Young Poets 16 to 18 –

"Echo of Shame" by Jessica Sibiya

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January 15th, 2026

Echo of Shame

by Jessica Sibiya

Embarassment wears
all corners
of your shadow.

Like a faint whisper,
it crawls beneath your breath –
beckoning you
to the shame
that clings to your flesh
like wet linen on a stormy day.

A taunting lullaby,
perhaps –
soft as regret,
sharp as memory.

It hums in mirrors
when you look too long,
names you in silence,
lingers in laughter
that isn't yours.

Is it a curse?
Or a keeper?
A wound you wear
as penance or proof?

A rude awakening,
maybe –
urging you
to weep,
to shed,
to speak,
to release.

About the Poet
Jessica Sibiya resides in Hazyview, Mpumalanga, South Africa.
Read the poet's biography and Young Poets World publications on Jessica Sibiya's Artist Page.

Young Poets Collection
This poem is also featured in Young Poets Collection #1, published in the Young Poets World Library.

Keywords: shame, silence, girlhood survival

Previously published in Young Poets 16 to 18:
Parents
by Dana Choi

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