She rests in the cradle of bear bound rocks
And sings to the breath carried breeze
When she cries, the sun graces her with warmth
While the moon brings broken shadows
Rocks they, revolting children
Against the hellbent winds
Till all is still
And rest she may take
Frozen but never slowed as snowflakes kiss her lips
Until their love grows hot
And brings forth the summers nights
Light dances across her blues
Her sisters bring parting gifts
In sand covered socks
Time slips for her brothers who sink like stones
Who watch her flagrant freedom with desire and envy
She speaks in forgotten tongues of water
Yet hear her voice roar, yet not quiver
Her voice as smooth as it is ragged
As she lines up her arrow to shoot
She stops,
Runs to the shores
Pulled upon the banks for judgement
The time before the wave crests
The inevitable lashes back at her
Hurt by her brothers arrows
She retreats
Please give a detailed explanation about the meaning and main idea of this poem.
The main idea of this poem was to showcase not only the beauty but the power of the ocean. I wanted to highlight how despite what people believe, we take advantage of our oceans, our planet too. We take and take and take and don't consider the consequences our actions on nature and others. I also wanted to talk a bit about the sisters (or people) in this world who have a respect for nature and understand its power and purpose.
Please explain your writing and thought process regarding this poem.
I wanted to give the ocean a voice. Give her human characteristics but still preserve the rawness of the sea. I thought this would give her a place to shine. To be more than a resource or just water. I included her other connections to nature ( such as the sun or the snow) to show how its all connected. We are all connected.
Why did you choose to write this poem?
I was awake one night and felt a sudden spark of inspiration to write. I stared at my computer for long enough until I glanced out my window and saw the ocean. Then I realized that my inspiration was out my window the entire time. This poem was a way to channel the hurt I feel for the environment and the sad reality we live in where nature is forgotten and discarded.
Do you have any tips or anything to share with the youth writers who may be reading this?
Keep writing. Get ideas down on paper. Doesn't even have to be good ( a lot of the time, it won't be). This is something I wish I had learned earlier on. When you let go of perfectionism, that's how you get some of your best work.
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