updated and edited on the 1st of July, 2024.

A Thank You:

Recognizing my growth as a writer, but also as a woman here on Medium has been a fantastic creative journey over these passed few years. I no longer feel as though I need to hide behind my stories or my poetry. I say this in regards to the way I no longer have a tedious hesitancy looming over me, something which held me back in my expression. Being at a point of editing out what I initially expressed in original pieces, and turning them into something completely different due to lack of confidence, or whatever it was, and still is, is slowly but surely subsiding. I've undergone changes that have made an extreme impact on my works in the best of ways. I owe many thanks to my fellow writers here in our Medium community.

For each of you, your own personal growth, and your originality; I want to take this time to thank all of you. You have helped me in my growth, whether you know so or not, you did. I felt it important for me to express this first and foremost. As most of those I look up to and read here, are incredibly unique creative beings whom exude passion, as well as vulnerability. I admire those who write with transparency, hold a standard and dedication to poetic form by use of intentional literary devices, but also those who don't let said devices constrain or effect their creative nature and end result! Thank you for motivating me to write better! Thank you for giving me words of wisdom and encouragement. For pushing me to pursue myself as a creative and try new things.

Let's take a deeper dive into the literary world of which we live!

Hello! I am... AElizabethMind

I write because I enjoy doing so. I publish to share with others. I enjoy reading literature, and writing fantasy, horror, and fiction. My imagination has guided me throughout my life, I believe it to be a part of my nature.

Being thought provoking, following a dark, grim, and lonesome theme weighs the conscious mind, yet my message of hope, my growth, and a stint of blooming as a writer and poet is far more enticing for me to chase after! I write in this space not only for me, but for you.

A combination of thee most absolute, perfect timing, type of muse, a muse to which one could only hope to find; loss, grief, love lost, along with having been in love and been loved in return being part of most of my inspiration... I also enjoy playing around with perspectives. These things are what brings life to my poetry, and my short stories. My innate ability to create, to imagine, is a true gift in it of itself, and I do not take such a gift for granted.

I was given an opportunity to hone in on my passion as a writer and educate myself further this passing year. A gift for which my gratitude alone cannot be expressed enough. I took advantage of this journey and had the most exhilarating time learning about myself along with my poetic self during this time.

My key takeaway has been learning how to separate myself from my pieces. As well as helping me to create overall tone, and to not only shift my perspective, but to convey my perspective (along with other perspectives,) for you, my readers.

Writing helps me find pieces of myself along my path, parts of myself that have been lost, tucked away for too many years. These pieces emerge as I write and I welcome these parts of myself with graciousness and open arms! As humans we should always be learning and evolving. I will always remember, be grateful for, and hold the upmost of respect for my educators, my colleagues, and friends.

Writing is a part of my very being, and I am thankful for everyone involved in my past, present, and my future.

Background:

I began writing poetry as an adolescent. In elementary school, my English teacher submitted a poem to a program without my knowledge. She came to me once she received the results; she was elated, and I was bursting with anticipation wondering what type of surprise she could possibly have had for me! Being asked to become a part of "The Young Authors of America" program as just a child was an honor for me. I learned writing styles and literary devices with more emphasis than than the typical public school I attended. I will cherish those years for the rest of mine. I learned more than I could have ever imagined, and met an abundance of people who enjoyed writing just as much as I did! I had no clue where that journey was taking me, but I am so happy to have been a part of it, for everything I learned, and where it led me to as a writer today. Thank You Mrs. Giordano for believing in me.

As unsure as I had been throughout life, amongst the many obstacles I have leaped over to make my way through, I am still here. I am alive, and having an ability to "get it out," onto paper... is an invaluable recommendation I received. My sheer honesty with myself when I use my pen is something I recommend and hope more would try out. Writing out my thoughts, while finding my subconscious and conscious mind intertwin is indescribable. Writing out my feelings in hopes of understanding emotion, confessing my transgressions, while composing stories with different points of view's, outcomes, and narratives... it is of mere persistence to still have an ability to do so as an adult.

I am grateful for all of my books, all of my pens, pencils, and paper.

My mother would make jokes about my obsession of pens and paper as a child, into my teenage years, and even still to this day! How excited I would become over pens, and paper was quite unusual for her to understand likely because she could not relate, or understand why, yet! They were everywhere; notebooks in colorful arrangements, pens just the same! If she could get out of bringing me along with her to stores, like "Staples," or down any stationary aisle in general, she would. Otherwise, I would beg and plead for more and more pens. If she gave into my endless pleadings... if she bought me "all of the pens, paper, and journals I had ever asked her for she would've gone broke!"

Thank you Mom, for always believing in me, and my journey as a writer. I am grateful for my childhood typewriter that I sat at for hours, and hours typing away. I am grateful for the many times you did splurge on my passion, giving into me, and gifting me with some of the best of pens and journals I had ever set eyes on. Mom, I am grateful for you; to have and to share my thoughts, my experiences, writing, years of strife, years of joy, and lessons learned with. I do not believe I would have gotten through half of the years I've come to undergo without you or the knowledge of writing to which I was fortunate enough to acquire. Nor without the many books I threw myself into in order indulge in adventures of all types, and to educate myself further on subjects of all kinds.

I owe more to writing than I could ever express.

This is who I am. A peek into my subconscious thoughts, my faults, flaws, madness, beauty, and love.

...A writer. A Poet.

I didn't recognize how much my journaling, writing, and poetry resembled a truth in literature worth acknowledging (in hopes of resonating with others,) until I was in my late 20's. It took a lot for me to publish my first poem, and publishing still takes it's toll on me to this day. I am my own worst critic, just the same as to many of my fellow writers here. I am too hard on myself, however, humbling myself has made it easier to publish my recent poetry. Molding it to become what is has.

I am honored to have a voice that is heard.

My shifted perspective has a one hell of a view :) My hope is to strike you, to resonate with you, and to evoke emotion.

Please, comment below any of my poems with thoughts, recommendations, and critiques as I continue forward on my path as a writer. Any criticism will be noted, and I will use it!

With Light; A



PS... If you're still here:

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and for your interest in my creativity and imagination. Thank you for any contributions made as well.

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