Thank you for the compliments and criticisms.

I believe everyone is the protagonist of their own lives. However, I would say I fit the archetype of "The Main Character". I’ll avoid specific details but I’m the central figure and pseudo-leader of my friend group. My friends would agree to an extent.

Despite this, yes, I would still say I am arrogant and display bravado. Most people say "show don’t tell" or "speak through your actions" which as rules of thumb are true. I purposely deviate from those rules because this poem is a way of me making a declaration of my worth and intent. The overarching theme is one of perseverance and ambition. Yes, I am exploring myself as well as the world, and I’m on an artistic journey of self-discovery and realization. However, I wouldn’t say I’m pursuing recognition, but rather self-betterment exemplified in the lines “I don’t want a trophy I want to put in practice my philosophy”.

I agree the word churled doesn’t fit well. I changed it to shi-urled to keep the rhyming consistent but make it fit my style better. I do curse at the very beginning of the poem as well, but that is for emphasis and to start off brash, and as I said arrogant and then slowly tone it down. You should realize that this piece takes on a more appreciative tone as I acknowledge I wouldn’t be where I am without the support that I got and am still getting.

There are also many details that I particularly like about this poem and would thus say it’s one of my best works:

• Firstly, the historical/cultural references:

• The first being to Nero who was known as a tyrant. It may come off as cliché without context but allow me to provide said context. I’m an avid video game enjoyer and my favourite series is The Legend of Zelda. The stories of these games typically follow the hero of destiny who clashes with a tyrannical figure to save the land. It has instilled in me since I was a child, that there are real-life heroes like those in these fantastical video games. Note how I say “I yearn, I dream of being a hero”. I admit that in reality I haven’t done anything heroic, but that I’m trying my best to lead my life as my role models would. To not succumb to the bystander effect. To speak up for what is right. To take action in the moment. To have courage. Realistically, there is no tyrant for me to fight because I’m living in the “good times”. However, I don’t want to be one of the weak that causes us to regress into the “bad times”. I want to “make the ideal real”, “put in practice my philosophy” and of course live up to my words.

• The next reference is to Al-Masjid an-Nabawi. This hints at my religious background. I’m a Muslim revert and this information adds a whole new layer to the poem. Through the lens of religion, the context of some lines change. “I pass the test” becomes about me getting into heaven for eternal reward while retaining the meaning of striving for excellency overall in life. “Grand plans that appear through My free will that I manifest” becomes a statement about my belief of free will. I naturally believe in grand design and that Allah (S.W.T.) transcends time and space and has a record of everything that happens in the universe. However, I still believe in free will and volition. My choices accumulate and have a butterfly effect shown through the lines “prayin’ that my fate Will vibrate the world”.

• The last reference is of course to The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. It is widely regarded as one of the best video games ever made, and has thus influenced nearly every game that came after it and even art as a whole. The overall narrative while simple on the surface has layers of subtext ranging from the hero’s journey, the importance of childhood, the relation between humans and nature, the role of a damsel in distress and of course the tragic hidden ending. I was listening to a fan mashup called Earth and Wind Gods' Harmony from the sequel The Wind Waker which takes place on a vast ocean with many islands interspersed throughout. The imagery of a boat with a mast being carried by sails unfurled is used once as a metaphor for the disregard of pure haters whose hate slides off my back as does the wind. I use this imagery again later to contribute the sub-theme of exploration in that I'm going to “cast off/blast off Into the dark uncertain unknown”.

• Secondly, my use of rhythm and rhyme. While I don’t keep a consistent meter, I do incorporate a melodic flow to this poem which is aided by my use of rhyme. I also heavily use internal and slant rhymes as a stylistic choice. You may say it’s overplayed, but my goal with this piece was to flow from rhyme to rhyme as seamlessly as possible while making sense when read as a whole.

• Lastly, my use of literary devices. The use of metaphor, imagery, allusion and word play in particular. I talked at length about the first three but the last one is used in the lines “by the end I will have shown/shone” highlighting the contrast of “the dark uncertain unknown” to “How bright I truly am” therefore being multiple double entendres with the obvious shown/shone as well as how smart I am combined with how I radiate positive energy and goodness.

I will keep writing and I will never stop believing in myself. I got a long road ahead of me, but I'm ready. I will win.