Alejandra Ochoa""Poetry became a hobby in the seventh grade. Looking back at it now, I realize how much I have grown as a poet, artist, and person. Having had a poem published in the eighth grade, I knew I had, at the very least, some potential. Writing became lessof a hobby and more of an outlet during my sophomore year of high school. By this time, I seldom wrote as I lacked the motivation and inspiration to do so. I found that it was only during intense emotion that I picked up my pen. At times this emotion was my own, at others, it was an empathetic connection to a loved one. I never intended to make a living out of writing, I simply longed for a chance to escape my own subconscious. With broken pens, I taught myself to knit a blanket of words that swaddled me up and kept me whole. I do not know if my words will resonate with others, but I know what they mean to me, and I hope they may come to mean something to you as well."" Read More Read Less