Melanie Goodreaux’s Poetry Workshop

I had always thought of poetry as a complicated structured form of writing. Malanie’s workshop however, opened my eyes to a more creative and serene form of writing allowing my pen to speak my mind. Poetry doesn’t mean my line have to rhyme; although they can its more about imagery, humanity, emotion, and relatability. As a class, we analyzed 3 different types of poems and interpreted their meanings. In a similar form, we practiced writing a poem of our own explaining a story in our lives. Each student in the class related to the poems in a different way allowing each of us to arrange a poem of our own

My version of:Joe Brainard’s “I Remember”

 

I remember devouring a bite of meat

Looking at the endless plains in a yurt in Mongolia

Prepared by my host mother

Only to realize moments later I just ate horse

 

I remember the sound of my soccer cleats

Grinding against the concrete

As the bright summer sun is setting in the back

On the narrow street in my hometown in Egypt

 

William Carlos Williams “The Red Wheelbarrow”

 

So much depends upon

The little yellow button

In the conductor’s cart, and when pushed

Echoes the train station with

“stand clear of the closing doors please”

 

My version of “I Remember”, allowed me to concisely set an image of my experience in the two countries I have visited in detail. I can recall the exact memory and flavor of the horse I ate, and the wind blowing as I was standing in the emptiness of the Mongolian land. I was also able to recollect the memories of my childhood in Egypt playing soccer with my neighbors, sliding on the concrete as my cleat’s studs scratched against the gravel.

In my version of “The Red Wheelbarrow,” I chose a topic everyone in the class can relate to which is the New York City MTA. The prominent words “stand clear of the closing doors” echo through every train station since 2000. Also I chose this specific line because I personally met Charlie Pellett, the voice that was chosen at Bloomberg.

 

All in all, poetry has been effective in expressing my ideas. And as others read my poetry, they have a different interpretation based on their personal experiences. Melanie’s workshop not only allowed me to write 3 of my own poems but opened my eyes to a creative lens in literature.