Date of Award

5-2014

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

English

Program

English (MA)

First Advisor/Chairperson

Austin Hummell

Abstract

The poems in my thesis were written in the classes I’ve taken since Summer 2010. I have added poems this current semester, Winter 2014. When I embarked on this journey to learn the craft of poetry I had no idea where it would take me. I have been challenged and inspired by my fellow students, by the poetry we read in class, and by the renowned poets I’ve been privileged to meet: Donald Hall, Henry Hughes, Natasha Trethewey, Martha Silano, Laura Kasischke, Naomi Shihab Nye, and Jonathan Johnson. With their encouragement and that of the Northern Michigan University faculty, I found my voice in poetry.

My thesis is presented in four sections. The first section is largely biographical and reflects the path I’ve traveled to become who I am today. The second section’s poems are more diverse. They deal with issues that intrigue me as a Registered Nurse and also represent my over-active imagination. The third section reflects my Catholic faith. It includes a collection about the life of a ninety year old nun and three elegies for friends who died this year. The fourth and final section is representative of the intrinsic love I feel for the heart-stopping beauty of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The windows from my desk display a small lake, maple trees and Monet inspired sunsets. I want to show you through my words how much a part of me it and its everyday magic are.

Access Type

Open Access

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