My own grandmother brought me books of poetry by Emily Dickenson, E.E. Cummings, Edgar Allen Poe, Robert Browning and even a collection of Shakespear.  I also was given many books of various American poetry and became very intrigued when I read J.R. Tolkein's trilogy when I was in the 4th or 5th grade.  I read anything I could find, even dictionaries and encyclopedias!  My grade school librarian didn't know what to do with me once I read everything in the school library, I was in the 5th grade.  I wrote childrens stories, songs, short stories and poured my heart out with poems from my soul.  I never let others read what I wrote, I was scared.  A few years ago, an online friend talked me into sharing, then into joining another site and letting others read my poems.  Now, although still unsure, I enjoy sharing with others.  I still have that great Earth shatterring novel inside me but am working at writing a series of childrens books and my second cook book!