If My Shadow Could Speak - By Anisha Ekka

Written By: Anisha Ekka

Category: Poetry

Competition: Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026

Anisha Ekka presents a poignant and introspective poem titled "If My Shadow Could Speak" in the Poetry category of the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. This evocative piece delves into the depths of personal reflection, exploring the silent companionship of one's shadow through moments of vulnerability and strength. Anisha's words invite readers into a world where shadows hold secrets, and resilience triumphs amid life's challenges.

About the Work

"If My Shadow Could Speak" gracefully explores themes of introspection and resilience. Anisha Ekka weaves a narrative filled with vivid imagery and emotional depth, capturing the silent struggles and triumphs of the human spirit. The poem's evocative style and heartfelt tone invite readers to reflect on their own journeys, offering a comforting reminder that even in solitude, we are never truly alone.

If my Shadow Could Speak

Original Submission by Anisha Ekka

If My Shadow Could Speak

If my shadow could speak,

what would it say to me,

about all these places in which I kept my secrets?

Would it tell you about nights I pretended to be strong,

while salty tears stained my pillow,

lying to myself that I'm "okay" all along?

It has walked with me through sunshine,

it has walked with me through rain.

It has watched me in my happiness,

it has watched me in my pain.

It has never questioned anything,

asked me nothing at all.

It just stuck by my side faithfully, when no one else would stay.

It knew of the little trembles I've hidden deep inside my smile,

the dreams I keep caged away in the corners of my mind,

the words I swallowed when all I wanted to do was complain,

and the silent, "I'm okay," when really, all I wanted was sympathy.

It knew of the strength I've built and

the strength I've lost along the way.

It watched me battle with my demons and fight through the night to outrun despair.

It knew when I looked into the mirror

and tried desperately to pretend

that I was brave and stronger than my pain,

wishing that someone would see through my mask and mend the pieces of me.

It knew names and hearts that I've loved and lost along the way.

The promises that have been unkept,

the feelings that I'll never express,

the goodbyes I've swallowed whole,

the lies that I've told myself,

that I didn't miss them when, really, all along, I did.

It knew of doors that I've opened and doors that I've abandoned,

the roads that I've travelled with courage and the roads that I've been too scared to find.

It watched me sprint into my future while dragging my past behind,

and it watched me learn that growing old means letting go

and letting things become the way they're supposed to be.

If my shadow could talk, maybe it would tell you this:

that inside my heart, where I've buried all my helplessness,

I've once been weak,

and that all the bravado that I wear is just a mask

to hide the fact that sometimes,

even in the most crowded room, I feel so alone.

It knew of the dreams that I've buried beneath layers of self-doubt,

the words that I've wanted to scream,

and then the silence that I've chosen instead.

The days that I've wanted to disappear,

and the nights that I've fought through the fear,

just to find a reason to exist.

It watched me stumble through the grey,

and then it watched me find a little light,

and then it watched me learn that broken hearts can mend,

and that broken feet will find their way home.

It never left me as I walked through unfamiliar streets,

or as the faces around me changed and the world forgot my name.

It watched me through the seasons, through the joy, the goodbyes,

through all the roads I wandered and all the roads that I refused to take.

Maybe the shadow knows where I've been and who I used to be.

It knows the person that I thought I was,

and the person that I am,

and maybe it knows who I'm still becoming as I stumble through my life.

One evening, as the sunset painted the streets in gold,

I looked down at my shadow, stretching at my feet, and just for once, I didn't run.

I stood, and I stopped, and I just looked,

and I wondered how many tears it had cried as I walked along its path.

"If you could speak," I said, "what would you say to me?"

It trembled in the darkening twilight beneath the old oak tree.

And though it couldn't talk, somehow,

I heard its voice inside my heart,

saying, "You've weathered every storm that came to try to wash your dreams away."

"You told yourself you were a failure

when you stumbled on the ground,

but I watched you get up time and time again,

without a word or sound."

"You told yourself that you were weak because your heart was soaked in tears,

but I watched you fight through it all the same,

despite the pain you held inside of you."

"You searched for love in places where your heart was treated like it was worthless,

and you told yourself that was love, when really, they just hurt you."

"You were not weak because they failed to see the beauty in your soul.

You are made of a million sparkling universes that shine in spite of them."

"You forgave and forgot, but you never gave yourself the same mercy,

so please, don't become someone you're not because of what they tried to teach you."

"And don't forget to love the person that you're quietly becoming,

because that's when you'll finally become the amazing woman

that you always dreamed of seeing."

The sky grew darker, and the blue night swallowed up the gold,

as streetlamps flickered on like fireflies, and everything began to glow.

My shadow stretched beside me,

then began to disappear.

But somehow, I was no longer afraid.

For shadows are not things of darkness; they follow closely through the day,

and they hold your secrets close to them when you're far too scared to say.

And maybe, if my shadow could speak,

it would not speak of blame,

but it would gather up my shattered pieces and name them all the same.

It would tell you, "You are human, and you're allowed to bend,

for every road has shadows, but not every road must end."

And now, when I am walking and the sky is filled with light,

I no longer see a shadow that represents my endless nights,

for it shows the things I've overcome and the brave battles I've won,

and it stays right by my side, a quiet little reminder

that my life is far from over.

And if tomorrow I find myself beneath the sun,

I will walk a little slower and remember where I've been,

for my shadow walks with me wherever I choose to go,

and maybe, one day, when the night comes swallowing the light,

my shadow will whisper to me, "You survived another night."

And though it has no voice to tell me, it has so much to say:

"You were never walking alone.

I was always here.”

About the Competition

The Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 by Hashtag Kalakar celebrates diverse voices and literary creativity from around the world. This prestigious competition provides a platform for writers and poets to share their unique perspectives, fostering a global community of artists who explore the myriad facets of human experience through the written word.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Anisha Ekka for sharing her thought-provoking poem "If My Shadow Could Speak" with us. Her contribution to the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 enriches our understanding of resilience and introspection, reminding us of the power of words to illuminate the human condition. We look forward to witnessing more of Anisha's literary journey.

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.