Cheryl Leslie

I am a poet who will be entering graduate school to attain my M.F.A. in fall of 2011. I am a life-long poet; I wrote my first poem at ten years of age. I have been published online, in The Chicago Tribune, Scholastic Magazine and in Talking Leaves, the literary magazine of Indiana University-Purdue University, Columbus (IN). I was born and raised in Detroit, MI. I left the Detroit area in 2001 and have lived in several states, including Arizona and Illinois. I have traveled through various states and especially enjoy Michigan's Great Lakes. Eventually, I hope to visit Ireland to investigate my Irish heritage. My main loves are reading, writing, art and music. I believe the arts should be accessible to all and begin at a young age. I advocate strongly for schools to instigate and improve their fine arts programs, especially reading programs. I am a parent of grown children. My parents are both deceased and I am the eldest of four. My youngest daughter is writing poetry like her mom which makes me happy and proud. Of cousre, I am proud of all my work, including my children!
I love poetry, writing it and thinking about it. Of course, I am an avid reader of literature of all types, but poetry always has been close to my heart since my exposure to it as a child. I write to share my experience and observations. I feel I have done my job as a poet if I can instill in my reader the feelings I had during my experience or if the reader can see what I see when I write of my observances and understand where my heart and mind are within the words I write.
Come and join me in a world of life's little stories...get acquainted (or re-acquainted) with poetry. I hope you will enjoy my writings as well as the writings of so many other wonderful poets.