I'm kind of in the same boat. I've never really had any formal guidance until now, I just read a lot and did my own thing. I would make minor revisions, but I think that I was missing out by not taking advantage of the more thorough overhaul strategies that we're using now. It'll be interesting to see what trying to dig deeper is going to bring out of our work.

I feel the exact same way and I am one of the first people to have their poems in workshop and I am freaking out! I barely let anyone read what I write because I pretty much think it is all crap. I feel like the only comments am I going to receive are "dumb" and "who cares". Some of my poems I think are okay, but once I read everyone else's I am like oh god, I suck. Very nervous for Thursday's class!

You guys will be fine. Just remember that this is a beginner's class, so most of us are in the same boat. Plus, no one is looking to be mean and most are probably not completely sure in their workshop/critque skills. THe bigger problem people might have tomorrow is getting people to talk about about their poetry! Workshop classes can be quiet, especially for the first couple ones, until people get comfortable with each other.

Besides since everyone else still has theirs to go, i'm sure they will be nice. Othewise you'd be wating to bring out the knives when you workshop them! ;)

I am nervous too about workshopping my muse work. I have always kind of been on my own with poetry and have never had any real instruction, so don't worry we are in the same boat!

Reading all these comments make me feel so much better!! Workshop was brutal for me today. Not that anyone was mean in any way don't get me wrong it's still just so nerve-racking for me to share my work!! Taylor Belge - I know exactly what you mean! I'll be like "oh this poem i wrote is pretty good" then someone else will read theirs and I'm like ....damn that's better. I definitely understand!