I was ten years old when I wrote my first poem. When I was a junior in high school, I submitted that very first poem I wrote in a poetry contest. I was awarded first place for my poem aUnknown, a and was published on the Suny Cobleskill Humanities web site during the fall of 1998. That was a great accomplishment for me at that time in my life. I didnat have the kind of confidence in myself to have thought I could win. I didnat believe that anyone who read my poetry would understand it or me. For me, poetry is how I express myself through all emotions, and that is why it means so much to me when other people can read my work and say awowa and just feel the emotion pouring from the pages. To be able to combine works from past to present and create a book of my poetry for others to read is the most exhilarating experience for me. I have waited a long time for this. Read. Enjoy. Feel.