I also focus on the line “was more painful,” which splits the poem in half and shifts the tone from light and full of potential (like a flower bud in spring) to something unexpectedly heavy and emotional. By identifying how the word “painful” alters the mood and challenges the reader’s initial assumptions, I demonstrate my attention to the emotional weight of individual words. This kind of analysis shows that I am not just summarizing the poem, but interpreting how its structure and language choices work together to create meaning.

Something I find challenging is trusting my interpretations and letting them stand. This applies to both reading and writing. While working on the Perusall assignments or the CraftTalks, I often felt nervous about posting my thoughts out of fear that someone would say I was wrong or disagree with me. Over time, I became a bit more comfortable, but it’s still something I struggle with. I often second-guess myself and worry about how others might react to my interpretations. When it comes to revising, I find it difficult to work with what I already have. I tend to want to start over completely, especially when new ideas come up that I’m excited about but don’t know how to fit into my current draft. Sometimes starting over helps, and I end up with something I like better, but other times, it’s just time-consuming and doesn’t feel like real revision. Learning how to integrate new ideas into existing work is still a skill I’m working on.