Hypnagogia - By Renoops

Written By: Renoops

Category: Poetry

Competition: Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026

Renoops presents "Hypnagogia," a poignant entry in the Poetry category of the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. This evocative piece delves into the mysterious realm between wakefulness and sleep, exploring the interplay of dreams and darkness. Through vivid imagery and a haunting narrative, Renoops invites readers to reflect on the subconscious mind and its complexities.

About the Work

"Hypnagogia" by Renoops is a masterful exploration of the liminal space between consciousness and sleep. The poem paints a vivid picture of the eerie transition from dreams to reality, using evocative imagery and a lyrical style. Themes of fear, imagination, and the relentless nature of the subconscious are woven throughout, creating a tapestry of emotion and introspection.

Hypnagogia

Original Submission by Renoops

HYPNAGOGIA

Two pairs of eyes open in the dark.

One from a pillow bracketed by breaths turned ragged.

The other hued like coals in fire

Staring from the ceiling, never

Speaking, simply waiting for the other’s screaming

To begin. Or perhaps to beg for Sleep’s kiss.

Dreams, though often stem from a soft goodnight kiss,

Shift into something other when left to the dark.

A heart in the chest screaming

Against a ribcage now ragged

With exhaustion. Yet still, sleep never

Falls in to douse the maladaptive fire.

Imagination always flickers to life next to fire;

Camp circle games that end with a kiss,

Because living in youth is never

Dull and there’s so much potential in the dark.

Social etiquette fallen ragged

With gossip turned high-pitched screaming,

And midnight ghost stories that leave you screaming

Into the logs of that hastily made fire.

The brain stripped ragged

Watching cinders and air kiss

In the tree line, hoping that the dark

Will hide from the sanguine glow. But it’s never

Something that hides. Shadows have never

Tried to shy away from noise or screaming.

It sits in plain sight: in the gaps in the dark,

In the breaks of the crackling fire,

In the gasps between each kiss,

Patchworked in the threads of ragged

Clothing, penned into forlorn fantasies ran ragged

And overencouraged by pitchy silence that never

Escape those journalled letters sealed with a kiss.

Emotions burn behind eyes screaming,

Tyring to simmer the anxious gut fire

As you still lay there facing upwards in the dark.

The dark limbs of paralysis stretching ragged across the room

Never quite touching or disturbing that internal screaming

Until, finally, it is broken by the fire of daylight kissing the horizon.

About the Competition

The Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 by Hashtag Kalakar is a prestigious platform celebrating literary creativity worldwide. Participants are invited to showcase their unique voices through poetry, short stories, and essays, engaging a global audience in the transformative power of words.

We extend our gratitude to Renoops for sharing "Hypnagogia" with us in the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. This evocative poem offers a profound reflection on the nuances of the subconscious, inviting readers to traverse the delicate boundary between dreams and wakefulness. Thank you, Renoops, for your contribution to the world of poetry.

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.