Hiraya Poetry Contest 2021 Winner

On My Way to Nowhere
​by Mary Monique Renegado

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what surprising, fascinating stuff can you tell us about the origin, drafting, and/or final version of "On My Way to Nowhere"?
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It has always been my childhood dream to make a name for myself in literature. Whether it was writing essays, short stories, novels, poems, one of my earnest aspirations was to soon see my name on the cover page of my published books. The first time I read Hiraya's post on their first poetry contest, I was hesitant to join. I've always been one who shies away from opportunities. Thankfully, my SHS professor, Mr. Rodel Saladaga, encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and give it a try. He once told me that a huge dream couldn't be achieved with only one huge step, but with a million, tiny footsteps at a slow pace. So I believed him and took a risk. 

Surprisingly, I wrote On My Way to Nowhere quicker than any of my other poems. The writing process was messy; there was no guided outline or a uniform procedure I followed. I simply allowed myself to be immersed into an alternate universe where my thoughts and I become one.  I was in my room at 2 AM, thinking of how much I missed my boyfriend, after months of not seeing each other due to lockdown restrictions. I guessed missing him triggered the creative juices in my brain to flow exactly where I needed them. 

When I write a poem, I create a story. On My Way to Nowhere is about someone who usually spends her time alone, ruminating about the choices she didn't make and the roads she didn't take. She closes her eyes and dreams about being in places different from where she was, and the one thing holding her back was the fear of stagnance, of not being worthy of her deepest ambitions. I guess the main message of the poem is to ignite the flickering hope of chasing after our dreams and to be courageous enough to take action. The world belongs to the doers, as they say. We can only do so much about our dreams if we don't put in the work it takes to make them happen. ​

Mary Monique Renegado is a passionate lover of literature. She aspires to be a traditionally published author in many genres worldwide. Currently, Monique is a college student taking a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication at the University of San Jose - Recoletos. Monique also dedicates her time working on her lifestyle blog called Life Begins At Twenty. Years from now, her plans include venturing into law school and marrying her long-term boyfriend, Zyvann. 

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