A young poet's powerful debut explores love, grief, and life growing around poetry

Fifteen-year-old Gurbani Kaur Tikku debuts with poetry exploring grief, girlhood.

- NOOR ANAND CHAWLA

It is rare for one so young to display a creative talent that catches one's eye in a world saturated with content. Yet, 15-year-old Gurbani Kaur Tikku manages to do so with her debut poetry book My Eyes Like the Sight of You, published by Notion Press. On the occasion of the launch of the book, the Sunday Guardian caught up with the young poet, artist, and essayist to speak about her poems, writing, and more.

Excerpts from an edited interview:

Q: Why did you choose to write poetry?

A: My book, My Eyes Like the Sight of You, is a very raw expression of me as a person. I have always known that I am an observer at heart. I am inspired by our world and all the elements residing in it. I am fascinated by people around me and from them, I readily absorb new ideas to speak about every day. Further, as an empathetic and creative person, my exposure to different lifestyles has enabled me to express my feelings through a variety of mediums—whether painting, writing, music, or poetry.

Specifically with poetry, I feel as if I didn't choose it; it chose me, and I am glad it did. As for the book, at its core, My Eyes Like the Sight of You begins with the central theme of sonder before exploring grief, girlhood, rebellion, and pure love. It is a collection of 55 poems and it is a piece of my heart.

Q: What was your process of writing the poems and how long did they take to write?

A: My process of writing the poems was quite random! I wrote my first poem on August 20, 2023, to express my feelings when my brother left the country to attend college. I remember sitting quietly with my father, reminiscing and writing. Since then, poetry has taken over my world.