Tides of Life: The Tales of Life — A Teenager’s Poetic Journey Through Chaos, Courage, and Becoming
At just 16, Harshita Singh is doing something many spend a lifetime working toward: turning personal pain into powerful poetry. A high school student, trained Kathak dancer, budding designer, and now award-winning author, Harshita has emerged as a creative force to watch with her debut poetry collection, Tides of Life: The Tales of Life. The book, which won the 21st Century Emily Dickinson Award, offers a poignant meditation on resilience, change, and emotional honesty.
Written as a means of self-expression when words failed her in conversation, Tides of Life is more than a book—it’s an emotional artifact. Each poem captures the turbulence of adolescence, the push and pull of identity, and the slow, often painful journey of learning to believe in yourself again.
“I began writing when I found it hard to express myself aloud,” Harshita says. “There were moments when I didn’t even feel like myself. But the little me with all her hopes still alive always believed I could fix things. That’s what this book is about.”
A Life in Motion: Dance, Design, and Depth Harshita’s artistry extends far beyond the page. A trained Kathak dancer since the age of five, she believes, “Dance taught me how to listen to silence.” For her, dance isn’t just movement—it’s mindful expression. That same depth of perception flows through her writing.
She is also a visual storyteller in the making. From minimalist designs to bold social concepts, Harshita sees the world as both a canvas and a challenge. “We don’t get a way out,” she says, “we carve it out.”
The Girl With Feathered Dreams Creative, fiercely independent, and self-assured, Harshita describes herself as aliferous – one with wings to fly – and also a warrior capable of weathering any storm. Her poetry reflects this duality: the softness of dreams and the sharpness of struggle. Her journey from “crying quietly under a table” to confidently sharing her story is at the heart of Tides of Life.
A Collection That Connects Divided into thematic sections, the poems explore everything from shifting friendships and fragile mental health to unspoken memories and hope on the horizon. The writing doesn’t strive for perfection. It strives for truth.
“I wrote this book to remind myself and others that it’s okay to fall apart,” she says. “But it’s also important to believe that things come back together. Maybe not the way we imagined—but they do.”
Beyond the Book In a digital era that often rewards gloss over grit, Harshita remains grounded in realness. She’s already made waves through a student-led design agency that supports small businesses and NGOs through storytelling and visual identity.
Her hope? That young people are seen not just as learners, but as leaders.
What’s Next? “I want to find the purpose of my existence… in a beautiful way,” she says. For now, she’s focused on her next adventure—whatever shape that may take.
Takeaway Tides of Life is not just a debut. It’s a declaration: that young voices matter, that poetry can hold pain and promise in the same line, and that even the most broken pieces can be worked on to become something whole, something meaningful.
📖 Book Title: Tides of Life: The Tales of Life
🏆 Award: 21st Century Emily Dickinson Award
📍 From: Delhi, India
