“ I was raised by two loving and supportive grandparents, David and Louise Drain. They instilled in me the morals and wisdom that helped me to grow into such a warm person and a mature writer.” Jasmin who wrote her first poem in the fifth grade, has been writing for all of seven years. Although her first poem resulted from a class assignment, she quickly discovered the power of poetry for giving expression to her inner voice.

Jasmin’s fifth grade teacher, LaVonne Taliaferro-Bunch, nurtured Jasmin’s phenomenal talent and encouraged her to explore a variety of literary genres. Ms. Bunch also entered Jasmin’s work into the Marriott Corporation's “10 Who Are 10” contest, which Jasmin won.

In time, her writings became even more personal and more descriptive. “I write to try to reach everyone, so that whoever reads my poems will realize that there are people who share their feelings. I also want my readers to be able to visualize and create a mental image as they read each line and stanza of my poetry.”

Jasmin credits two teachers who have had the greatest influence on her writing, Ms. Monica Jones and Ms. LaVonne Taliaferro-Bunch. These two educators encouraged her to develop her craft as a writer and inspired her to engage in the ongoing critical reflection that is so necessary to a writer's growth and development.

Reading a variety of literary genres and listening to many different contemporary recording artists such as Tupac Shakur, Jill Scott, Floetry and Kanye West influenced Jasmin’s writing style. Jasmin considers writers such as Langston Hughes, Gwendolyn Brooks, Maya Angelou and Nikki Giovanni as trail blazers who paved the way for young writers like herself.

Upon completion of high school in 2005, Jasmin plans to attend college. Her intended major is marketing. “I love the atmosphere of the business world, which is why I am also going to law school to obtain a law degree.”

Jasmin’s ultimate goal in life is to travel, “I believe traveling helps you to develop the wisdom and knowledge that leaders use. It makes you a more open minded person who is can appreciate the contributions of divese cultures around the world."

Internal Cries of Life
$6.95 Paper
ISBN 1-877835-75-7
Publishered by Three Dimensional Publishing www.3dpublishing.com

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