This poem is a journey through hidden battles and quiet resilience. It speaks for the countless young people who laugh in the daylight yet wrestle with their own shadows at night. Coming from a humble background, the poet wishes to express her deep emotions through words. At Poets & Peace, we believe healing is not about erasing scars but about finding beauty in them—the way they remind us of our courage to keep walking. This piece is a reminder that peace begins within: in learning to love ourselves, to listen to our own hearts, and to honor the person we are becoming.
The Girl I am meant to be
There were nights I was lost in my own mind,
fighting with thoughts no one else could find.
I laughed with my friends in daylight,
but at night, my pillow held every tear I cried.
I thought healing meant erasing the pain,
pretending the wounds had never been made.
But I have learned they are not stain,
they show I am a girl who never gave up,
A reminder each day to keep walking.
Some mornings I wake up heavy,
like I am carrying the whole world on my back.
Some days I look in the mirror,
and don’t recognize the girl staring back.
With every step I take,
I carry expectations, memories,
my parents, my family
everyone but me.
Yet inside, I dream of a day
when I can choose for myself,
follow my heart, not the world’s demands.
Because healing is more than surviving,
it is learning to live,
and to love myself,
To become the girl I am meant to be.
Poet Details
- Gungun Girish Godhariya
- Hamari Shala – Ashraya, Pune
- Class 10
- Gungun wants to become a pilot when she grows up and fulfill expectations of her parents and teachers
