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Reflection:

Before this semester - before this class - I was critical of poetry. I thought it was pretentious in its ambiguity and too posh in its vocabulary. I thought it was just an extension of a poets' ego. But further down the line I discovered something else. See, I was under the impression that poetry was like a king on a throne, thinking high and mighty of itself. And that only a few would be able to understand its complexity and that it wanted to be vague to alienate those unworthy. But after realizing what poems could be, a vessel of a memory, an emotion, an ode to a certain beauty, or simply a personal letter from the poet, I realized poetry is more akin to a humble beggar. One that doesn't present itself lavishly but sits alone. The reader has to take the initiative to approach it and sit down with it and learn its story. It doesn't demand attention but if you spend time with it, it might offer more than meets the eye.

I had to break a lot of old habits. I assumed that each poem had a specific intended meaning. Each time I approached a poem I tackled it like solving a code. I wasn't satisfied with making my own interpretation if it wasn't what the poet had intended. After breaking this habit did I enjoy poetry for what it is - a journey. Another habit I had to break was not reading a lot of poems. I realized only through the class exercises that inspiration can come from anywhere. I can learn new strategies in different places. I was too stubborn to realize I didn't have all the tools to become the best version of a poet I can be.

During my poetry writing experience throughout the semester, my poems aimed to tackle a certain major theme I saw in the world - whether it was societal, existential, or personal issues. Each one of my college classes gave me an insight that I wanted to reflect in my writing. I think I really developed my voice but still have some work and hone in on my strengths. I do plan to branch out my topics more. I never wrote a poem that a personal account of something, like a memory or person. It will have to be something I would like to work on in the future.