Water Wishes
Great Neck, NY
2021, Junior, Poetry & Spoken Word
The worn-out man, tired from a full day’s work
Sits down and twists open
The bottle in his hands.
A big large gulp
Sends a mouthful of
Fresh, clean, water
Down his throat.
He savors the sweet, cold liquid
Its refreshing, smooth slide
A heavy sigh
The sound of relief
The happy children, playing in the pool
Splash water onto one another
Laughing and giggling.
Enjoying the cool, slippery fun.
The drowsy teenager
Taking a shower,
Washing away her regrets, doubts, and thoughts.
Along with the filth, sweat, and grime of the day.
After the water,
She sighs with content
Falling into a deep sleep
In her clean, white robe.
The tired mother, yearning some sleep
Loads another pile of dirty clothes
Into the large machine.
She watches as the water mixes with the soap,
Swirling the bundle around, making a continuous thumping noise.
She stacks the dishes
One by one
Into the racks on the dishwasher.
She sighs, closing the door and starting the machine
Before reaching for her cup of coffee.
The dirty brown mutt
Licking water off the small puddles
That form after a day’s rain.
Its mottled fur
Itching for a day’s bath.
Waiting for the next rainy day.
The small, feeble child
Dressed in tattered cloth
Scrambles to turn on the faucet
Only to be met with
A brown stream of mud.
The wandering traveler
Itching for another sip
Dry, cracked lips
Yearning for hydration.
The necessity of water.
The cleansing, the bodily fluid.
An importance that
Not everyone is able to appreciate.
An amenity for some people,
While gold for others.
Reflection
As an activist for environmental change, I’ve always been intrigued by the differences of how water affects people around the world. In this piece, I wanted to write about how important and precious freshwater is. Writing a poem from many different perspectives of people around the world helped me emphasize how crucial water is and how it is so valuable in some areas, yet looked past in wealthier regions. My goal for this written piece was to express how people go about their days using water, and emphasize the stark reality between those who have ample access to water and those who don’t.