This creative thesis consists of a collection of original poetry. The poems, written in the style of the confessional, follow one speaker through the trials and joys of family, neighborhood community, work, and self. Though the poems do not follow a narrative or chronological path, they are organized by theme and subject matter. The cohesive thread that runs through the collection is the exploration of the question of both personal and societal responsibility. The speaker in the poems constantly challenges the expectations and conventions of responsibility by looking back on the events and situations that brought her to where she is in the present of the collection. / Department of English