The Beauty and Brutality of Survival - By Warisha Vakeel

Written By: Warisha Vakeel

Category: Poetry

Competition: Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026

In "The Beauty and Brutality of Survival," poet Warisha Vakeel delves into the resilient nature of humanity. As part of the Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026, this profound piece captures the enduring struggle and grace found in everyday survival. Through vivid imagery and emotional depth, Vakeel's work speaks to the universal experiences of individuals navigating the complexities of life, highlighting both the elegance and rawness inherent in the human spirit.

About the Work

Warisha Vakeel's poem portrays a rich tapestry of human survival, exploring themes of perseverance and quiet strength. Her evocative language and poignant imagery paint a picture of individuals enduring life's challenges with grace and dignity. The poem's tone is both reflective and hopeful, offering a window into the inner worlds of diverse characters, each finding beauty amid adversity.

Poem: beauty and brutality of survival

Original Submission by Warisha Vakeel

The Beauty and brutality of survival

A girl survived

with grace stitched into her silence,

taught to smile, not speak too loud,

to know enough, but never more than she should.

She carried her dreams inside hidden pages,

her dignity folded into apologies.

Judged by her voice, her love, her laughter

yet she survived,

with elegance sharper than any blade.

A boy survived

mocked for trying,

measured by what he could earn, not what he could feel.

He learned, building walls out of humor,

to bleed behind jokes.

The world told him to be strong

so he was,

even when strength felt like a cracked mask isolated, alone .

A man survived

beneath the weight of everyone’s needs,

the provider, the protector, the unthanked.

He carried tiredness like a second skin,

and hope like a fragile thread .

Still, he woke up,

not because he rested enough

but because he remembered someone needed him to.

A mother survived

with her prayers tucked inside her palms,

turning every tear into bread.

Her love was never loud,

but it outlasted hunger.

A child survived

watching stars through the holes in the roof,

learning that wonder can grow

even in broken places.

The rich survived

guarding gold that cannot feed a soul.

The poor survived

sharing the little they had,

their hearts, the only thing untouched by famine.

The faithful survived

bowing with every breath,

their devotion weaving through the dust of this earth

seeing God in small mercies

a sunrise, a hand that didn't let go.

The faithless survived

searching the same heavens,

not for answers, but meaning.

A debater survived

questioning every truth that wore a crown.

A defender survived

holding faith like a trembling candle,

trying to keep its light alive.

And somewhere, in the middle of it all,

a teenager survived

half child, half storm,

feeling too much in a world that feels too little.

Dreaming, doubting,

scrolling through borrowed lives,

but quietly building their own.

The world survived

in fragments of beauty and brutality,

in the raw, imperfect grace

of hearts that refuse to stop beating.

We survived

through wars no one saw,

through nights that broke us and mornings that didn’t heal.

We survived,

because something divine still hums inside our pain.

We survived

because love, no matter how quiet,

is still the loudest thing left in us.

About the Competition

The Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 by Hashtag Kalakar invites writers to express their creativity and share their voices with a global audience. This esteemed event celebrates diverse literary talents, providing a platform for poets and writers to explore profound themes and connect with readers worldwide.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Warisha Vakeel for her powerful contribution, "The Beauty and Brutality of Survival," to the Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. Her work beautifully encapsulates the enduring strength and grace found in the human experience.

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.