(Bangalore, Karnataka)
The Poetic Land proudly honours Syeda Iqra Fatima, only 5 years and 10 months old, from Bangalore, Karnataka, as the youngest poet of TPL Season 2. At an age when most children speak in play, Iqra speaks in social conscience.
Her poem
“Be Someone Your Country Is Proud Of”
embodies not childish fancifulness, but rather fierce moral clarity. In her poem, Iqra asks the very thought-provoking question,
“Are we really good citizens?”
– transforming patriotism into a personal self-inquiry. In addition, the compassion and empathy Iqra writes about for delivery workers, the hungry, and people with disabilities displays an impressive awareness that it’s not just flags, but also care and concern for others, that actually build a nation.
Her statement,
“No one in our nation should go to bed hungry,”
articulates in few simple words an incomplete truth of freedom. The poems of Iqra remind us that sometimes, an innocent child can see and feel the harsh realities of life far better than someone who has lived through them.
TPL honours Iqra, not just for her poetic talent, but for showing us that age is not a measure of depth. Although a child’s voice may be limited by the number of years they have existed, they can have an immense significance and emotional impact.