see me (water)
Bangkok, Thailand
2021, Senior, Poetry & Spoken Word
once I was free and unbound
rushing currents where ancient secrets
lie in waiting
but then You tainted my soul
to the girl in Thailand:
I am a blessing each year
the ingredient for her father’s harvest
a source for her tuition earned hardest
to the tourists of Vegas:
I am the ultimate performer
an attraction for finances
my riches shoot up in cycles of dances
to the fish in the sea:
I am their home and sanctuary
yet corrupted by oil as ships sail
turning flesh into bone in their trail
to the children on the streets in India:
I am a shadow of my true self
my skin plagued by sediments and sewage while those
high above have no thought for their usage
I am the divider of humanity
plucked from the whims of nature
a basic right now a measure of economic class
see me for me,
a privilege few can access
and even more exploit
but see me for You,
from love so pure and innocent
to a reflection of the injustice and
inequality in all that You are
Reflection
Reflection
I am inspired with the experiences that different groups of people have with water scarcity and sanitation. This particularly resonates with me because Thailand has experienced a lot of droughts over the years, and last year the country experienced the worst drought in 40 years. I saw how this affected the lives of many farmers in Thailand, so I wanted to showcase this in my poem. During the process of creating my work, I felt very fulfilled because I wrote about what water means to different people and how our different uses reflect on us as a species. Furthermore, I felt proud that I expressed an important part of many people’s lives through my writing in order to shed light on this issue. My message to viewers is to reflect on their use of water and keep in mind that people all over the world are facing water-related issues, even though it is a basic human right. I want to remind people that water should not be a privilege. From how we are treating it, our usage reflects on us that we are still a society built on different social and economic standings, despite advancements throughout the centuries.