Bridge of Hope on Land Before Sea
Kansas City, MO
2023, Junior, Poetry & Spoken Word
Climate Hero: Vivien Li, Riverlife
When the land along river was darkened at last,
By plastic reflections of industrial past,
The harbor polluted and left by its friends,
Li made her stride, to put the strife to an end.
Keen to the clean of the Pittsburgh shore,
A hope amongst the land, and more.
To link the bond more greatly between
The shore and the people, you and me.
She fought the rapid weather change,
And to the people, she’d enlighten,
As Vivienne fought to end climate pain,
The strength of the world would tighten.
And once her quest had come to a close,
She left a mark of endless hope,
On every shore beneath the sky,
Vivienne Li’s persistence lay.
Reflection
I enjoy writing poetry, and oftentimes I find myself listening to music for inspiration. When I listen to music, I'm able to understand the emotions evoked by the flow or language, which teaches me more about how to emulate a specific feeling or message. For this poem, I knew immediately that I wanted to create something that symbolized hope, reformation, and the change that Vivienne Li brought by cleaning up shores and building a connection between her community and the riversides. I chose to show how plastic and material things can destroy the beauty of a shore, and how Vivienne was able to restore it, as well as the public's connection to it. What most interests me about the arts, specifically poetry, is the ability to display a theme or message, and even a continuous story, through only words. I most enjoy poetry that uses vague or abstract language, and I find that writing stories through short sentences can be very good for the mind. When creating this poem, I felt very determined, and I was passionate about telling a story and making whoever read it feel hopeful for the ocean, the climate, and the harbors. My message is that there is always hope for a positive change, as long as the people will work together, and care deeply enough about their cause. The efforts of Vivienne Li, and her continuous persistence for saving the earth and connecting her community with the harbor, make me hopeful for the future.