Creative Writing
Harmony Week Creative Writing Competition
What would a harmonious world look like to you? Perhaps it is one in which hope reigns supreme. Perhaps it is the quest for harmony in the crevices of daily life. Perhaps, the answer lies in one of the many excellent submissions that Nossal’s Creative Writing Club received in response to this question.
Harmony Week is one of the most fabulous times of the school year and is celebrated through a range of mediums as diverse as our own origins: dance, music, and last but not least, literature. Our school recognises the influence of written work as a vehicle for change and hope, and this prompted the Creative Writing Club to organise a competition, where fellow students were given a platform for their voice.
The sheer talent of our pupils was staggering, and their works profound; it was truly a challenge for Ms. Mackin to determine the pieces that should receive a special mention.
Congratulations to all, and special congratulations to the top three:
- Winner: Harmonious World, by Bobby Bhatia
- Highly Commended: The World of One, by Harini Thivakar
- Highly Commended: The Garden of Harmony, Yatheeshan Baalakumaran
Lavanya Jyothis, Creative Writing Club Leader
WINNER
Harmonious World
By Bobby Bhatia (Year 9)
In the calm folds of likeness, where the sun and moon share a knowing see, there lies a world woven from the strings of generosity, coaxed, and differentia…a world of harmony. A wonderful world—a haven where hearts beat in mass, and the rhythm of life moves to a supernatural tune.
In the nature of this harmonious world, petals spread out like secrets. Each petal with a story, a proof of unity, grows toward the sun, its roots braided with those of its neighbors. Here, bloomings rise over irrelevant aesthetics; it talks of shared stories, adaptability, and the keen change between vulnerability and quality.
In the conversation of this harmonious world, it almost carries melodies—the giggling of children, the sharpness of senior residents, and the confessions of lovers. Their tunes echo over valleys, merging divisions, and reminding us that we are all allocated to the same choir.
In the heart of this harmonious world, bridges curve over streams of lies. These bridges are not clear stone; they are conduits of understanding. When two souls meet upon them, they trade more than pleasantries—they share points of view, fears, and ambitions.
In the library of this harmonious world, bookshelves sag underneath the weight of infinite books. Here, stories are not just ink and paper; they breathe, beat, and lace. The librarian, an old-fashioned sage with eyes like clusters of stars, guides seekers to forgotten stories. In this library, charity is the librarian's card catalog, and love is the texture upon which new stories are comprised.
In the seasons of this harmonious world, they waltz hand in hand. Spring, with its delicate touch, harmonizes changeless seeds. Summer pirouettes underneath the sun's warm rays, and autumn's leaves turn reddish brown and gold. Winter, gentle yet persistent, veils the land in quiet reflection. Each season knows its role—death and the stream of life—they celebrate the beauty of temporariness.
In the council of this harmonious world, the committee collects ideas of citizens. Its members—wise creatures from far-off galaxies—gather underneath a truthful place. They think, not in chambers of marble but in gardens of luminescent greenery. Their choices swell through correspondence, forming predeterminations like stars altering themselves inside the night sky.
In the language of this harmonious world, compassion isn't a mere gesture; it is a lingo talked by all. Strangers offer glasses of warmth to exhausted travelers. Neighbors repair fences and broken hearts. The wind carries blessings, and raindrops drop like liquid grace. The stones, weathered by time, hold stories of generosity carved into their old-fashioned faces.
In the closeness in this harmonious world, there are kaleidoscopes of lives, dreams, and mutual breaths. In this wonderful world, borders are non-existent, and if any present, break down. This world recognizes interconnectedness—the web that helps us all. And as the sun drops underneath the skyline, casting its last glowing kiss, the creatures in this world know that they are not alone.
For inside the calm folds of closeness, where the sun and moon share a knowing see, there lies a harmonious world—a sanctuary—where hearts beat in gathering.
And so this is what a harmonious world is.
HIGHLY COMMENDED
The World of One
By Harini Thivakar (Year 9)
Open your eyes,
Look forward,
And follow my lead.
For I shall take you –
To the world of one.
Let’s link hands and
Walk the three-legged race –
Blindfolded and hopeful.
Where you are my saviour,
And I am yours.
In the great place -
Called the world of one.
Let me be your eyes.
And you shall be mine.
For we shall look the same direction –
Wherever that may be.
For we can see the same Sun,
We can see the same Moon.
Let’s see the same and be the same.
In the world of one.
Roses stand tall as the brave ones,
While the weeds stand with them.
As tall.
And beautiful.
And see the same Moon.
Thorns stand by too…
But too bothered,
As they turn their backs to each other -
To explore the other Suns.
“Are we nearing the world of one?”
You may plead.
As the three-legged race
seems to come to a tedious end.
But remember that –
We ARE the world of one.
Yes, the World of One.
We are the saviours.
We are the eyes.
We are the hearts that beat together.
For this world,
can’t be formed by minds.
Or by progress towards the finish line.
But by hearts.
Our simultaneously beating hearts.
So dear neighbours,
We can’t remove our inner thorns.
For that will eradicate our roses.
But in this world of good and bad.
I will show you the way.
No –
We shall show you the way.
As your saviour.
As your eyes.
As your heart.
And we shall take you.
To the World of One.
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Garden of Harmony
By Yatheeshan Baalakumaran (Year 9)
In the garden of harmony, where petals breathe in unison,
A symphony of colors blooms, beneath the benevolent sun.
Whispers of a gentle breeze carry the songs of unity,
As each blossom dances, a testament to diversity.
The roses, red and radiant, cradle the lilies' serene sighs,
Their fragrances entwined, painting love across the skies.
Tulips bow in rhythm, a ballet of shades so bright,
In this realm of coexistence, where day turns into night.
Behold the trees, ancient storytellers of the earth,
Their branches intertwined, celebrating each rebirth.
Leaves, like pages turning, chronicle the passage of time,
In the heart of this Eden, where the verses of life rhyme.
The rivers, liquid veins coursing with shared dreams,
Reflect the moon's embrace in shimmering moonbeam streams.
Mountains stand as sentinels, guardians of sacred grace,
Witness to the dance of existence, in this timeless space.
Here, the birds are poets, composing verses in flight,
Their wings etch stanzas across the canvas of the daylight.
Butterflies, with painted wings, whisper tales of transformation,
In this sanctuary of serenity, a haven of jubilation.
Through meadows of forgiveness, forgiveness grows wild,
A healing balm for wounds, reconciling every child.
Kindness, like a gentle rain, nurtures seeds of compassion,
In the fertile soil of understanding, a haven for every soul's fashion.
So, let us wander hand in hand, amidst this bloom divine,
Embracing the chorus of life, in this garden so fine.
For in the garden of harmony, where every heart is free,
We find the essence of existence, in joyous unity.
Beneath the boughs, wisdom whispers through the air,
Leaning in, we learn the secrets the ancients bear.
Knowledge, a garden of ever-blooming truth,
Each petal a revelation, each stem a guide for youth.
In the garden's heart, a fountain of dreams does flow,
A liquid melody of hope in a rhythmic glow.
The water of aspirations, crystal clear and bright,
Reflecting the dreams that take flight in the night.
A bridge of empathy spans the gentle stream,
Connecting the realms of waking and dream.
Footsteps echo softly, in harmonious refrain,
A journey through compassion, erasing every stain.
And as the moon ascends, a celestial muse,
Casting silver verses, illuminating the views.
In the garden of harmony, under the cosmic dome,
Each star a haiku, in the celestial poem.
Harmony is precious…