A delivery - By Mingxia Pool

Written By: Mingxia Pool

Category: prose poetry and creative nonfiction

Competition: Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026

Explore the evocative prose poetry of Mingxia Pool in her piece titled "A delivery," a part of the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. Mingxia's work delves into the intricate themes of love and yearning, capturing the essence of anticipation in poetic form. Her submission falls under the category of prose poetry and creative nonfiction, revealing the depths of human emotion wrapped in the metaphor of a delivery.

About the Work

Mingxia Pool's "A delivery" is a poignant exploration of love's dual nature through prose poetry. The piece captures the tension between expectation and reality, using vivid imagery of packages and deliveries to symbolize emotional experiences. Mingxia contrasts the delicate beauty and harsh reality of love, evoking a sense of longing and vulnerability. The work's literary style intertwines poetic rhythm with philosophical musing, inviting readers to ponder the true nature of their desires and anticipations.

A delivery

Original Submission by Mingxia Pool

A delivery

By Mingxia Lin Pool

Is it truly a delivery? – we often assume a delivery is a package carefully wrapped in sand paper with merciless edges with a presumptuous bow sitting gently and admirably on top labelled with an address but is that all it appears to be?

A delivery can be of words of songs, of rhymes concealed in a stanza afraid of the power it holds to challenge reality, a painting merely finished. We all await this delivery but we ache our own hearts as we do so. We caress the tender skin of those softened by the beauty of these deliveries but ignore the fractured bones of those who burdened their hands and vocals to capture these deliveries of love. They are not wrapped in a gentle ribbon but rather in longing, yearning and aching we hold so dearly.

I, too, am a victim of this anticipation – a fragile fairy tale like longing to be the muse and not the poet, not the artist and not the lyricist.

The delivery of love.

We concern ourselves with the merciless edges of sandpaper, with the resistance beneath our trembling hands, yet forget what may lie within – could it be an angered needle concealed beneath the delicate ribbon, awaiting the touch of our love-tainted hands, eager to prick our soul and leave traces of red?

I await love but does it await me?

Does it sit admirably as I long for such delivery holding this needle to prick my veins? One which traces the harmonies of the constant echo of this yearning possibly approaching staining my ivory dress of red.

Sweet, sickening red.

Love and blood are both red and both can ache the heart – rival kings of the same fragile kingdom of the heart. A constant battle of which delivery I shall receive – Shall I be swooned or shall my soul be surrendered to sorrows – Shall I receive Mr Darcy’s – ‘You have bewitched me body and soul’ from pride and prejudice? or were Jane Austen’s novel papers bound together as a bondage to swoon her own wounds, born from the tender, torturous battle of longing for this delivery?

Shall I be destined to be the sun, forever waiting the moon’s acceptance of its ring of fire? A delivery of love with a never-ending battle when one burns for the other, yet the other risks being scarred from this raging burn of desire.

In the words of Simon (the duke of Hastings) ‘This is what happens…when one burns for someone who does not feel the same’ – Bridgerton.

When the delivery awaited is a sword rather than a swoon.

Has Jane Austen perhaps fractured her bones to be the author of my dearest desire? or are we all fools of awaiting deliveries of words, songs, poems or paintings who long to be caressed, only to find ourselves betrothed to a sword which stained our souls of envious red?

Never the red of the artist painting his muse’s primrose red cheeks.

Never the poet’s red ink engraving her initials.

Never the lyricist’s harmony of a song called ‘lady in red’.

Only the red of a wound where love was meant to reside.

The delivery still awaited, and not destined.

Perhaps the cruellest delivery is not the love that never arrives, but the realisation that, whilst I spent my life bleeding poetry onto paper, I was only ever longing to be someone’s red – which is ironic because this author is afraid of bleeding.

About the Competition

The Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 by Hashtag Kalakar is a prestigious platform celebrating creativity and literary excellence. It showcases diverse voices from around the world, offering writers a stage to present their innovative and thought-provoking works. This competition invites participants to explore various themes through poetry, short stories, and creative nonfiction, fostering a community of shared passion for the written word.

Thank you, Mingxia Pool, for sharing your profound work, "A delivery," in the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. Your exploration of love and anticipation resonates deeply, offering readers a chance to reflect on their own experiences. We appreciate your contribution to this vibrant literary platform and look forward to seeing more of your inspiring prose poetry in the future.

About Hashtag Kalakar

Hashtag Kalakar is a creative platform dedicated to providing artists, writers, singers and other creative talents with opportunities to showcase their work and reach wider audiences through competitions, features and creative initiatives.