I started out with a basic idea of a small love poem. The pink paper I used inspired a sweeter poem, and definitely influenced what I wrote. I initially just threw down some lines, and didn’t think much about how they went together or the flow, but rather just wanted to get the words out on the paper. The first draft was definitely some word soup, but showed the structure of the final draft, which didn’t end up being altogether very different.

I used each page to just tweak a few words. I liked the original concept, and didn’t want to change it too much, but definitely played around with phrasing and with how lines flowed into each other. I think my biggest challenge was remembering to create a new draft each day, because I often let poetry sit for some time between drafts. This way, I have a wholly new perspective on the poem and what it says, and editing can be a little more thorough. I felt like, with only one day between edits, I didn’t have time to let the words marinate in my head, and come back with a fresh version. At times, I felt like I was redrafting for the sake of it, and not to genuinely enhance the writing.

Ultimately, I do like how this poem turned out, and while it is not my favorite piece, I’m certainly not ashamed of it.