Between Sirens and Silence - By Kyna Nair

Written By: Kyna Nair

Category: Poetry

Competition: Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026

In her poignant poem "Between Sirens and Silence," Kyna Nair captures the essence of living amidst apprehension in her submission to the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. The piece, featuring under the Poetry category, delves into the unsettling emotions that accompany the anticipation of conflict. Through evocative imagery and thoughtful introspection, Nair explores the tension between fear and calm, bringing to light the internal and external struggles faced during uncertain times.

About the Work

"Between Sirens and Silence" masterfully weaves themes of uncertainty, fear, and the fragile calm that overlays a world on the brink of war. The poem's reflective tone invites readers to navigate the delicate balance between reality and perception, highlighting the tension that permeates everyday life. Nair's use of vivid imagery and questioning lends a haunting quality to the work, drawing readers into the emotional landscape of those living in the shadow of impending conflict.

Between Sirens and Silence

Original Submission by Kyna Nair

Between Sirens and Silence

It begins in uncertainty,

not with war itself,

But with the waiting before it

The way calm starts to feel rehearsed,

as if the air is holding its breath

and forgetting how to exhale.

There is fear, but it doesn’t arrive loudly.

It seeps in quietly,

between ordinary sounds

a phone that lights up too often,

a distant report you pretend not to hear,

a sky that suddenly feels less innocent

When you notice how often you look at it.

And then there is calm

not peace, but something fragile that pretends to be it.

People still make tea.

Still laugh in rooms that try to stay normal.

Still say, nothing much is happening,

as if repetition can rewrite reality.

But tension lives underneath everything.

In conversations that end too quickly.

In news that feels both exaggerated and denied.

In the strange distance between

What is shown,

What is said,

and what is actually felt.

You begin to doubt even your own reaction.

Am I overthinking?

Am I underestimating?

Am I supposed to feel more, or less?

And no answer ever fully arrives.

Somewhere else, decisions are being made

In rooms you will never enter.

Words like security and response

travel farther than understanding.

And you are left with fragments

alerts, rumours, half-explanations,

The uneasy mathematics of uncertainty.

There is a belief, too, tangled in all of this.

Belief in the place you call home,

even when you don’t fully recognize it in its current shape.

Belief that it will hold,

even when holding feels like a question.

And then there is distance

the hardest kind.

Not from places, but from people.

Loved ones you check on in short messages,

friends you hope are safe in silence,

names you repeat in your mind like a prayer

You don’t fully know how to say.

Because you are not there.

Not in the sirens.

Not in the sudden noise of jets overhead.

Not in the shifting streets, the altered routines,

The way normal becomes something you can no longer locate.

But you are also not absent.

You are in the not-knowing.

In the waiting.

In the imagination that refuses to stay quiet.

And the strangest part is this:

War does not always feel like explosions.

Sometimes it feels like a contradiction

too much information, not enough truth,

too many voices speaking at once,

None of them fully reaching you.

So you live in fragments of understanding.

In updates that change faster than certainty.

In fear that arrives in waves,

and calm that never quite settles.

And you learn that uncertainty itself

can become its own kind of weather

one you walk through,

one you endure,

one you hope eventually passes

without taking too much of you with it.

About the Competition

The Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026, hosted by Hashtag Kalakar, is a platform for writers to share their unique voices and stories. This prestigious competition invites poets and writers from across the globe to submit their works, showcasing the diverse range of human experiences and emotions. With a focus on creativity and expression, the event celebrates the power of the written word to connect and inspire.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Kyna Nair for sharing her evocative poem "Between Sirens and Silence" with us in the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. Her insightful exploration of uncertainty and emotion offers a profound reflection on the human experience. We appreciate her contribution and look forward to seeing more of her compelling 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.