From Waves, I Rise: A Collection of Poems

“i grieve
the death of my childhood

i bury the girl who read books in blanket forts
and sang in public without fear

i cremate my innocence
along with my dreams

from the ashes is born a new me
i try to not envy my remains”

In her debut poetry collection, Niharika Ghosh examines the world around her through playful, empowering imagery. Each of the five thematic sections depicts a different aspect of Ghosh’s life, from her love of nature to her struggles with her mental health.

Like Ghosh’s life, From Waves, I Rise explores the breadth of emotion with all of its ups and downs. She questions the magic of nostalgia in some poems, while she celebrates her childhood in others. She understands that life is neither black nor white, but the grey moments in between.

Ultimately, From Waves, I Rise is a testament to the healing that can occur after trauma, once a person is truly ready for it.