I really enjoyed Melanie Goodreaux’s poetry workshop. I’ve always studied poetry in my high school english classes, but I realized I’ve never actually read poetry out loud for practice. When I first heard Melaine Goodreaux introduce herself through another poet’s poem, I was amazed by her control of emotions, tone, and style. Reading the poem in my head versus hearing her give the poem a human medium dramatically changed my perception of poetry.

I also liked how she gave us a simple outline of a poem to mimic too. For example, when we read “Wild Geese” and had to write our own version of the poem too, I found it easier to follow Wild Geese’s outline progression when writing my own poem. I used to think poetry was intimidating, complex in its phrases–I never thought I could be a poet. But Melaine helped me see that I can make great poetry by first mimicking others. I loved starting out my poem with “You don’t have to be_____” for Wild Geese because I tend to overthink my first starting sentences. It helped me approach poetry more easily to fully develop my ideas and feelings. Overall, I felt more confident as a poet, and in time, I am confident I could synthesize my own poetry structures in the future.

In terms of the actual poem “Wild Geese”, I felt warm and calm while reading it. The poem itself is inviting me to release all my worries and just think simply (like wild geese). Also, the poem reminds me that I should let go all of my fears and anxiety through the image of geese. These geese migrate two times a year because of the change in seasons. They are care-free and constantly migrate when things turn bad (cold). So when things go awry for me, I’ll remember that I just need to take a breather and/or migrate to a different plan.

“Wild Geese” also reminds me of one of my favorite poems: “Missed Time” by Ha Jin. Even though his message and topic is different, his poem gives off the same positive, grateful vibes as “Wild Geese”.  Here is his poem below:

Missed Time
BY HA JIN
My notebook has remained blank for months
thanks to the light you shower
around me. I have no use
for my pen, which lies
languorously without grief.

Nothing is better than to live
a storyless life that needs
no writing for meaning—
when I am gone, let others say
they lost a happy man,
though no one can tell how happy I was.