Reflection

Growing up, writing in my journals always gave me comfort. As I became older, it became my only outlet for releasing my frustrations and bottled emotions. I feel the ocean is often viewed as a beautiful underground world with many secrets people cannot wait to uncover, which is ironic considering severe issues such as pollution and climate change will prevent any further enjoyment of the ocean in the future. Despite the relentless frustration I experienced while researching the dangerous effects humans have had on our oceans, I know there are other people out there who also feel as passionately as I do about saving the ocean and the life within it. The tragedies that occur within our ocean everyday are not beautiful. They are grim and absolutely heartbreaking. In my poem, that is what I wanted to capture. With religious undertones I wanted to show how humanity is destroying the very thing we claim to love, and in the end we will be left with absolutely nothing but a mass grave of what once was. The dark truth behind what is happening within our seas contradicts every positive connotation that comes to mind when thinking of a beach trip with your family or reading a story about mermaids to children. If we do not act soon and face the ugly truth, all that will be left are the consequences of our ignorance. As a future marine biologist, I plan to insert every possible precaution to ensure the safety of our oceans. No more single-use plastic. No more harmful cleaning products. The number of small things every person can begin to integrate into their everyday lives is endless. While I continue to learn and reeducate myself on the issues affecting our oceans, I hope my poem can inspire others to do the same and begin combatting these issues head on. We have to do better within our government, within our society, and even within our homes.