writeALONG! 21 April 2026

A TUESDAY FEATURE

hosts: Padma Rajeswari, K. Ramesh

guest editor: Aashna Goyal

Only the unpublished poems (that are never published on any social media platform/journals/anthologies) posted here for each prompt will be considered for Triveni Haikai India's monthly journal -- haikuKATHA, each month.

Poets are requested to post poems (haiku/senryu) that adhere to the prompts/exercises given.

Only 1 poem to be posted in 24 hours. Total 2 poems per poet are allowed each week (numbered 1,2). So, revise your poems till 'words obey your call'.

Responses are usually a mixture of grain and chaff. The poet has to be discerning about what to take for the final version of the poem or the unedited version will be picked up for the journal.

The final version should be on top of the original version for selection.

Poetry is a serious business. Give you best attempt to feature in haikuKATHA !!

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I remember that when I was a child, I used to find joy in the smallest things. The sky looked beautiful after the first sunlight on a chilly winter morning. The earthy smell of soil after the rain felt comforting. Sometimes a random child would smile at me in a crowd, and it would brighten my whole day. I would even discover little art forms in the patterns of floor tiles. I also loved noticing the soft glow on someone’s face when they were doing something they truly loved. Moments like these always felt magical to me.

Even today, I still enjoy these little things. However, many people my age seem to have forgotten how to notice such beauty. When I was fourteen, I learned one of the most important lessons about poetry: never let the inner child within you fade away. Holding on to that sense of wonder became the very reason I was drawn deeper into the world of creativity.

Poetry became a space where my inner child could still speak freely, without the fear of judgement. The feelings and thoughts I could never say out loud slowly found their voice through words, inspiring me to create more and more. Through poetry, the quiet moments, the small joys, and the unspoken emotions finally found a way to be heard.

Take this as a source of inspiration and a brief pause from the demands of the adult world. Write a haiku about the small moments your inner child still enjoys, or about something your inner child has always wanted to say but never had the chance to express.