“Where the Dandelions Lay” is Santa Claran Geet Kaur’s debut book of poetry—a collection of 35 poems reflecting beautiful moments in her life that, she hopes, will resonate with readers.
“I wanted to preserve in writing precious moments I experienced, memories gone too soon,” said Kaur, a 17-year-old senior at Mission Early College High School (MECHS).
Nostalgic poems in “Where the Dandelions Lay” include reminiscences about summers her family spent in Georgia when her older brother was stationed with the U.S. Army at Fort Gordon near Augusta.
In the opening lines of “Quietest house you could find,” Kaur writes, “As long as you took the road less traveled by/ It was perched near the southern pines/ In the land where time and beauty both lie.”
“My hope is that the book reminds readers of beautiful memories they hadn’t thought about in a long time and of the people and places they love and hold close to,” said Kaur. “Anyone who has ever missed a memory, a place, a person or a moment that didn’t stay for too long, will identify with this book.”
She considers poetry the language of emotions.
“I love how a few carefully chosen words and lines can really illuminate and capture a memory or feeling entirely,” said Kaur.
“Poetry lets me preserve moments that might otherwise be impossible to describe. It captures emotions that are deeply personal and to the soul. It is one of the best ways for me to capture beautiful moments and make them really last forever.”
Kaur writes prose as well as poetry. She traveled to Izumo, Japan, June 6-14 as one of eight student ambassadors with the Santa Clara Sister Cities Organization. She wrote about their experiences in the June issue of the Santa Clara Sister Cities Newsletter, which she launched in May.
At the end of the year, she plans to self-publish a second book of poetry, “Liberty.” It is about “the rare people who unexpectedly enter our lives during our most difficult moments and make us feel safe, surreal, and free.” She said that self-publishing has taught her about book editing, layout and design and promotion.
Kaur, who was born in Santa Clara, started writing as a child, influenced by her grandfathers, who wrote about politics, homeopathy and religion. Her paternal grandfather also wrote poetry.
“Growing up knowing that they were writers made writing feel like it had always been part of my family,” said Kaur, whose mother is Punjabi and father is Kashmiri. Kaur has taught Punjabi at her local gurdwara (a Sikh place of gathering and worship) since she was 14.
Kaur will graduate from MECHS with two associate degrees, one in Liberal Arts and the other in Biological Sciences. Her goal is to become a dermatologist and, following her brother’s lead, join the Army. Proceeds from the purchase of her poetry books go into her college fund.
She hopes her poetry will encourage other young people “to pursue their creative interests and share their voices.”
“So much of life changes before we realize it, and poetry is a beautiful way to preserve those undying memories,” said Kaur. “I hope my books remind people that even the smallest moments can leave a trace on our souls.”