Thanks to a collaboration between the Urban Appalachian Community Coalition, Oyler Community Learning Center and Thomas More University, Core Member Pauletta Hansel (who also serves as one of TMU’s Artists in Residence) is again facilitating creative writing activities with Oyler’s Journalism Class. Check out their first collaborative poem of the school year.

Who We Are

By Oyler’s Journalism Class and Pauletta Hansel

I am a kid from Ohio.
I am a kid who will work hard to get out of my neighborhood.
I am creative in many different ways. I am funny. Hahaha.
I am a fan of K-pop—I call myself army.
I am the most irritating one out of my mama’s kids, like a wild horse, always trying to be free.
I live my life within the pages of a book.
I am an isolated person, away from people, shy and quiet— someone who doesn’t like to talk much and be in front of attention.
A soft voice, with loud intentions. I reach for success but I struggle with where to start.
That’s where I am—Growth, Trying, Expanding. I am someone with a rare open-minded mindset that suffers from anxiety and mixed emotion.
I am a rose. My outer persona hurts like prickly thorn so I can protect my heart.
I am going to bed late and waking up early.
I am made from destroyed plans replaced with new ones.
I am the center of my own universe.
I am a goal that younger kids want to reach.