A Writing Contest HOSTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH Sweet July
Cucharita
By Sophie Da Silva
FINALIST
the silver spoon is mine
its ornate handle, sharp edge, & long neck
passed down in my family line
it used to be Carmen’s, whose blood is said to be Azetc
perhaps pocketed from a fragile tea set
to curl her lashes with a trinket so high-tech
when the metal is hot from the stove sunset
it makes brown eyes pop against clay skin
& becomes Rosalia’s, that pretty brunette
her hair in two braids, her eyes wide with no sin
she hopes to become a journalist & tell her tales
but she gives me the spoon, her dream a has-been
now i hold the courage, their stories, their details
ready to forge my lashes & blaze new trails
all with the power of my cucharita
In celebration of Women’s History Month in March, and the impact of strong female role models, we partnered with Ayesha Curry’s Sweet July for a writing contest to elevate the voices of girls and gender expansive young adults.
Girls Write Now participants answered a prompt from On the Art of the Craft, our 25th anniversary guidebook coming soon from HarperOne: Tell the story behind a family heirloom or tradition. How has it shaped who you are?
Sophie Da Silva
Sophie Da Silva is an avid sixteen-year-old writer living in Houston,Texas. Through her poetry, shortstories, flash fiction, and her first novel in the works, she hopes to explore her multicultural Latine background and share stories that touch readers. Her most recent work was published in the Girls Write Now 2024 Anthology and is also forthcoming in several publications. Aside from writing, she loves running, reading, and promoting sustainability in fashion!
