By Journalism Class and Pauletta Hansel

Poet Pauletta Hansel, who prepared Oyler students for a public presentation of their poetry at the Aronoff Theater last year, is back working with our Griffin staff, thanks to support from Thomas More College and the Urban Appalachian Community Coalition. Here’s our first group poem.
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.