Home From Both Sides of the Sea
New York, NY
2025, Junior, Poetry & Spoken Word
I grew up with two languages, two types of weather—
two homes, cleaved by a restless sea.
at the Gram, a small but peaceful village,
sun-kissed wheat fields glide like tea-stained pages.
mangoes, honeyed and drowsy,
the salty ocean water flows in my veins.
Ma’s shudho Bangla wraps around me like the scarf of my salwar kameez.
time stops when I stare at nature’s canvas of warm hues from the rooftop.
I lift my lens—a glass eye hungry for light,
for the shimmer words fail to cradle.
the photo stays, the moment goes.
across the sea, a home waits— its pulse an echo, unsure if I will return,
but i know: it’s time to go.
the city strikes me with a fevered breeze,
a hum of steel and smoke.
I gaze up to the buildings that claw toward the sky.
it hits me— I have returned.
at school, glass panes reveal a steel thicket—
a forest of iron roots.
moisturizing my hands with aloe, a natural remedy Ma taught me at the Gram.
Yet the city’s pulse cannot drown the quiet medicines of earth in my mind.
So I wander—to Bryant Park, a jade shard nestled in the city’s stone heart.
Bryant Park—
a patch of green where souls dream.
coffee steam curling like mist curls.
flowers erupt from earth, reminding me of Ma’s garden,
raised not in soil, but in sunlight and love.
now, they’re in full bloom,
and so am i.
I see it now—no matter where I drift, nature always finds me —
sometimes hidden, sometimes in full bloom but always there.
even in my homes
on both sides of the sea.
Reflection
Reflection
My experience growing up between two very different places—a quiet village, also referred to as the Gram, and the crowded city of Manhattan—has led me to realize that, despite their contrasts, nature has always been a constant presence in my life, from the fields of my village to the green refuge of Bryant Park. My creative process began with memories. I thought about how Ma’s shudho Bangla felt comforting, the smell of freshly harvested mangoes, and the sight of flowers blooming in our balcony garden. These moments helped me turn my memories into nostalgic descriptions through poetry. Exploring the theme Connections to Nature: Looking Inside, Going Outside helped me understand that nature is something we carry with us—sometimes hidden, sometimes in full bloom—but always present. I hope people who have grown up across different homes and countries can find comfort in my piece. Whether I’m surrounded by wheat fields or buildings that reach up to the sky, nature continues to offer me comfort and connection.