I Grew from the Earth
Alatyr, Russian Federation
2025, Junior, Poetry & Spoken Word
I was not born in silence—
I was born in the wind.
My first breath carried the scent
of pine needles and thunder.
I learned to speak
by listening to leaves
argue with the sky,
and I learned to walk
by watching rivers
never hesitate.
When the world became loud—
machines, schedules, screens—
I buried my voice
like a seed
beneath the soil of my chest.
But the earth remembers.
It calls me back
with the hush of snowfall,
with the way dusk drapes herself
across my shoulders like a mother.
I sit in the arms of a tree,
and she tells me:
You are not alone.
Every root knows your name.
Every stone holds your story.
Even the rain listens
when you cry.
Inside me:
a wilderness still unbroken.
Outside me:
a world asking to be healed.
I do not need to conquer nature—
I need to return to it,
to remember
that I, too,
am wild,
and worthy
of blooming.
Reflection
The idea for my piece came from a moment of quiet—sitting alone under a tree, listening to the wind move through the branches. I realized how rarely I pause and simply exist without distraction. That moment reminded me that nature is not something separate from me. It is where I began, where I return when I feel lost, and where I find the clearest reflection of who I truly am. What inspired my work and creative process was this deep sense of connection—both fragile and powerful—between the natural world and the inner self. I wanted to explore how nature doesn’t just surround us, but speaks to us, holds us, and heals us when we’re willing to listen. Through exploring the theme “Connection to Nature: Looking Inside, Going Outside,” I learned how vital it is to slow down and truly observe—not only the world around me but also the world within me. Nature doesn’t demand anything; it simply invites us to be. And in that stillness, I found a voice I hadn’t heard before—my own. The message I hope to share with audiences is this: You are part of something ancient and beautiful. Even in moments of loneliness or confusion, the earth holds you. You don’t need to search far to reconnect—with nature, with others, or with yourself. Sometimes, it starts with a single step outside… or a single breath in.