April 15 2015
Dear Ms. Maio,
The poetry unit has almost been like a journey for me because I have learned so much and improved as a writer. I feel that my Ekphrastic poem, Reflections, is my best poem. Before writing this poem, this unit was very difficult for me. I was having a tough time getting my ideas down and putting it in poem form. In class and for homework I would always steer myself away from working on a poem and research my poet or complete an analysis instead. Finally one day- the day we were learning about Ekphrasis poems, I had my notebook out and just wrote. This was kind of a turning point for me and from then on writing my poems came a little easier to me. Aside from the fact that it helped me complete my other poems, I personally think it turned out to be pretty good (after some revisions, of course). I feel I had a clear point of view and good use of imagery and descriptive language. For example, “how we would/ watch/ the sun set/ over the tall steeple…†This line creates a strong image in my mind and hopefully the reader’s as well. I consider Reflections to be my best poem.
Some of the strengths that were present in my poem, Reflections, were correct use of imagery, strong descriptive language, and most importantly a clear perspective. The point of view that the poet or narrator takes on is a key role in making the poem. In my poem, I portrayed the idea of a young girl, relaxing on the water, reminiscing on memories that mean a lot to her, but also bring back emotional times. This was meant to come across throughout the poem and help the reader understand the writing better. In my opinion, some of my other poems did not have as clear of a perspective. For example, my couplet poem has a point of view that may be a little more challenging to interpret and it could either lead to some questions with the audience or a complete understanding. Looking back on the strengths of my best poem, it is clear that some of my poems could have a better point of view.
Writing poetry has affected me by making me more aware as writer. Little things such as using vivid descriptions and strong literary devices would often be missing in my writing before this unit. These small factors have a large effect in any writing and can make the difference between a good piece and a great piece. My previous descriptions would be vague and would not support my point of view. Poetry has reminded me that descriptions and literary devices can play a key role in a piece of writing. I have learned techniques and simple ways to make this effective in my writing to hopefully improve it and make it easier for the reader. Writing poetry has helped me in many ways including becoming more aware as a writer.
Sincerely,
Maggie Jiser