I was both excited and nervous to join this class. Excited, because I love literature and have really missed delving into meanings behind prose. Nervous, because I haven’t actually studied it in a group since school, let alone sharing my thoughts with a group of new people! And do you know what? I need not have been apprehensive at all.
Emma was great – she gives off such an inspiring, upbeat, and positive vibe that her energy somehow gets transmitted through the screen. She immediately made us all feel relaxed as we had the chance to introduce ourselves and greet one another. It was also a lovely surprise that a lady from New York had logged on to join the session – we were now a global group!
As all the poems were shared with us before the class, I had a rough idea on what was coming up. It wasn’t necessary to read them all beforehand though.
The class flowed seamlessly, as Emma read the poems and gave us a moment to reflect on the words. The session was very inclusive, and as there were no right or wrong answers, I felt like I could share my true thoughts.
There is something special about sharing your ideas with others, and it’s also great when they reveal things you may not have seen before. I think that is something we have all missed, especially in lockdown; the ability to share concepts and bounce ideas of people you don’t see every day.
It was refreshing to see new faces and it felt great to be part of something again. The class is welcoming and is open to all abilities, so it doesn’t matter if you’re a professional or reading poetry for the first time – Emma encourages all views.
One thing that struck me since taking part in the class, was the realisation of how much I had missed reading poetry. Life is so busy, that since leaving school my creative writing and poetry was put on the back burner. It was strange, actually, because it was like re-connecting with an old friend and it really gave me a big boost for the rest of the day! The class really re-ignited my passion for writing and inspired me to pick it back up again.
So, thank you so much for such a wonderful class, I definitely will join one again!