Tomorrow
Brooklyn, NY
2020, Junior, Poetry & Spoken Word
Yesterday, I did not know
How we alienate our blue planet.
Today, I cannot see
Why we discard what gave us life.
Today, I am unable to grasp
The apathy that we people exhibit,
The blind eye that our careless leaders turn through this crisis.
Today, I do not apprehend
Why debris and carcasses still line our once cobalt oceans
Or why cerulean has suddenly turned to grisly brown.
Today, I ponder
Why murky waters
Drown out the agony of once magnificent whales,
Or why pelicans that once roamed the skies sit hungry,
Their stomachs filled with nothing but our wrongdoings.
Or maybe, why the once glistening and sleek turtle shells
No longer reflect the sunlight
Instead, they reflect the deformities and pain
That our actions have caused them.
But Tomorrow,
I hope.
Tomorrow, I strive to see
How our planet has once again become beautiful
How marine life has flourished afresh
How our shores glisten brightly, as if smiling at our pristine oceans
And how mother nature beams down proudly at mankind anew.
Tomorrow, I trust
That our passion can make a difference
That we will stand together
And we will change the world.
Works Cited
https://seethewild.org/whale-threats/
https://www.drawdown.org/solutions
https://www.massaudubon.org/our-conservation-work/climate-change/effects-of-climate-change/on-wildlife/marine-life https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/07/climate/ipcc-climate-report-2040.html
https://conserveturtles.org/information-sea-turtles-threats-climate-change/
https://insideclimatenews.org/species/birds/brown-pelican
Reflection
Reflection
When I initially entered this contest, I knew the climate crisis was an issue plaguing our ecosystems and world. What I did not know, however, was the severity of the matter. After a simple investigation, I came across an incident that opened my eyes. For the first time, I was able to discern the impact that our actions made on our blue planet—I could finally see through the lens of the sea creatures who were, are, and will continue to be displaced from their homes and disposed of like garbage unless we all bring about change. Through my research, I was able to learn about what climate hope meant, not only to me but to those striving to change our world and be heard today. Through my poem, I aspire to show readers that even the smallest actions can make a big impact. Yesterday represents the time when people did not know about the crisis. Today exemplifies the consequences of our wrongdoings. Tomorrow shows the passion and devotion of some who have the potential to transform the world. Through my poem, I strive to make individuals as passionate as I am about protecting sea life. Ever since I began educating myself on the human footprint, I implemented riding public transport and using LED bulbs into my daily routine to make a difference, no matter how small it is.