Whether we are focusing on poetry, fiction, or non-fiction, I strive to help my students trust that the process of the writing will lead to unexpected truths they never realized they knew. That process, which involves both the senses and the mind, gives and gives--as long as we enter into it. By paying attention to what we see, "playing" with language, and handing over control to pen and paper, my students learn about who they are and become comfortable expressing their most authentic selves. A richness comes with letting go. Throwing right, wrong, and perfection out the window, and giving up stifling fear (i.e., of misspelled words, missed punctuation, etc.), many students rediscover the joy of writing.
Paying attention hands them the things of this world. Memory presses against the present day. Imagination presses against reality.
Students who show interest in crafting and shaping their work are provided with the tools to help them revise. The focus swerves from accepting all the input received to form and style. I read student work very closely, offering line by line comments and suggestions.
My own successes include awards such as the Iowa Book Prize for my first collection of poetry, a fellowship in creative writing from the National Endowment for the Arts, The Nation magazine's Discovery/92nd Street Y Poetry Prize, publication in prestigious journals, and more.