Most of my writing, including all of these poems, is free verse or something close to it. Given the extremely personal subject matter, I feel that free verse is more expressive and better at capturing the individuality of my subjects, the people I know who sparkle brightly enough that I cannot resist writing about them.
It's a basic hazard of knowing a poet —eventually, you will end up preserved in verse. I can think of very few of my close friends about whom I haven't written any poetry. Each of these poems is dedicated to the person who inspired it. Of course, poetic license has been taken; my loved ones are only inspiration. That said, nothing in these poems should be taken too seriously or literally.
Who am I?
I'm a university student. I've lived in Louisiana all my life, and I love it. I've been writing poetry since I was eight, but I really threw myself into it as an art form at twelve. My teachers have always been very supportive and helpful, especially Mrs. O'Neal at C. E. Byrd High.
I come from a huge, blended family. I have two blood sisters, one half-sister, three stepsisters, one stepbrother, and one cousin who basically fostered with us through high school. I like cats, reading, and not having to share a bathroom (not that I've ever had that particular pleasure).
I'm a a Cancer born in the year of the Rabbit. If it's possible to find a zodiac combination with more water influences, I haven't heard about it. In simple terms, that means I'm moody, artistic, emotional, intuitive, and extremely frustrating. My boyfriend deserves a medal, if not a nomination for sainthood, for putting up with me and my mood swings.
I'm fundamentally a nice person, I promise, but my personality won't matter in a hundred years, and I hope these poems will.
Contact
You can reach me by e-mail:
Mary Bamburg : shahrizaipoet at gmail fleck com
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