Victims and Heroes
Yardley, PA
2018, Senior, Poetry & Spoken Word
I see them, shuffling along
Heads bowed, backs hunched;
Men, women, children
Their only belongs in the bags they carry;
Their homes are flooded;
Their backyards have been reclaimed;
Their towns are underwater;
These are the victims of climate change
More people join the line;
Their skin is weathered and rough
From years on the water,
But now the land is inescapable;
Their livelihood has disappeared;
Gone are the marine creatures they caught:
Fish, sharks, crabs, mussels;
These are the victims of climate change.
Still more add to the line;
Most wear collared shirts
Emblazoned with tour company logos;
No one wants to see the colorless coral reefs,
Or swim among algae blooms,
Or look at the dwindling wildlife,
Or stay in storm ravaged hotels;
These are the victims of climate change.
The long line continues,
They trudge along despairingly,
But up ahead
They see hope –
There is a field;
Full of workers with calloused hands;
Their breathing raspy
From years in the mine;
They’re building wind turbines;
Breaking the tradition of generations,
As using coal is in the past;
These are the heroes of climate change.
The whirring sound reaches a skyscraper;
At the top, suit-clad people
Around a table
Opinions being exchanged;
What’s the new big idea?
Efficient electric cars, high capacity batteries,
Alternative fuels, synthetic meat;
These are the heroes of climate change.
Near the building is an ordinary house,
But no ordinary family lives inside
Bikes taken instead of cars;
Fresh vegetables harvested daily;
Solar panels on the roof;
Refillable water bottles and canvas bags;
Every scrap of plastic recycled;
These are the heroes of climate change.
Heroes must emerge,
Or the long line will grow.
Without change —
Everyone will be a victim.
Reflection
Reflection
I care deeply about all aspects of the environment, particularly the deeply troubling issue of climate change. My poem first talks about the negatives of climate change, how it is affecting the oceans, and therefore ultimately hurting humans. Then I change to a more optimistic tone to illustrate the fact that if we change our actions now, the effects of climate change will not be as harmful. I also tried to provide ways to help combat climate change as an individual at home, in order to encourage the average person to join the fight against climate change. If, as a global community, we change our mindset and recognize that climate change is an imminent danger, it is possible to mitigate its effects.