Poems for a New Year
Curated by Morayo Faleyimu; Art Designed by Richelle Szypulski
In our 2023 New Year’s poetry collection, Girls Write Now mentees and alumni reflect on the passage of time—how far they’ve come and where they’d like to go next. We invite you to travel alongside them. Where will the New Year take you?
Enroute to Myself by Brittany Barker
This departure calls for no baggage.
Freedom by Waeza Jagirdar
This piece is inspired by the concept of the American Dream and finding who you are. I wrote it while thinking of my generation and what we are going through right now.
Letter to Younger Me by Muhua Li and Alanna Schubach
Hello! How’s your life in China? I hope you don’t throw this letter away once you see it’s in English…
Senjuti Gayen Is by Senjuti Gayen
It is a bold thing to acknowledge who you are. I emulated the poem “Ishle Yi Park Is—” by Ishle Yi Park. Her openness inspired me to write honestly about my identity.
My Random Autobiography by Diamond Lewis
I never write about myself, so with this piece I wanted to try that. It’s an introduction to who I am and explores who I am becoming.
Time by Ayanna Bailey
This poem not only shows my growth as a person but also as a writer. As a young adult I have gotten to understand how precious time is and why I should progress as time goes on.
Butterfly Wings by Jane Liu
I’ve always been fascinated with butterflies: their ephemeral incandescence and natural metamorphosis astounded me. Across cultures and regions, butterflies were symbols of hope and change. In NYC, there are few butterflies of the sort captured by glossy magazines, but the many revolutions emblazoned across monochromatic newsprint serve in their stead.
