More than I'm my own - By Sanskriti Satyakam Sharma

Written By: Sanskriti Satyakam Sharma

Category: Poetry

Competition: Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026

Sanskriti Satyakam Sharma presents "More than I'm my own," a deeply reflective poem submitted to the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. Rooted in the unique experiences of a life on the move, Sanskriti captures the complex emotions tied to belonging and identity. This poetry entry, part of the esteemed competition, delves into the nuanced realities faced by individuals living away from their homeland, offering a poignant exploration of home and self-identity.

About the Work

"More than I'm my own" is a heartfelt exploration of the emotional landscapes navigated by those who live in transit. Through vivid imagery and a contemplative tone, the poem addresses themes of displacement and the enduring ties to one's roots. It conveys a sense of longing and acceptance, portraying the struggle of forming an identity amidst constant change. The work is both an introspective reflection and a universal message about the essence of belonging.

More than I'm my own

Original Submission by Sanskriti Satyakam Sharma

More Than I’m My Own

by Sanskriti Satyakam Sharma

Poetry Description: This poem emerges from a life lived repeatedly in transit as the child of expatriates and, later, as an international student. It reflects on the cumulative destructions that accompany becoming someone elsewhere while remaining emotionally elsewhere still- the empty seat at a dinner table, the delayed call, the rehearsed goodbye, and the understanding that home is often less a geography thanthe people to whom one remains, irrevocably, more than one's own.

I’ve known what it's like to fall free,

Into what promised I’d feel contained.

Into what caught me through this jostling life,

Into what took so much and yet remained;

I’ve heard words medicinal,

Not crafted cleverly, merely true;

Spoken with the intention of,

Helping the heavy pass right through.

I’ve run into ever-open arms,

That warmed more than they held,

Asked nothing of me,

Except that I finally exhaled.

I’ve felt understood in full-

My sighs, my silences, my cries;

Met by the kind of listening,

That never demanded I clarify.

Then I left.

Not because I wished to leave,

Nor because I outran being known,

But because it was beyond this,

Where waited a self, I had not grown.

What a costly thing becoming is!

The ordinary becomes a plea-

To love becomes an urgency,

Through miles that do not yield to me.

Leaving seldom looks like ruins,

And more like a long wait,

A seat empty at dinner tables,

And calls- hours late.

At airports, I still feel it-

The same tightening in my throat,

I’d taught myself to swallow,

I’d fooled myself saying it’ll go.

I’ve rehearsed goodbyes uncountably,

Known where every pause belongs,

Yet every parting hurts as hard,

As a force entirely new and wrong.

These are destructions I know too well,

And that they have no repair,

And that the micro ones slowly teach you,

How much of yourself lives elsewhere.

I’ve returned to places I’d called mine,

Met my old self there;

Longings I realised I outgrew,

Yet I often wish to wear.

The streets remained faithful.

The trees remembered where they stood.

Even the sunrays arrived precisely,

As I knew where they would.

Only I have changed.

Left to my own unkindness,

I’m impatient, angry, and severe,

With all that I have not become,

Blind to all that brought me here.

And perhaps this is my grief-

To keep moving while I stand still,

To keep reaching places,

But remain longed for elsewhere still.

I’ve folded into foreign grace

Learnt their weather and their ways,

Wishing this doesn't become just one,

Of my many borrowed stays.

Leaving has made one thing,

Unmistakably clear-

I’m infinitely smaller than I thought,

And even less confined by here.

I miss my people terribly.

And still, that’s not grief alone-

It is gratitude's difficult sibling,

And the hardest part of my whole.

So I prayed for what all migrants pray-

For journeys ending safely home,

For them to know I know I’m theirs,

More than I’m my own.

About the Competition

The Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 by Hashtag Kalakar is a renowned platform celebrating the voices of poets and writers worldwide. It invites creative minds to share their unique literary expressions, offering a space for diverse narratives and storytelling. The competition is a testament to the power of words in connecting individuals across cultures and experiences.

Thank you, Sanskriti Satyakam Sharma, for sharing "More than I'm my own" with us in the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. Your work beautifully encapsulates the profound themes of identity and belonging. We are grateful for your contribution and the resonant narrative you have offered.

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.