pearl-bodied
Walnut Creek, CA
2020, Senior, Poetry & Spoken Word
watch the waves now. see how they
lap at your feet & cradle your body
as though your skin is made of nacre.
this is how you become weightless.
how you forget the depth of your
footprints. see how the waves
have learned the taste of lead
bullets, of cellophane, of waste
long forgotten. see how all this heat
has curdled water into blood. how the
waves have begun to rise in protest,
foaming at the mouth. when the sun
shrivels up at dusk, the waves mourn
in red. they shy away at your touch.
the water can only renew itself
so many times before it forgets
the way back to your body. watch the
waves now. see how there is life
hidden in quiet undulation. how the
waves still remember you. how they
continue to return to the shore.
Reflection
The ocean has always struck me as a place teeming with life. I wanted to convey the idea that our bodies are connected to the ocean. After studying environmental chemistry with a close professor of mine, I learned about the science behind climate change, from greenhouse gases to melting ice caps to the ocean’s rising tides. I was inspired to spread awareness about the mounting dangers of climate change through my writing. Moreover, through poetry, I wanted to convey the urgency of our situation. Climate change isn’t simply a distant idea, but a current event that is wreaking havoc on our planet; its adverse effects will last for generations to come if we don’t act now. It is up to today’s generation to speak and to write, to protest and to conserve, to give the waves a reason to return to the shore. I am hopeful that change can be made by spreading awareness, and I will continue to advocate for environmental issues through writing.