In celebration of World Poetry Day, our Youth Advisory Panel member Nas has composed a heartfelt poem reflecting his deep connection to his mother language, Urdu. He also shares the inspiration behind his writing and what motivated him to create the poem:
We are the names we speak,
the stories we carry,
the voices only our tongue can voice.
When a language fades,
it takes a piece of us with it,
a history unspoken, a forgotten home.
But as long as we speak,
through generations, it keeps living on,
echoing our identity.
When I was a child, my father always emphasised the beauty and importance of Urdu, my native language. While many parents around us prioritised English, believing it would help their children succeed, my father was determined to fortify Urdu in our home. Through poetry, stories, and everyday conversations, he made sure our native tongue became an inseparable part of my identity. Writing The Heartbeat of Our Identity, I reflected on how deeply language connects us to our roots. Each word we speak in our native language keeps alive the history, memories, and love passed down to us, ensuring we never forget who we truly are.
Image credit: Vaibhav Raina on Unsplash
