poetry to me

As multiple people have mentioned before, poetry is a release and it is something that I love to do. I have never been the best writer in my classes for essays or shorts stories. I have struggled at times with how to construct proper essays and write what the teacher is looking for. However, I feel that poetry is a different type of writing and it has been one that has allowed me to express myself, in my own way. As a little girl and even today, I like to sometimes just shut myself up in my room, take out a notebook and fill the pages with how I am feeling, what I am thinking or what is going on around me. It is a release and escape for me to be able to just let the words flow onto a piece of paper. It is there that I can express and say/write certain things that I may not be able to express vocally, but getting it down on paper and outside of me in some aspect, helps me understand whatever it is I'm trying to convey or it helps me deal with the thought, emotion or issue. What I love about poetry is that there are no true rules. Poetry could be like one of the pieces we read last week, where it is only two or three lines, or poetry could be pages long. Poetry can also rhyme or be metaphoric, or it can be straightforward. For me, writing poetry has been therapeutic and a way for me deal with my emotions. I used to write just for me, as an escape, but as I write more and more I am starting to find myself writing poetry and lyrics for others, realizing that my poetry can not only be enjoyable to and for me, but also for others. I think this class will help me in growing this new found knowledge and make my experience of writing more enjoyable, for me as the writer and for anyone who wants to be the audience (or so I hope).