about stones and future glory? Runestone is the name of our undergraduate literary magazine, a place reserved specifically for all of us budding writers who want to both write something worth publishing and see other undergraduate works. Runestone offers both.
So I’ll ask the question again: why Runestone? Let’s face it: we’re not going old school with chisel and rasp, ink and parchment is so last century, and yet we still wish to immortalize ourselves through words. Runestone is an online journal; it will act as the great preserver, the ark of undergraduate literature that will withstand and endure the tests of time, growing fuller and more robust as the ages unfurl. No pages will be marred by the passing of seasons, nor will the fires of Caesar scorch this treasured trove; it will live on in the digital universe, forever preserved as a testament to the skills and imagination of the underdog undergrads.
In our new age of digitally inspired diaspora—the mass migration from print to byte—the path to immortality no longer lies in gouged granite or stained parchment. The new permanence is saved files and shared folders, hyperlinks and blogs. Aptly named, Runestone is the future’s tool in keeping our works alive.
With Runestone, our works will never fade.
Meet the blogger:
Charles DuBois is a graduate of the Hamline University BFA program where his major was creative writing in fiction. He also likes to eat popsicles while driving with the window down mid-winter, which he erroneously believes is an allusion to being cool.
