By Helen Peng
“Writing gives me a sense of relaxation and I get to be myself,” says grade 11 student Rojin MK. An accomplished poet, short story writer, and a valuable member of the Creative Writing Club, Rojin found her love for poetry and writing when she transferred to Collingwood last year.
Now, Rojin actively writes poetry and prose in the Creative Writing Club, drawing inspiration from her past as well as various dystopian novels. Rojin has spent the majority of her life in Iran and moved to Vancouver four years ago. Her reflections about her life in Iran have inspired numerous pieces of writing. For example, in “That Summer…”, she embraces both the Iranian and Canadian culture as part of her life. Also, as her mother was previously a painter, Rojin grew up in an artistic environment, which Rojin believes contributes to the artistic aspect of her poetry. Another source of inspiration for Rojin comes from dystopian novels. Namely, she enjoys the dramatic and yet meaningful dystopian series The Vampire Diaries, which motivates her to write her own science fiction, fantasy, or dystopian stories. A special feature to look forward to in Rojin’s is a twist in the end.
“Writing gives me a sense of relaxation and I get to be myself,” says grade 11 student Rojin MK. An accomplished poet, short story writer, and a valuable member of the Creative Writing Club, Rojin found her love for poetry and writing when she transferred to Collingwood last year.
Now, Rojin actively writes poetry and prose in the Creative Writing Club, drawing inspiration from her past as well as various dystopian novels. Rojin has spent the majority of her life in Iran and moved to Vancouver four years ago. Her reflections about her life in Iran have inspired numerous pieces of writing. For example, in “That Summer…”, she embraces both the Iranian and Canadian culture as part of her life. Also, as her mother was previously a painter, Rojin grew up in an artistic environment, which Rojin believes contributes to the artistic aspect of her poetry. Another source of inspiration for Rojin comes from dystopian novels. Namely, she enjoys the dramatic and yet meaningful dystopian series The Vampire Diaries, which motivates her to write her own science fiction, fantasy, or dystopian stories. A special feature to look forward to in Rojin’s is a twist in the end.
That Summer…
August 2013, the day that everything changed
I was 13, small, naive and scared
After all, moving to the other side of the world was hard
But i knew it was my culture that I needed to guard
The last night before the flight
I was looking at the dark blue sky, not so bright
Tears danced their way down through my cheek
At that point by lips were locked and I couldn't speak
Squick…
I turned around and saw my mom
She said “it’s time to leave my love”
Suddenly I felt a coldness in my heart that I own
Such that i felt it was made out of stone
I grabbed my luggage and looked back one last time
I wanted to have a last image of my room which once belonged to mine
I grabbed the the cold and icy handle and closed the door
Then I thought I would never forget this, I swore
“Don’t be afraid to show what you have,” Rojin articulated. Expression of identity combined with courage is what she values most, and she hopes that other artists trying to find their way will experiment and discover their passion. Rojin’s poems already demonstrate this clear passion and they create a calm, melancholic sense of nostalgia along the way.
Other than writing, Rojin enjoys playing the piano, dancing, and editing photos and videos. She will major in the sciences, but she hopes that writing will become a successful outlet to help her de-stress. In the Creative Writing Club, she continues to prove herself to be a successful writer through unique activities that exercise her mind.