In a recently concluded poetry competition from The Indiependent Collective (IndieCo), a former journalist received an honorable mention for her poem, “Earthen Keep,” as the judges found it showcased a remarkable depth of emotion and lyrical beauty that captured their attention. 

Denise Langurayan, a 21-year-old psychology student from the Ateneo de Manila University,  has committed to honing her writing skills as a journalist and confessed in an interview with IndieCo that receiving recognition assured her that her pursuit for technical excellence hasn’t overshadowed her youthful emotional creativity.

She is surprised and grateful to receive such an award.

Finding Inspiration

IndieCo’s poetry competition had the theme of free love which can be interpreted differently by people, and to Denise, free love is “a love, if provided unconditionally in the hands of the wrong person, can turn into a wicked approbation to free use.” 

“But as worms lie on the Earth as its keeper, it will ultimately find itself free of life,” she further expounded by drawing an analogy to worms on Earth and highlighting that it ultimately finds its freedom.

Denise was also influenced by lyricists, extending the definition of a poet. She appreciated the intimate structure of the lyrics of Pete Wentz and Hozier, wanting her poems to feel the same way—a dichotomy between the artist’s internal dialogue within the art and the perceiver’s derivative of the work.

And when it came to writing the poem, Denise strayed away from routines as she considers it an emotional journey rather than a structured process, allowing her emotions to guide her pen.

How It Began

Denise admitted that she is uncertain when she started writing poetry, stating that she has been writing creatively at a young age due to her long-standing interest in music, which gradually transitioned into writing lyrics. Lately, she has a spontaneous approach to poetry, with ideas often jotted down in scattered notes as their motivation lies in the emotional connection they feel with their own words.

Moreover, in preparation for the competition, Denise jested in a light-hearted manner about having difficulty with deadlines. However, the adrenaline rush and the urgency of time propelled her to tap into her emotional creativity, enabling her to overcome the challenge.

Finally, as the interview came to a close, she shared her advice to aspiring poets: “Keep on keeping writing! Honestly, I wouldn’t say to pursue success with art. First and foremost, it is personal to you and the meaningfulness of the art. Know thyself by doing–writing, writing, writing!”

Stay tuned to Denise’s future works on her social media accounts. 

Buy To Loved & Be Loved on Shopee to read Denise’s captivating poem, “Earthen Keep,” along with other poems submitted to the competition. 

Join IndieCo’s new competition and get a chance to win by sharing your deepest and darkest confession. More details here.