A letter of Introduction

My name is Anthony Baende Ryder. I was born and grew up in the Democratic Republic of Congo. I then migrated to the US in the early 90s. This is my second year at the University of Houston. My previous experiences with formal writing were obtained through the English Composition class I and II at Houston Community College.

I think that good writing is both a necessity and an art. It is a tool that is used to exchange messages and at the same time it could be made more enjoyable for the reader by simply respecting certain principles of literature and expression of artistic beauty. In my past experience, writing has been challenging to me in the sense that it usually takes me several revisions of my drafts to make me feel that I had ultimately matched what I initially felt or meant.

Here is my problem. On the one hand, we live in a society and a civilization dominated by speed and quality and summarized by the motto: the quicker the better. On the other hand only those among us who understand quickly and communicate well to others perform well in our society, the question becomes then how could one express his or her own idea quickly and in a convincing manner? It is my belief that parts of the answer lies in the knowledge of Poetry as a way of expression. Therefore, my expectation for this class is to become familiar with the rules that shape the art of Poetry.

Finally, as a hobby I like to maintain my self in a good physical shape through regular aerobic exercises.