Mariam Q submitted a piece that she wrote as a result of what she called an unpleasant conversation. She highlighted that this piece is her view on how powerful words can be so we hope you enjoy

I heard the sound of the beautiful poetry, slipping and sliding into my ears to my soul, touching it lightly leaving the briefest trace of awe in it.

Words that collide together to form such a beautiful painting that the poet wanted to draw. Poetry is a melody, a soft song that makes your heart flutter like a small bird flapping its wings beautifully.

Then there is that murderer, holding the knife of mockery and disdain. Slashing at the small bird of poetry, threatening to cut its wings off. What happened to the world? Why do people frown and turn their faces when Literature is mentioned and poetry is recited? Why did people stop appreciating the art of words and their magic? What happened to sitting all alone, holding a simple book and enjoying it?

The bird flaps its wings helplessly as the knife slashes throw them with more hate and disdain. The poor bird trying to survive as people turned away from it, from words, books, poetry and literature?

Empires were built, and empires fell. Words gave hope and changed lives. How can you underestimate such thing? No they’re not only letters, behind them they have power. Power so great it shakes your core but you deny everyday the truth of it.

Where is the world that used to love reading and appreciate words?

Yes, I am a reader. Yes, I am a writer and it IS a talent. I am a talent, who put the rule that we, writers and poets, we are not talents?

You know why we are powerful? We have: WORDS.

With words you can start a revolution, you can move a country and you can rule. With words you can do anything.

The small bird raises its head and looks at the sky. It flaps its wings harder, and soars higher. There is where our words, poems and stories belong to. To the sky because our limit is the sky.

And as Maya Angelou said “Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with deeper meaning.”

So rethink that absurd thought that words are “nothing”.

Author: Mariam Q