Namaka’s Dream
San Marino, CA
2021, Junior, Poetry & Spoken Word
Tears from a goddess filling the sea
Longing about the once-pure ocean
About the amber sand
About the sacred waves
She cries in an everlasting sleep
Showing signs of what used to be
Now the consequences of human destruction
Reminding us with tides
The first with gentle pools
The next with water polluted with debris and litter
As more tears flow
Our water level rises
Some places on earth
Left to dry or submerged
Hawaii
Her sacred land
Years with water
Surging inch by inch
Her friends and ohana
Both marine and terrestrial
Struggling for life
Stranded in the horrific cycle of global warming
Losing homes and the will to survive
Chemicals spill through her tears and poison her home
She waits but sees no change
As if drowning in the darkness of the future
I cannot step into her sorrow
But I can make a change
I am the epitome
I am resilient
No matter how long it takes
I can change the thoughtless mindsets
Reduce, reuse, recycle
I will heal Hawaii
I will heal my home
In the sea of night
With the moonlight’s glow
One day I will find her at the bottom of the sea
With a smile on my face
Gently waking her up
I will tell her
It was all a sad dream
Reflection
This poem is dedicated to my second home, Hawaii. By writing and researching, I learned that the sea level near Hilo Bay has elevated immensely. Hawaii’s land has been submerging at a quicker rate because of subsidence since 1992. The main cause for the increase in sea level is the abrupt meltage of glaciers and land sinkage. Because Hawaii is vulnerable to subsidence, the islands are facing more sea rising and flooding collectively. I wrote this poem from the perspective of the Hawaiian ocean goddess’s message from her dream and myself. I thought of how her beautiful homeland was being destroyed by pollution and water rise. I wanted to show that if everyone took part in making a change for the environment, we can protect her land and many others. I believe that if everyone can switch their thoughts to the right mindset, then we are ready to make a change.