“Poetry hits like home more than four walls do”

Jasmine Kaur is a talented poet at Apeejay School, Greater Noida. Her recent poem, Like a Lavender’s Grace, dedicated to her Principal, reflects her vivid imagination, sensitivity, and expressive power. Selected as this week’s Promising Poet, Jasmine shares how writing became her solace, why Sylvia Plath inspires her, and what she loves most about poetry.

At what age did you start writing poetry?
I have always enjoyed writing poetry, even as a little girl. At first, I wrote mostly when asked to, but I began to truly enjoy it when I was around 12 years old. That’s when it became a real passion for me.

What inspired you to write poems?
I have always been a very shy person, unable to express my emotions and thoughts easily. At the same time, I feel things very deeply. Poetry allows me to put all of that together in a raw yet beautiful way. I also believe I have a naturally artistic side, which makes my poems appealing. In simple words, it’s my creativity and endless stream of thoughts that inspire me.

Tell us about the thought behind your poem on teachers.
My poem Like a Lavender’s Grace was written especially for my Principal Ma’am Mrs Sarita Pande, who is a constant source of inspiration. I wanted to appreciate her leadership and guidance, and I compared her to lavender for her grace and essence. She always encourages me to push my work to a higher level. This poem also reflects how she and all our teachers support not just our academics, but our creativity as well.

Who is your favourite poet and poem?
My favourite poet is Sylvia Plath. Perhaps the feminist and free-spirited side of me connects with her raw honesty and hauntingly beautiful words. My favourite poem is Lady Lazarus, which captures her resilience as a woman in a patriarchal world—something I deeply value.

Rhyme or free verse?
Hope these lines answer:

“Fog drapes the sky, and a fey lake,
It feels like dawn,
Where every chirp is heard
And free roams an enchanted fawn.”

Do you prefer writing in the day or night?
I prefer writing at night. That’s when my mind feels most alive and when I don’t face writer’s block. Nighttime gives me more space to express myself freely.

How does your school support your poetry?
My school acknowledges my work and provides me with opportunities to share it. My teachers always give me honest feedback and appreciation, which helps me improve and motivates me to keep writing.

How do you approach writing a poem? What are your common themes?
I don’t schedule my writing. I write when it comes from the heart and soul. My poems are mostly raw—focused on how I feel while writing and how the reader might feel while reading. I’m very self-reflective, so many of my poems are connected to me.

I usually write quickly because I vent my emotions all at once. My common themes are nature, its moods, emotions, and inner life. I strongly believe nature heals the soul, and I often “preach” about self-love. In a way, my poems are love letters to myself.

What is the best thing about writing poetry for you?
The best thing is that every reader connects with it differently. What I write may be very different from what a reader perceives, but both can find meaning in it. Poetry doesn’t specify significance—it’s the reader who breathes life into words. That, for me, is magical.

It’s also surreal to think how a poem can change someone’s thoughts or make them feel at home. Even for me, poetry feels more like home than four walls ever do.