Sophia Joelle Khotil
Whispers of Sampaguita: A Memoir in Verses is a lyrical tapestry of childhood memory, migration, and the quiet inheritances carried across oceans. In this intimate collection, Sophia gathers the scents, sounds, and shadows of the Philippines-the sweetness of sampaguita blooms, the cadence of Ilonggo stories, the warmth of kitchens and markets-and weaves them through the unfolding journey of growing up in America.Through vivid, emotionally rich poems, she traces the complexities of belonging: the ache of distance, the tenderness of family rituals, the bittersweet humor of assimilation, and the unspoken hopes handed down through generations. Each verse reveals small, luminous moments of love, loss, resilience, and rediscovery. Together, they form a portrait of a life shaped by two homelands and the invisible threads that bind them.More than a memoir in verse, Whispers of Sampaguita is an invitation-to sit inside memory, to honor the people who raised us, and to listen for the soft, enduring whispers of where we come from. Perfect for readers of diaspora literature, lyrical nonfiction, and poetry that holds the heart gently, this collection is a tribute to heritage, healing, and the stories we continue to carry.
