Hello! My name is Jessica. When I found out about this blog posting, I became very excited to see the results of what others would post. The reason for my excitement is due to the fact that I just recently got involved in the world of poetry. Up until a few quarters ago, I tended to stray away from reading or writing poetry. I think one of the reasons for my distance of poetry was because I didn't fully understand it. Like most children, I grew up reading Shel Silverstein and loving every silly poem of his that I could get my hands on. As I grew older, however, poetry didn't seem to entice me anymore. The older I got the more I was led to believe that poetry had to be overly analyzed in order to understand it. After taking a poetry class offered at OU-C, I came to find that this is a common conclusion for many students. We are taught to look at poetry in such depth that the word "poem" sometimes scares us. The act of solely reading a poem for enjoyment can be pushed to the back burner at times. Fortunately, I also learned from this class how to view poetry in a non-threatening way. Poetry has many aspects to it. Poetry can be humorous and silly or sincere and emotional. It is meant to be pleasing to the reader. Thanks to that class and the instructor, I now see poetry in a brand new light. I actually find satisfaction in not only reading poems but writing them too. A year ago I would have never dreamt of saying these words let alone reading poems on my own free will.
Now, I am not a seasoned poet by any means. I am an amateur in every way. Even though this is the case for me, I am going to share a poem I wrote. It was the first poem that I had ever written outside of middle school. While I am nervous about posting something personal, I am also excited. Since I am new to the Writing Center, I selected this poem to give insight into who I am. I thought this poem would be a great way to introduce myself.
I suggest other students give this type of personal poetry, maybe even this exact format, a try. Believe me it really is interesting and fun to see what you come up with. It is also a simple, yet wonderful, way to test the waters of your poetry skills (for amateurs like me) ; ). Here it is-- enjoy!

Origins
I am from hand-me-down clothes,
Reebok shoes and line-drying.
I am from shutters trimmed in green paint,
A wooden porch swing stained and hanging
Always in use during the spring and summer months.

I am from weeping willow trees
And patches of daisies,
Both reminders of the internal
And external splendor of my mother.

I am from hunts for the perfect live Christmas tree,
Hiking trails and camping trips.
I am from McKinnis' and Henson's,
Margaret and Mabel,
Loving, thoughtful, and from the heart.

I am from fairytales and bedtime stories,
Nightly tuck-ins and "don't let the bedbugs bite".
I am from family get-togethers--
Cousins, aunts and uncles included.

I am from "never met a stranger"
And "use your imagination".
I am from saying your prayers before you eat;
"God doesn't judge and neither should you";
"Love thy neighbor even when you don't want to".

I am from tea parties with my mom,
"Would you like crumpets with that?"
Concerts with my dad,
Occasional meet-n-greets with the bands.

I am from Columbus, Ohio,
A mixed breed--
German, Cherokee Indian, Dutch, and Irish.
I am from Bratwurst and Sauerkraut,
Peanut butter and pickle sandwiches.

I am from Sunday dinners,
Tuesday family game nights.
I am from scrapbooks of pictures
Beautifully displayed for all to see.

I am from unconditional love
And eternal family bonds.
I am from those moments--
A patch from the family quilt,
Held together by stitches of memories,
Another added every day.