My Poetic Journey!

I 

did not wake up one day and decide to become a poet.
Poetry entered my life when silence began to speak louder than words.

It began in a classroom.

One day, I noticed a student—always present, always invisible.
Bright eyes.
No raised hand.
No questions.
Just quiet.

After class, I asked gently, “Why don’t you ever speak?”
The answer stayed with me.

“Ma’am, I think in poems… but I’m afraid they’re wrong.”

 *Let this land

That moment changed me.

Because I realised poetry is not about being right or wrong.
It is about being honest.

For years, I believed poetry was about beautiful language.
Life taught me otherwise.
Poetry is about listening—to what is spoken,
and more importantly, to what is hidden.

As a woman, as a teacher, as a human being,
I saw how often voices are softened, dismissed, delayed.
So I began to write—not for applause,
but to give courage to silences like that child’s.

Every poem I write carries a responsibility.
To speak of kindness when cruelty feels louder.
To speak of inclusion when exclusion feels routine.
To speak of hope—not as comfort,
but as courage.
People ask me,
“Does poetry still matter in a world ruled by speed and screens?”
Smiling
Yes.
Because poetry slows us down.
It teaches us to feel before we react.
To listen before we judge.
A poet does not escape reality.
A poet enters it deeply—
and returns with light.My journey as a poet is still unfolding.
I am still learning how to turn silence into strength,
pain into purpose,
and words into bridges.And if my poetry leaves you with one thought,
let it be this:
Your voice matters.
Even when it whispers.
Especially then!

Thank you.

Jyoti Verma