This manuscript explores the experience of growing up from those first tenuous moments of childhood when people learn that fear is bigger than dark spaces, to the acceptance of self as people begin to age. This manuscript is comprised of observational poetry in which the poet discusses topics such as: a tense family dynamic, feminism, sexuality and self-confidence. This collection of poetry speaks to the universality of human experience from a singularly unique perspective in such a manner so as to allow the reader the opportunity to understand that they are not alone in their individual experiences of growth, even if their experiences do not look like the experiences of those around them.
","abstract_html":"<p>This manuscript explores the experience of growing up from those first tenuous moments of childhood when people learn that fear is bigger than dark spaces, to the acceptance of self as people begin to age. This manuscript is comprised of observational poetry in which the poet discusses topics such as: a tense family dynamic, feminism, sexuality and self-confidence. This collection of poetry speaks to the universality of human experience from a singularly unique perspective in such a manner so as to allow the reader the opportunity to understand that they are not alone in their individual experiences of growth, even if their experiences do not look like the experiences of those around them. </p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Ruggles, Kristen Marie"],"institution":"Eastern Kentucky University","degree_name":"Master of Fine Arts (MFA)","degree_level":"Master's","degree_discipline":"English and Theatre","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2019,"date_issued":"2019-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2019-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:15:53Z","subjects":["Poetry"],"languages":[],"rights":["Copyright 2019 Kristen Marie Ruggles"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/644","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Ruggles, Kristen Marie"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Encompass Digital Archive, Eastern Kentucky University"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Master Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["English and Theatre"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Master's"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Fine Arts (MFA)"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Eastern Kentucky University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Poetry"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright 2019 Kristen Marie Ruggles"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/644"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This manuscript explores the experience of growing up from those first tenuous moments of childhood when people learn that fear is bigger than dark spaces, to the acceptance of self as people begin to age. This manuscript is comprised of observational poetry in which the poet discusses topics such as: a tense family dynamic, feminism, sexuality and self-confidence. This collection of poetry speaks to the universality of human experience from a singularly unique perspective in such a manner so as to allow the reader the opportunity to understand that they are not alone in their individual experiences of growth, even if their experiences do not look like the experiences of those around them.
"]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["application/PDF"]},{"key":"dc:source","label":"Dc Source","values":["Encompass Digital Archive: Online Theses and Dissertations"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Autobiography"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Ruggles, Kristen Marie"],"dc:description.abstract":["This manuscript explores the experience of growing up from those first tenuous moments of childhood when people learn that fear is bigger than dark spaces, to the acceptance of self as people begin to age. This manuscript is comprised of observational poetry in which the poet discusses topics such as: a tense family dynamic, feminism, sexuality and self-confidence. This collection of poetry speaks to the universality of human experience from a singularly unique perspective in such a manner so as to allow the reader the opportunity to understand that they are not alone in their individual experiences of growth, even if their experiences do not look like the experiences of those around them.
"],"dc:format":["application/PDF"],"dc:identifier":["https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/644"],"dc:publisher":["Encompass Digital Archive, Eastern Kentucky University"],"dc:rights":["Copyright 2019 Kristen Marie Ruggles"],"dc:source":["Encompass Digital Archive: Online Theses and Dissertations"],"dc:subject":["Poetry"],"dc:title":["Autobiography"],"dc:type":["Master Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["English and Theatre"],"thesis:degree_level":["Master's"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Fine Arts (MFA)"],"thesis:institution_name":["Eastern Kentucky University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:15:53Z"}