Hi everyone, here is my final portfolio for the semester including all the poems that I used for workshop:

Reflection:

In the beginning of this semester, I was a little nervous to take this class because I didn't have any background in writing poetry nor was I interested in reading it, besides the regular internet poetry I would come across. I was also nervous about the expectations for this class in general, but the further we got into it, the more comfortable I became. This class has taught me so much in the short amount of time that we were together and I do wish that we were able to see it through till the end.

Coming into this class, I had very vague knowledge on poetry and believed it to be frankly uninteresting. I always thought that poetry was only about emotions and writing in vague terms for the reader to essentially unlock the secret message, but I learned that it was about much more. Poetry is about the journey that you take the readers on and a form of expression. Poetry is full of emotion, and story and exploration. It allows the poet to explore their deepest and wildest thoughts, in only a few words.

Looking back on the semester, I never would have thought that I would be able to write poetry that I was truly proud of, but I did. This class has allowed me to be open and honest within not only my work, but the way that I expressed myself and it has allowed me to truly explore my creativity. Everyone in this class has truly inspired me to continue writing, even if it is just for my own purpose.

I also wanted to thank you Mat, for creating such a welcoming environment since day one for all of us as your students and for always pushing us to step out of our comfort zones.