The Language I Forgot - By Shivaanshi Patidar

Written By: Shivaanshi Patidar

Category: Poetry

Competition: Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026

In the realm of poetry, Shivaanshi Patidar's "The Language I Forgot" stands as a tender exploration of childhood's forgotten languages. Contributed to the Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026, this piece encapsulates the innocence and imaginative spirit that often fade with age. Through the lens of poetry, Shivaanshi invites readers to revisit the languages of their youth - languages unencumbered by the confines of grammar and societal expectations.

About the Work

"The Language I Forgot" is a poetic reflection on the innate communication shared during childhood - a time when imagination was boundless, and understanding transcended words. The poem evokes a sense of nostalgia and loss, capturing the gradual fading of this intuitive language. Through vivid imagery and a gentle tone, Shivaanshi Patidar illustrates the contrasts between the child's world and the adult's, reminding us of the beauty in simplicity and the value of remembering our inner child.

The Language I Forgot

Original Submission by Shivaanshi Patidar

The Language I Forgot

There was a language

I spoke long before

I learned the names of countries,

the rules of grammar,

or the difference

between impossible

and improbable.

It had no alphabet.

No dictionaries.

No one ever taught it to me.

I simply arrived

already fluent.

In that language,

the moon followed me home

because it liked my company.

Trees leaned closer

when I whispered secrets.

Rain was never weather,

it was the sky

remembering something.

Every crack in the pavement

was a river waiting

for the right imagination.

Every cardboard box

already knew

it was a castle.

The world never had to explain itself.

It only had to exist.

Strangely,

every child understood.

We spoke to birds

without expecting surprise

when they answered.

We apologized to broken toys

before throwing them away.

We believed

the stars appeared

because someone

had remembered

to turn them on.

Adults would smile

at our conversations,

the way tourists smile

when they hear

a language

they no longer recognize.

I never noticed

when I began forgetting.

Perhaps it happened

the first time

someone laughed

at a question

instead of answering it.

Or the day

I stopped searching

for dragons in the clouds

and started calling them

only water.

Perhaps fluency

doesn't disappear

all at once.

Perhaps it leaves

the way daylight does,

so gradually

that no one thinks

to mourn it.

Now,

I hear children

speaking it everywhere.

One kneels

to introduce herself

to an earthworm.

Another waves

to the moon

before climbing

into the car.

A little boy

carefully steps

around an ant,

as though the creature

has somewhere important

to be.

The adults

keep walking.

Sometimes,

I catch

a familiar word.

It lingers

at the edge

of understanding,

like a song

I haven't heard

since childhood,

whose melody

returns

but never

the lyrics.

Then a child

looks up at the sky

and says something

that makes

every grown-up laugh.

I don't.

Because for one impossible moment,

I could have sworn

they were speaking

to me.

And somewhere

inside the silence

that followed,

I realized

I still remember

how the language

sounds,

I just no longer know

how to answer.

About the Competition

The Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 by Hashtag Kalakar is a celebration of literary talent and creativity, inviting writers from around the globe to share their unique voices. This competition serves as a platform for poets and writers to express their thoughts and emotions through the art of words, fostering a community that cherishes the power of storytelling and poetic expression.

We extend our gratitude to Shivaanshi Patidar for sharing "The Language I Forgot" with us. Your poignant reflection on childhood and the languages we lose as we grow older has touched our hearts. Thank you for participating in the Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. Your contribution is truly valued.

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.