Chapbook

As I am reflecting on all of the poems I have written this semester, I am realizing how both my analytical and creative skills have developed. This is the first poetry class that I have taken, as well as the first English class in university for that matter, so writing and then critiquing others in a workshop setting was all very new to me. However, I have developed an appreciation for words and the power they have. Poems can make people smile, cry, and sometimes even both in the same poem! Now when I read my own pieces, I look for ways to improve on them which I hadn't before. These include the form of the entire poem on the page, increasing tension, bringing emotion into the poem, reaching out to a large audience, avoiding the use of cliches, describing images and visual things rather than literal explanations or things that can't be seen. I can also see the impact poetry can have on many different people, from different backgrounds. I experienced a kind of release when I wrote certain poems this year, and then others, not so much. This was a great learning experience. I found that to write about something that you are very passionate about is much more enjoyable for the author and the audience. Forcing a particular subject or form never worked out as well for me.
I have also developed interests in particular poets such as Dylan Thomas. I thought that 'Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night' was amazing and very touching. It was incredibly powerful, and I would love to be able to write as powerfully as Thomas one day. I most definitely will continue to read poems by Thomas, and try to find other poets that draw me in as much as he does.