I would write poetry in my journal. I think I started about fourth or fifth grade. I was forced to write poetry in school, starting about sixth grade.
I remember one stand off I had with a teacher. The assignment was to reflect upon MLK's speech "I have a dream" and write a poem about what the speech means to you. Stupidest assignment I ever had, and I told the teacher so. Well that didn't go over too well, as you can imagine. I ended up sitting at that desk all day because I had been told I was not getting up until I completed the assignment. With a rumbling stomach, and a full bladder I finally gave in around 10 pm and scribbled "something" down on the page. She said it was the worst thing she had ever read. I didn't care, but to make a point I demanded that it be submitted into the school's poetry contest anyway. Damn thing took first place. Heh, I guess the rest of the poems must have been really bad. That poem ended up going National where it placed but did not win. I didn't care. It just proved to me that sometimes teachers don't know squat.