For our poetry slam, I wrote a poem titled ‘I Am From Clay Tea Cups.’ This was my first time writing a poem, and it turned out to be a fun and explorative journey that encouraged me to reflect on my cultural identity and its role in shaping who I am. Putting my thoughts into words was a meaningful experience, especially as I feel deeply connected to my Bangladeshi heritage.

CPL provided a helpful template with guided prompts, which kickstarted my writing process. I brainstormed specific sounds, colors, smells, places, memories, and cultural aspects of Bangladesh and reflected on how I personally connected with them. This exercise allowed me to dive deeper into my memories and express myself in a way I never had before.

Through this process, I gained a new sense of clarity about myself, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to participate in this experience.

Here’s a snippet from my poem:

I am from the stories shared over steaming cups of cha,
From the stitches woven into the Nokshi Kantha,
Woven with the strength of my ancestors’ dreams,
Binding generations with threads of resilience and love

This entry is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International license.