Reflection

I started to channel the anger I felt into a song, written as an open letter to politicians. The title “what are you waiting for?” became the central subject of the songs. I began to wonder what stimuli would effectuate action. The title itself is a direct challenge, asking those in power to justify their inaction in the face of undeniable evidence and urgent need. It also demonstrates my impatience as well as the shared impatience felt by others. In the first verse, I address the main character of my song: a hypothetical politician who denies the existence of climate change, despite the irrefutable evidence. This politician represents the politicians who inspired the writing of this song, whether it be the European parliament member or the American presidential candidate. His “three piece linen suit” represents his elitist attitude, but it also contrasts sharply with the state of the planet that he refuses to see. Similarly, in the chorus, the repetition of “what are you waiting for?” continues to emphasize the urgency and frustration that remains the central theme of the song. Verse two continues the theme established in the first verse. The line “what you call forward progress / is really just a cancer” is paraphrased from Animal, and I felt that it was perfect to describe the dangers of being too economically focused, rather than ecologically focused. I then compared “greed” and “ignorance” to physical senses, showing how politicians have immersed themselves in a world of delusion, hiding themselves from the truth. The second verse ends with another confrontation towards politicians. Verse 3 highlights the urgency of the matter, while also discussing the opinions of the youth towards climate policy. The urgency is specifically highlighted with the metaphor of crisis “knocking at the door.” The verse expressed the frustration of the youth as politicians continue to stack environmental issues that we will have to reckon with. Finally, the bridge crafts hypothetical solutions of environmental crisis and whether such dire situations would finally “change [the politicians’] minds.” Writing “what are you waiting for?” not only provided a creative outlet for my emotions but also reinforced the power of music as a tool for advocacy and change.