A Passion for Poetry: Shubhpreet Kaur
Shubhpreet Kaur, a senior at Stockton Early College Academy, is making a name for herself in the poetry world. Being selected as a recent finalist in the National Amateur Poetry Competition led to the publication of her poem Unfinished in the Eber and Wein Publishing’s anthology Figments of the Soul, released January 1, 2025. In an interview with HERLIFE Magazine, Shubhpreet shared about her love for writing, her poetic words and other pursuits after college.
HLM: How long have you been writing?
SK: I’ve been writing since I was in middle school.
HLM: Why did you start writing poetry?
SK: When I was 11 I got my first journal and since then have filled countless journals. I think our lives are filled with superficial things and it is necessary to have something that helps you feel connected with yourself.
HLM: What inspires you?
SK: My inspiration is everyone and everything around me. I love writing about the things I love and that make me happy. And my favorite thing is realizing how valuable each moment of our lives is and the importance of living it to its fullest.
HLM: What do you hope to do with poetry?
SK: I want to be able to put in words all the thoughts in my head. And if, by some chance, someone is able to connect with what I write, it would be the best thing I can do.
HLM: What are your plans after graduation?
SK: After graduation I want to go to college and major in political science. However, I want to keep on writing because in my opinion inspiration isn’t something you can turn on and off. It’s something that comes to you innately. And as long as you receive inspiration, you should continue to act upon it.
HLM: What’s next for you in terms of poetry and the written word?
SK: Being able to share my poetry with people was one of the best feelings in the world for me. And I think once you experience something that you are genuinely passionate about, you shouldn’t stop. Therefore, I am continuing writing and want to compile an anthology of my own, including a majority of my poems. ®
To read other poets like Shubhpreet, check out the anthology at amazon.com/Figments-Soul-Eber-Wein-Publishing/dp/1608807843. Aspiring poets may be interested in entering the National Amateur Poetry Competition at poetrynation.com/contest/.
Unfinished
by Shubhpreet Kaur
Some stories stay unfinished
Like ships lost at sea
We try so hard to make them sail
Despite knowing their destination is never any guarantee
Some poems stay unfinished
Words can’t always carry so much weight
So some poems are left abandoned
Collecting dust at the forever; uncrossed gate
Some paintings stay unfinished
One decision changing the whole array
Like how different our lives would be
If not for that one April day
Some books stay unfinished
A collection of sentences not read
Same as the existence of thoughts we don’t say
The “i’m sorry” that could save; never said
Some friendships stay unfinished
Hopefully just as memories in our brain
Cause the ones that teach us lessons
Mostly do it by causing pain
Some people stay unfinished
The ones that could have been so much more
But who are we to declare what someone can and cannot be
A person can only fight their own war
