"Because I Have To" Becomes "Because I Want To"

Hello!

               This poetry assignment has really gotten me thinking, folks. And by poetry assignment I mean the assignment that required me to write “Because I Have To,” the post right before this one. When my English teacher assigned poetry, I was really put off. I absolutely hate writing poetry. Especially poetry that has to fit in a rubric. Especially poetry that everyone has to write. Especially poetry that everyone has to read in front of everyone.  To me, it seems like you are really taking the “soul” of the assignment and watering it down to the point where it doesn’t mean anything. I say as much in my poem, as well as the commentary. So, because it’s what I do, I bitched and moaned about the assignment. I vowed to write the snarkiest, angst-fueled poem in the history of angsty teenage poetry.

               I tried to do it, too. I spent hours contemplating what to write about and how to write it. I poured a lot of time into making it the best poem it could possibly be. I tried and tried and tried, and then when I got done trying I tried some more. When it was finally done, I looked at it and I was proud. It was something that I put the time into and it paid off. And I realized when I was done that I had actually really enjoyed the project. It was really pretty fun.

               So what I’ve learned from this is that if I actually put effort into something, I enjoy it. Hopefully that remains true with everything, because I’d start putting more effort into a lot of things if that were the case. I mean, wouldn’t everything be just a little more awesome if you didn’t think of them as a job or chore, and instead thought of it as fun? I think that a profession in which that is the case is everyone’s dream. Think of the possibilities! Digging ditches and flipping hamburgers would no longer be a dead end job that you’re stuck in for the rest of your life! It’s now your dream job! . . . But maybe that’s too much to ask.

               Instead, perhaps it would be fruitful to simply put more effort into everything you do. That way you can feel much more accomplished when you do get something worthwhile done. I know it worked for me! Anyways, I’m done with this post. If you’d like, go read my poem and leave a comment on it. My AP Lang teacher wants me to submit it to the literary magazine from my school, but I’m not sure. (439)