No One Told the Caterpillar – Poetry Born from Pages, Pain, and Personal Metamorphosis
Who tells the caterpillar it’s going to become a butterfly?
No one.
And that, perhaps, is where the magic begins.
No One Told the Caterpillar by Deepkriti Gupta is a coming-of-age poetry collection that doesn’t just chart growth—it feels it. Written in both English and Hindi, these poems are lifted straight from old diaries, dog-eared notebooks, and quiet corners of a girlhood spent writing what couldn’t be spoken.
A winner of the 21st Century Emily Dickinson Award, Deepkriti’s debut is as raw as it is reflective. The poems span childhood, teenage turbulence, and the hesitant, complex adulthood that followed. From the lens of a once-introverted girl who wouldn’t cry, wouldn’t speak, but would always write, this book becomes a testimony of transformation.
“This is not just poetry,” Deepkriti shares. “It’s a survival manual, a breadcrumb trail for every shy little girl trying to find her voice.”
And she did.
What emerged over the years is not just a confident woman—but a feminist, a doctor, a writer, and someone who learned that strength isn’t about being fearless, but about pushing forward while trembling.
The title itself is not taken from a poem within the book, but it sets the tone: No one told the caterpillar is not a lament, but a realization—that sometimes, we become without knowing we’re becoming. That growth often looks like solitude, confusion, sweat, and invisible victories. And still, we rise.
There is something deeply moving about how this book holds space for all versions of the self—especially the young ones we tend to forget. “Who will tell that little girl how far she has come?” Deepkriti asks. In these pages, she does.
By day, Deepkriti works as a doctor. By night, she scribbles in diaries, devours books, or plans her next quiet getaway. Her life, like her poetry, is full of contradictions—and she embraces them all.
Whether you’re a young girl still finding your wings or a grown woman rediscovering hers, No One Told the Caterpillar is a reminder: you’re already on your way.
📖 Book Title: No One Told the Caterpillar
🏆 Award: 21st Century Emily Dickinson Award
📍 From: Jaipur, India
📸 Instagram: @deepkriti.here
