Memories are often vivid yet fragmented— it is both an individual and collective experience and is the fundamental aspect of the human experience. There are specific memories we want to remember and there are some that want to be forgotten. Yet, the human body remembers everything— every inch of our beings store the emotions and weight we have experienced throughout the years.

Milk Teeth is a collection of 12 confessional poems that confront the taboos and unmentionables that take root in the mind. Through the perspective of someone who lives in her head, these poems are statements of rebellion against the injustice of sexual violence, stolen innocence, and intergenerational traumas. The collection also carries photographs from significant moments in the past to further convey the growth and loss living within the poems. This collection is influenced by confessional poets such as Plath, Sexton and Lowell whose works encouraged vulnerability of the self and challenged the darkest parts of what it means to be alive. Milk Teeth also encourages readers to find the courage and determination to push through the hardships and the aftermath that takes place in our mind. This capstone project is meant to be a testament that words hold power— it is a tool that liberates those who are held captive by their own memories.

My entire life, poetry has always been an escape from reality. I found solace in the vulnerability of words and its way to enter someone’s heart, clinging there for a very long time. In the process of writing Milk Teeth, I found myself through a visceral journey of self-confrontation and self-discovery.

My undergraduate experience at CUHK was a turning point— I rediscovered my passion for creative writing and literature, which led me to understanding who I really was. I express my heartfelt thanks to my professors for helping expand my knowledge on literature, and cultivating a safe space for students who are struggling. I would also like to thank my supervisor Dr. Suzanne Wong for her unrelenting guidance and encouragement throughout the growth of Milk Teeth. I wouldn’t have been able to curate such a collection without her full support.