Date of Award:

5-2026

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

English

Committee Chair(s)

Benjamin Gunsberg

Committee

Benjamin Gunsberg

Committee

C.R. Grimmer

Committee

Jennifer Sinor

Committee

Brian McCuskey

Abstract

“Specimen” is a collection of my original poetry drawn from my thesis that explores identity and experience through the lens of nature. Specimens are dead, preserved individuals of nature who are used for scientific study. They help us humans understand the world better, help us make scientific advancements, but can they do more than that? In my poetry, I see myself and all the other individuals as specimens, singularities with lessons to teach and things to learn. Listening to the more-than-human world, acknowledging their differences can help us understand the aspects of ourselves that feel out of place, be those identities that do not fit into heteronormative society or hurts that are too painful to speak of. In “Specimen,” the individuals are teachers and metaphors who help me learn the pattern of myself, one I haven’t been able to interpret in the past. These individuals are fundamentally different from us, but in my poetry, I explore these differences as a way to understand the more difficult parts of ourselves—hurt, trauma, less accepted identities. These differences between humans and other parts of nature are highlighted in my poetry. By using the names, images, and feelings that individual plants and bugs have, I explore how we can learn to accept ourselves and the world around us.

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