A Water’s Welcome
Hershey, PA
2021, Senior, Poetry & Spoken Word
i walk somewhere and i see the water
the cool blue that reflects off of open skies as it flows
downstream and glistens as sunlight glows the fallen
branches that sit in the cool pond obscuring the time-
taken path
as the water, oblivious, flows aside
white foam that walks across the tops of curling waves
as wind blows undulating across the surface water is
my favorite part of nature;
streams of
heavy water
flows over smooth rocks
and wets damp moss
as it furrows down a path
eroded by time
in winter, streams freeze and turn crystal white
as the sun glints off of shards of glass
ice can be thrown and shatters off its forefather
sliding down deeper into the distance
as a frozen river covers the roots of trees
and creates a distant, water wonderland;
frozen, slippery
water
flows once and then is still
as if it is shy of the cold
and shuts it babbling mouth
and becomes as silent as night
water in my mind is trickling blue
that rushes over stones
smoothing over rough surfaces
creates ponds in gardens and puddles on roads
fills lakes and streams that are clear as day
and reflect my face back at me
water in my mind is cool
as it tickles my throat as it slides down
effortlessly and spills over my lips
down my neck
water in my mind fills a glass
and condensates in hot summer
freezes in cold winter
and is the force that keeps me alive
it lets me float upon its surface
and lets my arms slice clean through the ripples
as i swim across the water
water in my mind is a game
as i throw flat stones and watch them bounce
and then sink under the surface never being seen
it’s where my feet walk into
in sneakers and my hands dip into
bare, the water always cooler than the air
that surrounds it but always
warm enough to welcome me in
Reflection
Reflection
As I said in my poem, water has always been my favorite part of nature. As I became more aware of the beauty of water through a marine science course I took, I have also become more aware of the dangers that are being presented to it through climate change and global warming. With so much of the ocean unexplored, it was a little difficult to portray the beauty of something so mysterious in words only. I wanted to advocate for the water itself and how my experience with it has caused my appreciation for it to grow even further. Through my work, I want everybody to realize that bodies are water are incredibly beautiful and fragile and cannot withstand the damage that is occurring. With climate change and pollution occurring, the water is no longer going to be beautiful and won't be home to the diversity of animals that make the rest of the world attractive. By advocating for water, I hope people will become more appreciative of it and be more willing to preserve that beauty, too. Water isn't just an asset to nature that makes it beautiful; it is a vital resource that needs to be protected.