Free College Admissions Essays: My First Poem

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My First Poem For most people, agreeing to read in front of the classroom is not a defining moment in their lives. Yet for me, standing up in front of all my classmates and reading my poem was the moment that introduced me into the world of speaking English publicly. That experience guided me to be the independent, determined person that I have become and still becoming. I was 16 years old when my mother decided that it was time for us to move from the capital of Peru, Lima, to the rural town of Ellington, CT. Up until this moment the world as I knew it had been very busy and active, surrounded by my closest friends and family. In this world there existed only one language, Spanish, and only one me. Breaking out of this bubble and going out …show more content…

So I did. I wrote my first poem in English and submitted it. The next day I entered my English class and there I was, in the back of the room isolated socially and linguistically, which made me hopelessly shy. I firmly shook my head when the teacher approached me to ask me to read my poem in front of the class despite the fact that she had told me that my poem was one of the best. I was momentarily relieved to have avoided a situation that aggravated my timidity. As I sat in solitary contemplation, I was aware of my classmates looking at me with confusion. In a moment of impulse, I became determined to prove that I was able to be at the same level as my classmates. I approached the teacher’s desk confidently and surprised to see me, she, as I hoped she would do, proceeded to ask me a series of questions about my well being and then asked: “Do you want to read your poem for us?” My mind raced in this moment that I suddenly felt inadequately prepared for, but I reached down into the depth of my memory and confidence and with a fearful but determined voice I finally said “Yes.” After reading my poem out loud, I was immediately rewarded by the applause of my classmates. As I returned to my seat, I realized that this moment was a turning point for me. I had faced my fear of speaking English in front of people and overcame it in that

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