Estella Ramirez

I got a planter of chives at the farmer’s market a few weeks ago, so when I make baked potatoes, I just snip some up with scissors (yumm!!!).

I also planted zucchini vines that are now growing really fast in planters. I’ve recently learned they will be huge, and probably take over my porch! They are already big and amazing looking. I hope they’ll grow zucchinis and we can add them to our pasta (yummy!)

I don’t have a yard yet; I live in an apartment, but I’ve begun growing thyme and chamomile in planters on my porch. Lovely—yes? I love it.

I sent my thesis off to both Gerald Stern and my poetry guru, Kathleen Peirce. I have scheduled my comprehensive exams for the weekend of March 20th, and my thesis defense will occur on April 2nd. My MFA seems very reachable now.

My last semester of my MFA degree has begun and things are going just fine. My new students seem great, I’ve been reading A LOT, and the first draft of my thesis is done. Cyrus and Nick have given me great advice, opening my thesis to some great possibilities. I’ll be working on these (mostly about structuring the book of poems) for the next few weeks, and then I’ll be sending the manuscript to Gerald Stern, my adjunct reader, for further comments.

I’m in my third and final year, writing my thesis. The thesis is meant to be a creative manuscript of my poems. The guidelines set it at 50 pages.

I gave about 25 poems to my adviser yesterday. He should be reading them and giving me feedback in a couple of weeks. These 25 are ones that either feel done to me or are giving me particular trouble. I actually have more like 60 to work with from my 2 1/2 years in the MFA program. I saved the rest to continue to work on because they’re bad, I know they’re bad, and I’m going to make them as interesting as I can before I start showing them to my adviser.

I’m also working on a narrative poem project for my Narrative Poetry class. It is a great challenge for me. I have two narrative poems in a draft stage. I think I’ll work on them today.

I’m reading Pablo Neruda and Federico García Lorca at the moment as part of my thesis work.

As part of my assistantship, I teach Freshman English Composition. So far I’m having lots of fun with it. It has taken me a while to find my current successful teaching style. I just keep trying to find ways to improve upon it. Sometimes, I take a step back and think, am I really the teacher? I’ve been a student so long!

It’s been a lot of work. Right now, I’m teaching two classes, which is just formidable when it comes to grading essays, but working with the students is rewarding.