Poetry Writing

I honestly cannot believe the class has come to an end! This semester has truly been one of the craziest but thankfully, I learned so much along the way. I can be honest in that, I underestimated the demands of this course early on and had to reset and restructure to ensure that I did not fall behind. 

I think everyone can agree that the pandemic causes disruptions for everyone and I know for me, it complicated a lot. Teaching virtually while 6 year old learned virtually in the same house was chaotic in itself. I also had registered already for 3 graduate courses in the midst of the chaos. I was ready to drop or withdraw from classes and even reconsidered my career. The demands of teachers during the pandemic, the strains on being a single parent, and the demands of school weighed heavy on me as they mixed with the normal bumps and bruises of life. I cried many days and nights but here I am typing the last assignment! 

I am grateful that in the midst of all the stress, that this was one of my courses. I am not sure if I ever shared that I once had a great love for poetry. I used to enjoy reading it and writing it more than anything until my father passed away almost 10 years ago. I struggled to write after that moment so I wrote my last poem that I recited at his funeral and then put the pen down forever. When I registered for this course, never did I imagine that it would challenge me in a way to rediscover the love I once had for poetry while also making me a better teacher. I can explain the creative process better to my students and not fall into the small category of teachers that assign things that they haven’t done. Our poetry unit consisted of me actively modeling a variety of things for them and my understanding was even greater this time. 

Overall, this class not only challenged me academically but as a person altogether. I am grateful for every experience and the lessons that came along the way. I love and cherish the rediscovery of my love for poetry and the experiences that shaped me into a better teacher.

Writing poetry never seemed as difficult until I there were different restraints that I felt like I was up against. I’m not sure if that makes sense but when I used to write poetry years ago, I just poured my emotions onto the paper. I didn’t focus on key elements with the level of focus that I had to now. Thankfully, I learned a lot along the way and gained a greater understanding of different kinds of poems that were out of my comfort zone. While every poem did not always turn out the way that I may have originally envisioned, they still were something to be proud of. 

The sonnet poem was definitely one of the hardest! While the rhyme scheme was easy, focusing on the syllables was mind blowing!

I would have in my head the perfect next line but it would have too many or not enough syllables. I would get so frustrated because I had to keep changing words and I felt like I was losing my imagery. 

The list poem was fun to write but I went through the four phases of writing multiple times. When I first sat down to prewrite, I had a poem about teachers in mind. I jotted down the many hats that teachers wear and thought I was ready.

I started writing my draft and hated where it was going so I walked away from the poem until the next day. 

When I returned to my notebook, I was convinced that a list about my son had to be the way to go. I started thinking about some of the many things that he was.... an explorer... a comedian/prankster.... an open the door for you gentleman... a lovable ray of sunshine....

As my list grew, I still wasn’t happy with it. I wasn’t convinced that I could capture how much my son meant to me and the many things that I felt like he was. It was weird as I didn’t feel qualified enough to write a list poem about the most important person to me. I didn’t feel like it would be good enough.

So after balling up papers and scribbling out words, I had a conversation with a coworker about all of the things on my plate. We discussed the added struggle of being a single parent and she started telling me to give myself some compassion because in addition to being in school and teaching full time that as a single mother, I had to be a nurse, nurturer, mother, father, etc. The moment she listed about 5 things, I said “Wait! That’s it! That’s it!” She thought I was crazy because she had no idea about my assignment. I told her I would be back and ran to my classroom to finish my list. I completed my rough draft the next day and revised it before submitting. 

This poem cause me to think as an artist instead of just as a student completing an assignment. I cherished the outcome and feared not portraying my muse appropriately.

Links for images:

https://www.boredteachers.com/humor/many-hats-a-teacher-wears

https://knowyourmeme.com/photos/401460-spongebob-time-cards

While nothing tops the ekphrastic poem, the persona poem was still difficult. I think I underestimated how hard it would be to think through the mind of someone else. I believe in some ways that I may have over thought some aspects of it but I almost felt like I would be wrong if I captured their perspective wrong. I imagined how an actor/actress feels as they prepare for the role of someone else. 

Just like an actress/actor preparing for their role, a persona poem requires for you to study a person closely. Research is so important in being able to convey ideas as someone else. I thinking being honest, I could have researched more. I became set on the concept that I had for my poem so much that I wanted to make it work. I believe that a event that had more research available would have led to a potentially stronger poem.

If I had to list reasons for why I believe I have connected to poetry over the years, music and rhythm would be at the top of the list. While I enjoy deciphering the many meanings, the movement is what captures me. Our book explains that both music and rhythm help to move the poem. 

Maybe it is because of our natural instincts to follow patterns but just like in music, the sweet harmony of a good poem carries me. I used to question why songs were not considered poems and after our reading this week mentioned overlooked clichés and lyrics standing alone, I wanted to test it. I took a popular song and just read the lyrics out loud. No music. 

I acknowledged the conventions and pauses that were placed. It is amazing the meaning and/or connection that is lost when a needed element is taken away. 

 This week has been quite the challenge! Brainstorming for our ekphrastic poem made me feel like it would be easy as the ideas flowed but putting it together has been a struggle!

Our book references the idea behind “Show, don’t tell” and I cannot count how many times I have used the same statement. Image is a huge part of what engages me within a piece. I enjoying feeling as if I can experience the writing in a way that almost seems like virtual reality.

For example,  David Kirby's "Teacher of the Year," took me on a mental journey. While the poem switched in thought without any clear development, I was able to experience every part of the journey. Kirby created an image for every scene/moment. I was mentally trying to figure out what may have broken the window and unfortunately even tried to rationalize through the options. I saw the dog wearing clothes and the smiles on the faces of the elderly.

I have always felt that metaphors add so much to writing. The flow of metaphors have even been more favorable to me than similes. The ability for so many different interpretations to come from piece of work is magical to me as it opens so many possibilities. When I think about the catchy parts of songs or the lyrics that people pull for quotes on their Instagram posts, they are often metaphors. As our book points out, the balance in the tenor and vehicle is important and one must use metaphors strategically as they are not merely analogies.  

The process of writing this poem was quite eventful but I learned so much. I misread the instructions at first and struggled to create a word substitution poem from one of Jericho Brown’s poems. I think I was focused on picking which collection I would review but regardless, it was a struggle. I got close to the end when I decided to take a break. During my break from trying to figure out how to end the poem, I realized that I was doing the assignment wrong. The amount of frustration that I had with myself can not be put into words.

I look at the poem still now and think that I should finish it. I know that I did like where it was seeming to go but I felt like I wasted so much time due to my mistake. 

Once I went back and did the correct two poems, the assignment didn’t seem as stressful. I question if it seemed easier because I started with a longer poem. After both poems were complete, I was honestly happy that things happened the way that they did (well sort of). I think the process helped me to learn in essence, the “hard way”. 

Poetry to me has always been a way to convey powerful emotions. I have always been fascinated by one poem’s ability to mean something different to different people due to perception. Our perspectives allow us to create deeper meaning in the midst of the base meaning the writer intended. Our different walks in life allow for gray areas instead of just black and white.

One thing that captured my attention was the concept of talent. We are often taught that we all have a special talent or that talent is something you are simply born with, not created. Our text challenges the idea of being born with talent but rather that talent is something worked for. One must be willing to work hard and be motivated to have talent in addition to seeking inspiration instead of waiting for it. 

From what I already knew about poetry and in addition to what I have learned, a poet to me is an artist. Like an artist, poets create an image that ultimately can be interpreted many ways. They capture an experience in which others can relate to and expand upon. 

Hello Everyone!

My name is actually Brittany. Classy Urban Scholar was a name given to me by a friend and former classmate. I scrambled to think of a name for my blog and I felt the equivalent to writer’s block. He explained that Classy represents the care that I take in my representation and my role as someone that people can look up to. Urban was to be a representation of my roots and the deep thoughts that I sometimes express in regards to social justice, the exposure (or lack of) students get to diverse writers and forms of literature, my empathic traits and my “down to earth” nature. Lastly, he explained that it would not be right to not include scholar as I have always strived to do my best, grow and learn new things constantly even when the odds may not appear to be in my favor. After my dear friend’s explanation to why this name seemed so uniquely me, I don’t believe I could choose anything else. 

I am a graduate student at Clayton State University. I also graduated from Clayton State University in 2017 with a Bachelor’s of Arts in Mass Communications and Media Studies. I am a mother, childcare advocate, public speaker and educator. I love opportunities to make an impact and grow <3

Poetry to me is an unbound art that can take so many forms. The same poem can impact several people in different ways due to perspectives, experiences, and creativity. Poetry allows one to feel sometimes on a deeper level as they travel through the many layers of figurative language, rhythm, structure, etc. 

Poetry has been a shoulder for me to cry on in some of my weakest moments with funeral poems and comforts for girls that miss their dads. It has been a collection of my own emotions, stashed in a journal full of rhyme schemes and mental getaways. Likewise, poetry has acted as a reminder of how strong I am and that I am destined for greatness with poems such as “Still I Rise” and “Phenomenal Woman” by Maya Angelou.

While my current level of understanding of poetry seems fair, I strive to grow daily in deeper knowledge. My selections have shown variety over the years but I want to explore more minorities and cultures that have not always been easily accessible and that may not have even stood out as something of interest for me before. My desire is to expose my students to a range of poetry that has not always been seen in public education. I want students to leave my class with exposure true diversity and a view of the world that is unlike they ever imagined.