Showcase: The Giving Heart + Isn’t It Time For A Change + And An Aqua New Year + New Year Choices

Edited by Palak Tewary

Dear Readers,

Welcome to my final Showcase – and the last one for the year. As we step into this page, we move fully into the spirit of the New Year: a time for reflection, renewal and the quiet hope that accompanies fresh beginnings.

These last four pieces invite us to explore the choices, changes and small transformations that shape our days, hearts and communities. From playful moments of connection to acts of courage, creativity and care, they illuminate the ways we navigate endings and beginnings alike.

As you read, you may find traces of your own year: the lessons learned, the joys celebrated, the shifts in perspective and the intentions you carry forward. These works remind us that each New Year is both a continuation and a new chapter, offering opportunities to step forward with awareness, warmth and hope.

Keep exploring!
Palak.

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As one year ends and another begins, we are reminded of the delicate balance between giving and preserving, between hope and discernment. In my poem, The Giving Heart, I reflect on this subtle dance, exploring how generosity must be balanced with caution and patience to guide us through life’s rhythms. In the spirit of New Year, my work invites us to step forward with awareness and care, embracing the lessons of the past while opening our hearts and hands to the possibilities – and responsibilities – of the year ahead.

The Giving Heart

Don’t bargain with hope or care,
But think what truly can be shared
A river gives when it is wise,
Or floods its banks and wastes its rise

Some fires warm, some only burn,
Some doors give back, some never turn
The wind will show which flames return,
And teach the heart the strength to learn

The year twirls and so must we,
Not every hand must empty free
With gentle steps and measured pace,
We find our ground, we claim our space

© Palak Tewary, 2025

Connect with Palak on palaktewary.com or Instagram and X: @palaktewary

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We carry with us both the weight of what has been and the quiet hope of what might yet change. New Year has always been a moment for re-imagining: an invitation to release old habits, mend what feels fractured and choose connection over division. Isn’t It Time For A Change? speaks directly into that hopeful pause, asking us to consider how small, human choices: kindness, community, rest and care, can shape the year ahead. In welcoming 2026, the poem becomes both a question and a wish, urging us to let go of the past year and step forward together with renewed intention.

Isn’t It Time For A Change?

Isn’t it time for a change? It’s 2026
the end of war -disruption, disaster, disarray
watching the pennies in the pocket
working all hours of the day and night- relax, rewind, regenerate
Isn’t it time for a change? It’s 2026

a) isolation of society
b) having a sense of community
c) the knives off the streets

Isn’t it time for a change? It’s 2026
Love thy neighbour, say hello
make time to pop over and have a cup of tea- chatter, cheer, coping

Isn’t it time for a change? 2026
saying goodbye to the end of 2025

© Tavinder Kaur New, 2025

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Next, And An Aqua New Year captures a gentle ritual, where community, kindness and tradition meet to mark the turning of the year. In its warmth and simplicity, the poem reminds us that new beginnings are often best welcomed together, hand in hand, with goodwill for all.

And An Aqua New Year

Last Sunday at my aqua class
as well as stretching, toning
and working all our muscles,
we did a funny thing….

We linked out floaty noodles
and piled into a ring
and joining the instructor
we all began to sing.

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne?

And moving in a circle
we sang as best we could,
the song that reminds us
that friendship should be good…

A song that greets a New Year
and firmly tells us that kindness
has no end. And sends good wishes
all for a good New Year, my friends.

And there’s a hand my trusty friend!
And give me a hand o’ thine!
And we’ll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne.

© Eithne Cullen, 2025

*honouring Robert Burns’ famous song.

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Finally, Pen to Print reminds us that creative change doesn’t require perfection, only willingness. In the spirit of New Year, this piece invites readers to step forward with intention, embrace their evolving voice and carry their stories into the year ahead with confidence and support.

New Year Choices: Make This The Year You Write!

A new year brings new opportunities and the chance to finally say yes to your creative dreams. If you’ve ever thought, ‘I’d love to write, but where do I start?’ now is the perfect moment to take that leap.

Writing isn’t just about words on a page. It’s about unlocking your imagination, sharing your story, and discovering what you’re capable of. At Pen to Print, we believe everyone has a voice worth hearing. That’s why we offer free writing workshops and classes, designed to inspire and guide you every step of the way. Whether you’re curious about poetry, short stories, or even tackling that novel idea, our sessions give you the tools and confidence to begin.

This year, don’t let doubt hold you back. Choose creativity. Choose growth. Choose to write.

With Pen to Print, you’ll join a supportive community that celebrates your progress and helps you turn ideas into reality. When you join Pen to Print workshops, you’re not just learning, you’re building a platform for your voice. You can also send in entries to our free competitions, as well as submitting pieces to be published in Write On! Magazine and the digital Write On! Extra pages, giving you the chance to share your creativity with thousands of readers.

Ready to start? Sign up today for our free workshops at pentoprint.org/events and make this the year your story begins! Spaces fill quickly, don’t wait. Your words matter, and your journey starts now.

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You can hear great new ideas, creative work and writing tips on Write On! Audio. Find us on all major podcast platforms, including Apple and Google Podcasts and Spotify. Type Pen to Print into your browser and look for our logo, or find us on Podcasters.Spotify.com.

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