The Places That Keep You - By Divya Moodley

Written By: Divya Moodley

Category: Poetry

Competition: Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026

In Divya Moodley's evocative poem "The Places That Keep You," submitted to the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026, readers are invited on a reflective journey through the landscapes of memory and identity. As part of the competition's Poetry category, this piece beautifully captures the essence of places that hold fragments of our past selves, weaving a tapestry of nostalgia and personal growth.

About the Work

"The Places That Keep You" delves into the intimate connection between individuals and the places that shape them. Through vivid imagery and a gentle, contemplative tone, Moodley explores how locations retain pieces of our past, offering solace and familiarity. The poem captures the bittersweet nature of change, illustrating how places grow with us, preserving the essence of who we were.

The places that keep you

Original Submission by Divya Moodley

The Places That Keep You

There are places

that remember you.

Not your name,

not your birthday,

not the things you became,

but the version of you

who once stood there

without knowing

how quickly she would change.

A street can remember

the child who raced down it.

A beach can remember

the feet that first learned

how to run toward the waves.

A bedroom can remember

every dream you whispered

after everyone else had gone to sleep.

And maybe that's why

leaving somewhere

can feel so strange.

You take your bags.

You close the door.

You tell yourself

you can always come back.

But you know

you won't come back

as the same person.

The road will still be there.

The trees will still move

when the wind passes through them.

The sun will still fall

in the same place

in the late afternoon.

But you will have grown.

And somehow

the place will have grown with you.

I think that is what home is.

Not four walls.

Not an address.

But the strange feeling

of standing somewhere

and thinking,

I know this.

The smell of the air.

The shape of the horizon.

The sound of a familiar road

beneath your feet.

The places that make you

feel recognised

even when nobody is there

to recognise you.

Maybe we never really

leave those places.

Maybe we carry them.

A little piece of one

in the way we laugh.

Another in the songs we love.

Another in the roads

we still remember

without needing directions.

And years from now,

I know there will be somewhere

I haven't seen in decades

that will suddenly appear

in front of me,

and I'll stop.

I'll breathe in.

And for one beautiful second,

I'll be young again.

Not because time went backwards,

but because some places

keep the people

we used to be.

They wait patiently

for us to return.

And when we do,

they don't ask

where we've been.

They simply say,

there you are.

About the Competition

The Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 by Hashtag Kalakar is a prestigious platform celebrating diverse voices in poetry and prose. It provides writers worldwide an opportunity to showcase their creativity and engage with a global community of literary enthusiasts. The competition highlights the power of words in shaping our understanding of the world.

We extend our gratitude to Divya Moodley for sharing "The Places That Keep You" with the Hashtag Kalakar community as part of the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. This poignant reflection on the enduring impact of places is a testament to the power of poetry to evoke emotion and introspection. Thank you, Divya, for your meaningful contribution.

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.