HOW MUCH MORE? - By Heena Johar

Written By: Heena Johar

Category: Poetry

Competition: Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026

In the profound poem "HOW MUCH MORE?" by Heena Johar, featured in the Poetry category, we are invited into a world of raw emotion and urgent inquiry. This work is a submission for the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 and explores the themes of fear, empathy, and survival in a tumultuous world. Johar's poignant verses resonate with calls for change and the struggle for a safe existence amid societal chaos.

About the Work

Heena Johar's poem "HOW MUCH MORE?" captures the visceral struggle between empathy and self-preservation. Through vivid imagery and a reflective dialogue, the work delves into the chaos of modern existence, where fear and empathy collide. The poem's haunting tone challenges readers to consider the balance between witnessing global tragedies and nurturing personal resilience.

HOW MUCH MORE?

Original Submission by Heena Johar

Sakhi:

I want to scream

until mountains split open,

until the sky finally listens.

Scream for the love forced into shadows,

for communities that sleep with fear under their pillows,

for families torn apart

as if human bonds were threads

meant to be snapped for sport.

The cry of that child -

it will not leave me.

A sound so sharp

it is lodged in my bones.

His mother wasn’t “lost” -

she was ripped from him,

like a soul torn out

because someone in uniform

decided humanity was optional that day.

The soldiers of valour -

the ones meant to protect -

became hunters.

Not guardians.

Not defenders.

Hunters chasing praise,

as if bloodshed were applause

and tragedy a performance.

Fear now wears medals

and speaks the language of nobility.

Humans treated like stalled machines,

broken cars to be towed,

scrapped if inconvenient.

Tell me - what is any of this worth?

All I ever wanted was a small safe corner,

a room where breathing didn’t require courage.

But safety now lives in a palace

far beyond reach,

while fear runs through me

as naturally as water downhill.

What was the point

of history’s sacrifices?

Every revolution, every prayer,

every life laid down

so the future might soften…

Yet this is the world we inherited -

chaos dressed as order,

violence disguised as virtue,

ignorance crowned as strength.

So tell me, Krishna -

how does anyone survive?

When anxiety greets you

before your eyes even open,

when fear becomes the only currency

the world still accepts,

when every headline feels like a warning

meant for you.

I question You.

I question the world.

I question the version of us

that pretends this isn’t collapse.

Tears don’t fall from me anymore -

they escape,

as if even they cannot bear

what we’ve become.

Krishna:

Sakhi…

You think the world is collapsing

because you are collapsing under its weight.

But collapse is not truth -

it is your unfiltered empathy

turning inward and detonating.

You ask, “How much more?”

as if endurance is the measure of humanity.

It isn’t.

Clarity is.

Listen carefully:

You are mistaking exposure for responsibility,

and sensitivity for helplessness.

Every wound you witness,

you try to bleed for.

Every injustice you read,

you try to carry.

And then you break

and wonder why.

You swallow the world whole

and call it compassion.

It is not compassion.

It is self-harm in holy clothing.

You are not the savior

of this collapsing order.

You are a witness -

and a witness must learn

to see

without setting herself on fire.

Your rage is real

but undisciplined.

It burns you,

not the darkness you protest.

Tell Me, Sakhi -

what use is a torch

that destroys the hand holding it?

You ask, “How does anyone survive?”

I will tell you:

By choosing purpose over panic.

By choosing action over paralysis.

By choosing awareness over infection.

You drown in every headline

because you let the world enter

without asking

if it earned the right.

You think your heart breaking

proves you’re human.

No -

your ability to break and rebuild

is what makes you human.

So now I ask you:

How much more of yourself

will you pour into the wounds of strangers

before you give anything

to your own healing?

How much more fear

will you inhale

and call it duty?

How much longer

will you confuse compassion

with surrender?

You want the world to change?

Then stop collapsing with it.

Stand.

Focus.

Fight one truth at a time.

That -

not screaming,

not despair -

is how a soul survives

the age you are living in.

About the Competition

The Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 by Hashtag Kalakar celebrates diverse voices across the world, providing a platform for poets and writers to share their unique perspectives. This prestigious competition encourages creativity and literary expression, showcasing works that reflect the complexity and beauty of human experience.

We extend our gratitude to Heena Johar for her thought-provoking poem "HOW MUCH MORE?". Her participation in the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 enriches the conversation around empathy and survival in today's world. We commend her for contributing such a powerful piece to this esteemed event.

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.