Fallen from Grace - By Oratile Mokgojoa

Written By: Oratile Mokgojoa

Category: Poetry

Competition: Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026

Oratile Mokgojoa's compelling poem "Fallen from Grace" is a featured entry in the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. This evocative piece, submitted under the Poetry category, delves into themes of resilience, self-discovery, and the journey from darkness back to light. Mokgojoa's work resonates with anyone who has experienced the weight of life's challenges and the slow, steady climb back to grace.

About the Work

"Fallen from Grace" explores the poignant journey of falling into darkness and the gradual return to light. Mokgojoa uses vivid imagery and a reflective tone to convey the emotional weight of feeling lost and the enduring spirit required to rise again. The poem's introspective style invites readers to consider their own moments of struggle and the enduring strength found within.

Fallen from Grace

Original Submission by Oratile Mokgojoa

Fallen from Grace

I fell to a place where the light thins out and the weight settles heavy on your chest,

where silence stretches wide and swallows your name before it can reach the surface.

The blue closed over me like a forgotten prayer, and for a while I let the flame go cold.

I listened to the dark when it said I was finished, that the sun had moved on without me.

Above, the world shattered into pieces of sunlight I couldn’t reach anymore,

just the memory of air and the echo of voices that once knew how to call me home.

I let the water hold me there, convinced that falling meant there was no coming back.

But down here, nothing moves fast enough to lie, and the truth came up slow and steady.

I wasn’t lost. I was just closer to the part of me that remembers how to endure,

to the part that knows how deep a thing can sink and still find ground to push against.

So I stopped fighting the fall and let it teach me what I couldn’t learn in the light.

And in that stillness, I remembered I was made for more than staying down.

So I push. The water gives way, and the light above remembers my name again.

Each bubble that rises breaks like an old goodbye, and I rise with it, quiet but sure.

I carry the blue with me now, not as a weight, but as proof of where I’ve been.

Even grace, once fallen, can learn the way back to the sky.

About the Competition

The Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026, hosted by Hashtag Kalakar, invites writers from around the globe to share their creative expressions. This prestigious competition celebrates diverse voices and literary talents, providing a platform for poets and writers to showcase their craft to a worldwide audience.

Thank you, Oratile Mokgojoa, for sharing your moving poem "Fallen from Grace" with us. Your participation in the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 is greatly appreciated, and we are honored to feature your work that speaks to the resilience and enduring strength of the human spirit.

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.