Diamond In The Rough

Sometimes, the world around us feels like an unrelenting storm. People may doubt us, try to tame us, or even shackle our spirits. Yet, amid all this external chaos, the loudest critic often resides within—our own inner voice. It’s the voice that magnifies our fears, punches harder than anyone else, and tells us we're not enough.

Ever noticed how comparing yourself to someone else’s progress makes you forget your own? How the fear of confronting your shadows and challenges can make you shrink away from your potential? In those moments, when the weight feels unbearable, it’s time to say it out loud: “Silencio, Bruno!” (Yes, Disney-Pixar fans, you’ll catch my drift!) Sometimes, the real battle is silencing Bruno in our heads—the one that whispers doubts louder than dreams.

For me, this poem is also a reminder of my name, Kanika. Just as a diamond starts as a humble atom but emerges dazzling and unbreakable, I too strive to refine and justify my essence. So here’s a piece that’s not just for you, but for me too—a testament to rising above doubts, whether from within or without. 

You can call me names,
You can try to hold me with your chains.
You can try to break me,
You can try to stake me.

You can dim my light,
Make my life a gloomy night.
You can try to make me lose my sight,
Paint your lies in shades of white.

You can pour gasoline on my dreams,
Try to muffle my rising screams.
You can hold me down,
Or try to snatch my crown.

One thing you can't take from me is my will to fight.

Through the fire, I refine,
Through the storms, I still align.
Each scar, a story carved in stone,
Each fall, a strength I call my own.

As I rise, unyielding, tough,
Shining bright, a diamond in the rough.