Tears from a goddess filling the sea

Longing about the once pure ocean

About the amber sand

About the sacred waves

She cries in an everlasting sleep

Showing signs of what used to be

Now the consequences of human destruction

Reminding us with tides

The first with gentle pools

The next with water polluted with debris and litter

As more tears flow

Our water level rises

Some places on earth

Left to dry or submerged

Hawaii

Her sacred land

Years with water

Surging inch by inch

Her friends and ohana

Both marine and terrestrial

Struggling for life

Stranded in the horrific cycle of global warming

Losing homes and the will to survive

Chemicals spill through her tears and poison her home

She waits but sees no change

As if drowning in the darkness of the future

I cannot step into her sorrow

But I can make a change

I am the epitome

I am resilient

No matter how long it takes

I can change the thoughtless mindsets

Reduce, reuse, recycle

I will heal Hawaii

I will heal my home

In the sea of night

With the moonlight’s glow

One day I will find her at the bottom of the sea

With a smile on my face

Gently waking her up

I will tell her

It was all a sad dream

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Reflection-

 

This poem is in dedication to my second home Hawaii. By writing and researching, I learned that the sea level near Hilo Bay has elevated immensely. Hawaii’s land has been submerging at a quicker rate because of subsidence since 1992. The main cause for the increase in sea level is the abrupt meltage of glaciers and land sinkage. Because Hawaii is vulnerable to subsidence, the islands are facing more sea rising and flooding collectively. I wrote this poem from the perspective of the Hawaiian ocean goddess’s message from her dream and myself. I thought of how her beautiful homeland was being destroyed by pollution and water rise. I wanted to show that if everyone took part in making a change for the environment, we can protect her land and many more. I believe that if everyone can switch their thoughts to the right mindset, then we are ready to make a change.