Date of Award

1997

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Creative Writing

First Advisor

Michael Castro

Second Advisor

Gareth Gardiner

Third Advisor

Peter Carlos

Abstract

This project started as an exercise in a creative writing cluster class. Then I paid a visit to my mother and heard a couple of stories about two nephews that were poignant, yet amusing. I wrote them as I heard them, in conversational style, and the format of my story-poems was born.

The first three chapters cover my background, my training, the influences on my writing, and specifically, examples of three authors whose writing encouraged me to write. The training emphasized factual writing in business communications and journalism. Because of this training, most of the facts in the poems are true, but perhaps skewed a bit by my perspective. The fourth chapter is my own creative writing, divided into five sections, with appropriate introductions to each section and each poem.

I attempted to take my readers on a journey through part of my lifetime that leads to other people's lives. Many of the stories are tragic, but I do not ask or beg for sympathy, either for myself or for them. We are each changed by our relationships with people, places, and things. I like to think that mine are positive changes, but sometimes life gets in the way. And I try to make sure that any influence I have on young people is positive and builds esteem and ego.

I don't like racism, bigotry, stereotyping, and labelling people. I take people on their own merits and don't know them by the company they keep or the families they belong to. I try to reflect this viewpoint in my writing and try not to judge people.

Also, the opinions expressed are my own and they are not colored by anyone else's views. I ask the reader to accept them as they are; to feel sad when I feel sad; and to laugh when I laugh.

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