A Love That Never Came - By Navyata Tripathi

Written By: Navyata Tripathi

Category: Poetry

Competition: Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026

Navyata Tripathi invites readers into a contemplative space with her poem "A Love That Never Came," a submission in the poetry category of the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. This evocative piece explores themes of unfulfilled desires and the profound impact of love that remains elusive. Through her eloquent words, Navyata captures the essence of longing and the quiet acceptance of an untouched existence.

About the Work

"A Love That Never Came" by Navyata Tripathi delves into the profound solitude of unrequited love. The poem's reflective mood is a tapestry of emotions, woven with vivid imagery and a deep sense of yearning. Navyata's literary style is both poignant and introspective, offering a narrative that questions the nature of connection and the haunting silence of love unmet.

A love that never came

Original Submission by Navyata Tripathi

A Love That Never Came

Death waits for me the way winter waits for autumn

Patient, certain, knowing every leaf will fall into its arms.

I do not fear it

What I fear is the emptiness of going there untouched,

My skin never bruised by love,

My heart never ruined by someone else’s fire.

They say we all leave something behind,

But what becomes of those who were never chosen?

Do they vanish more quietly,

Like candles that were never lit,

Their wax wasted in the dark?

I have written poems as if they were confessions

To a lover who never arrived,

Each word a wound that never healed

Because no hand reached out to close it.

The nights swallowed me whole

While I imagined a touch I would never know,

A face that existed only in the fragile theatre of my mind.

Perhaps this is why death feels familiar

It has the same silence as love unmet,

The same hollow ache,

The same unanswered call into the void.

It is only the final proof

That even the heart’s wildest prayers

Are not enough to bend the universe.

One day they will lower me into the earth,

And no one will remember the way

My veins once pulsed with a longing so sharp

It felt like a second heartbeat.

No one will know that my ribs ached

Not from living,

But from the weight of all the words

I never got to speak into someone’s waiting mouth.

And if the world asks what I carried,

Tell them this

I carried love like a phantom,

A ghost that never touched me back.

I carried it until my hands grew tired

Of holding nothing.

Death will not be a stranger to me.

It will only be the final lover

The one who does not ask,

The one who takes me whole.

And in its quiet arms,

I will finally rest,

Knowing I was never found,

Never chosen,

Never touched

And yet, somehow,

I still loved in the absence of love.

About the Competition

The Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 by Hashtag Kalakar celebrates the diverse voices and artistic expressions of writers worldwide. Open to poets and writers across various genres, this esteemed competition provides a platform for showcasing unique perspectives and storytelling prowess. Participants engage with a global audience, sharing their creative talents and exploring the depths of human emotion through the written word.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Navyata Tripathi for her poignant contribution, "A Love That Never Came," to the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. Her exploration of love and longing resonates deeply, offering a touching narrative that enriches the tapestry of poetic expression. We look forward to seeing more of her evocative work 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.