Long Live the Fool - By Diya Sarah

Written By: Diya Sarah

Category: Essay

Competition: Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026

In the Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026, Diya Sarah offers a thought-provoking essay titled "Long Live the Fool." As part of the essay category, this piece delves into the complex interplay between folly and wisdom, challenging societal norms and celebrating the courage to dream. Diya Sarah's writing invites readers to reconsider the value of being labeled a fool and the audacity required to pursue one's dreams.

About the Work

"Long Live the Fool" is a meditation on the paradoxical wisdom of folly. Diya Sarah employs a reflective style, using vivid imagery and rhetorical questions to challenge societal perceptions of foolishness. The essay speaks to the heart, advocating for the courage to dream despite the risk of failure. Through a nuanced exploration of historical and personal anecdotes, the work highlights the transformative power of embracing one's inner fool.

Long Live the Fool

Original Submission by Diya Sarah

Long Live the Fool

Cursed be the fool, says a holy book. Follow not the fool, says another. Fools aren’t worth your time, says society. Oh, to have the luxury of being the fool, says the heart. I will not be the fool, says the mind. You’re being a fool, says the voice at the back of my head.

Every genius was first a failure. Every failure, first a dreamer. Every dreamer, first a fool. Thinking trees could be written on, when nothing ever been penned before, was first foolishness. Thinking humans could fly when gravity has never been defied was first foolishness. Thinking that people across the seas could talk for hours like they were next to each other, when the distance seemed insuperable, was first foolishness.

But even if I were to be written out of history, pushed off the map or earn a humiliating five seconds of fame on Instagram, wouldn’t it be worth it? The fool cares not who the watchers are, or whether the cliff is too high, or the cost of tomorrow.

Little fool, long may you live. Stop not because society tells you something is foolishness. Even the fool going down the wrong road has greater wisdom than the prude who refuses to move until his hair is grey and his beard reaches the floor. The fool dancing in a quiet street has greater joy than the model citizen who judges from a corner.

The fool, behind carefree smiles and spontaneous plans, is the wisest of all. For who better knows the cost of dreaming, than the one who was branded a fool for it? Or the worthlessness of worry than the fool who doesn’t worry? Who but the fool who fell into the abyss would know how high the cliff was?

About the Competition

The Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 by Hashtag Kalakar is an esteemed platform celebrating diverse voices in literature. It invites participants from around the globe to share their unique perspectives through poetry, essays, and creative writing. This competition is a space for creative expression and intellectual exploration, fostering a community of writers committed to the art of storytelling.

We extend our gratitude to Diya Sarah for her insightful contribution to the Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. "Long Live the Fool" is a compelling essay that invites readers to embrace folly as a necessary path to wisdom and creativity. Thank you, Diya, for sharing your inspiring perspective with us.

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.