A Brew of Change in the Urban Landscape
Jeju-Do, Republic of Korea
2023, Junior, Poetry & Spoken Word
Climate Hero: My parents, Sungwon and Suyoul
In the heart of the city, where the steel towers pierce the sky,
Stands a humble coffee shop, serving brews to passersby.
Behind the counter, my mom, Sungwon, works, her hands deft and assured,
A smile on her face, her passion for the planet, pure and undisturbed.
Sungwon, an urban warrior, in a concrete jungle’s reign,
Not a cape on her shoulders, but the fight for Earth in her vein.
No cream or sugar for her customers, unless in reusable cups,
“You’re saving the world with each sip,” she’d cheer, as they drink their coffee up.
Across the city’s bustling veins, where glass towers gleam,
Is my father, Suyoul, a businessman, his vision a radiant beam.
His trade isn’t in stocks or bonds, his currency is sustainability,
In a world of profit, he seeks balance, a quest for corporate responsibility.
Once a customer, a suited man like my father, to Sungwon did say,
“Your efforts are but a drop in the ocean, they’ll wash away.”
She looked at him, her eyes ablaze, her voice steady and clear,
“Each drop matters in an ocean, the waves of change start here.”
Suyoul’s meetings echo with a different tone, a voice seldom heard,
Each decision is an echo of his vow, actions louder than words.
“They say business can’t be green,” a cynic sneered one day.
Suyoul replied, “Each voice I make charts a greener way.”
In this tale of two heroes, my parents, in their unique realism,
A ripple of resilience, holding Earth’s helm.
Like Sungwon and Suyoul, in their own domain,
We, too, can be Climate Heroes, in our everyday terrain.
We don’t need to move mountains, or bring the stars down,
Small steps can echo loudly, a whisper can shake the ground.
Climate heroes, they’re just like us, in actions big and small,
In every conscious choice, we answer Earth’s call.
So here’s to the coffee shop owners, the green businessmen, and more,
To every individual turning the tide from their shore.
From morning brews to boardroom cues, every deed,
Together, we pen the narrative of a thriving, vibrant sea.
Reflection
In this poem, the heroes are real people - my parents. Though the conversations may be an imagined tapestry, their essence holds true to their actions and beliefs. They have lived the tale of the poem in their daily lives, with my mother championing sustainability in her coffee shop - she owns a coffee shop in Seoul, Korea - and my father integrating green practices in his business. Their deeds speak volumes of their commitment to the planet, a lesson they've instilled in me - to care for the environment and act responsibly, just as they do, each day.