Why I Stayed - By Mata Ayoub

Written By: Mata Ayoub

Category: Poetry

Competition: Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026

Mata Ayoub graces the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 with her evocative poem "Why I Stayed." Participating in the esteemed poetry category, Mata's work delves into themes of resilience and personal growth, capturing the essence of human strength and introspection. The Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition is a platform that celebrates voices from around the world, providing a stage for creative expression and exploration of profound themes.

About the Work

"Why I Stayed" is a poignant exploration of resilience and self-discovery. With a tone both reflective and hopeful, Mata Ayoub uses vivid imagery and emotional depth to capture a journey through personal trials and eventual empowerment. The poem's evocative narrative and introspective mood invite readers to contemplate the complexities of staying and the profound strength found in the process of healing and self-acceptance.

Why I Stayed

Original Submission by Mata Ayoub

Why I Stayed

I was afraid of what he would do to me.

I was deeply unhappy,

and yet I smiled,

laughed,

kept the world stitched together

in the small ways I still could.

My self-esteem had thinned over years

of being compared,

measured against other lives,

until I began to believe stories

that did not belong to me.

Friends drifted away,

not because they did not love me,

but because my hurt became too hard to watch.

And still, I stayed.

His words were heavy.

They landed in my ears

and in my heart.

And still, I stayed.

The years passed.

One day the phone rang,

a voice full of counselling,

confession,

apology.

Forgiveness arrived slowly,

like a door opening into a room

I had not entered for years.

The forgetting did not come with it.

Today I speak to the woman I was

with kindness,

with gratitude.

I thank her for her strength

when the world cried her blind.

What I could not see then

was already inside me.

Truth waiting

for its own time to speak.

There were days I said no,

and the anger turned outward

toward family, toward home,

toward fire trucks in the night.

I bonded with the violence,

not with the man.

That was my weakness.

And still, I was never truly alone.

I believed no one else could love me.

I believed this was the best I could have.

I did not yet know

that I did not love myself,

and that love would return slowly,

like something growing back from earth

after a long season of drought.

Objects vanished.

Money slipped away.

The washing machine left in a box

and never came back.

A life held together

by hands that had already begun

to tremble.

Why did I stay?

I stayed with dignity.

I stayed with the truth I had

at the time.

And that, somehow,

is what saved me.

I had said enough

many times before.

But one day I said

now.

It was the word

that turned the world,

the moment my life

began to move.

They were my words.

They mattered.

Sixteen years.

not always terrible,

never safe

for long enough.

I stand here now,

whole,

alive,

no longer asking from regret,

but from tenderness.

There are parts of the answer

that still do not have words,

and I honour them, too.

About the Competition

The Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026, hosted by Hashtag Kalakar, celebrates diverse voices in the arts. This prestigious event provides a platform for poets and writers worldwide to share their unique perspectives and creative talents. The competition is renowned for its diversity and the opportunity it offers participants to engage with an international audience through their literary works.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Mata Ayoub for her profound contribution with "Why I Stayed" to the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. Her work enriches the tapestry of voices celebrated in this event, and we are grateful for her willingness to share such an intimate journey of resilience and self-discovery.

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.