I went to your second period poetry workshop for Ava's Smile. I wouldn't say I love hearing and writing poetry, but I think that this workshop really changed my perspective on what poetry really means to some people. Several of the BHSEC students wrote poems called "Where I Come From," and at that moment, I realized poetry is not only a way to express a humorous or sorrowful idea or event, but rather it's more about self-expression. I honestly never thought about using poetry to describe any aspect of myself, but I noticed that all of the poems I heard either had an underlying message about their life, or just explicitly told us what they wanted us to know about themselves. And that's what I thought was really cool--the fact that I wouldn't necessarily think there's something heart-breaking or unfortunate beneath the surface of one's work, like my first impression of Junot Diaz's Drown. Of course, anyone can hide their feelings or straight up tell their readers what they feel and why they feel that way, but I've become aware that these messages are hidden behind the words. But, going back to the "Where I Come From" poems, I noticed so much more than I would have if I just asked someone to tell me where they come from. I feel as though poetry is able to fill in the holes of an every-day conversation.
Overall, I had an amazing experience listening to BHSEC students read their poems, and I am now considering to join next year's poetry workshop (if there will be one).
