Leanne

[alonso ramoran]

I was going to post a poem in the poetry exercise for the sestina, but being that Leanne Hanson was the one who started the thread among the majority of other threads in that forum, I felt like I should say a couple words to revere her memory. I honestly feel a little bad saying something only now that I feel obligated to as opposed to when I first read of her passing, because it did affect me in that moment. I just never knew what to say or if what I said would be good enough, but now that I feel I should say something, I'm thinking nothing I say will do her justice.

With my short experience in reading and writing poetry over the span of only a few years, her words are what captivated me more than any other poet I have read so far. It might sound like I'm not saying much, but something tells me that after decades of reading and writing, I'll never read another writer like her.

I've also read about how she's a teacher; and what a teacher she was if people like me, who hardly knew her as a person and vise versa, are still learning from her, whether it be from the exercise threads or her poems or just reading her responses to those who were lucky enough to banter with such a mind. She made, no, makes it possible to learn through this site and, in turn, inspires growth and unbridled (but not unchecked) creativity in poetry.

Laugh until the summer, Leanne