About Maryam Umar Mairiga's work:
Poem Title:
FROM SURVIVING TO THRIVING
Poem Theme:
The theme of my poem is resilience in the face of adversity and the struggle to move beyond "survival mode" — a state of merely getting by, often due to emotional, mental, or physical pain. It reflects on how people often feel stuck, searching for validation and comfort while masking their true emotions.
Poem Inspiration:
The inspiration to this poem is rooted in my experiences of suffering, loss, disappointment, and emotional turmoil. It draws from my internal conflict of managing pain while striving for hope and redemption.
How long have they been writing poems:
I started writing poems from a young age. I found it as a form of self expression during challenging times.
Initially, I started to write short journal entries. Over time, I realized that my writing took on a rhythm that began to resemble poetry. As i continued, I found that poetry allowed me to explore my deepest thoughts and emotions in ways that other forms of self expression could not.
All this started around 2016, right before I entered Junior secondary school and began writing my first book.
From then, I continued using writing as an Avenue to channel my emotions and reflect more on life as a young person.
How they discovered their passion for poetry and word art:
I've been writing poems for as long as I can remember, though I didn't always call it poetry. It started with scribbling lines in the margins of my notebooks, trying to capture moments or feelings that seemed too big for regular words. Over the years, writing became my way of making sense of the world, a quiet space where I could explore my thoughts, reflect on my experiences, and connect with my deepest emotions.
At first, I wrote just for myself — short verses about the things that moved me: a striking sunset, a difficult day, the joy of a fleeting moment, or the ache of a loss. But as I kept writing, I began to see poetry everywhere — in conversations, in nature, in the way light filters through the trees, or in the quiet pauses between breaths. Poetry became not just something I did, but a way I saw the world.
So, to answer your question, I've been writing poems my whole life, in one form or another. It has grown with me, changed with me, and continues to be a source of meaning and expression that I can't imagine my life without.
I’m a self published author, with a book to my credit and more books in the pipeline.
Winning this competition will go a long way in helping me fund my next book!
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