Self-Destruction | Teen Ink

Self-Destruction

June 8, 2024
By fangela PLATINUM, Fort Lee, New Jersey
fangela PLATINUM, Fort Lee, New Jersey
20 articles 1 photo 0 comments

Mother Nature who brought us into our being

Now is the focus of our abuse and exploitation.

Our careless tosses of non-biodegradable waste

Create endless masses of pollution and ruin–

An unfortunate burden that She must carry!

With each disposed item,

She reaches closer to her limit,

Straining and crying under the burden 

of our selfish neglect and never-ending lack of care.

Plastic forks,

Straws,

Cigarettes,

Nails,

Can tops,

Water bottles,

Fishermen nets…

ALL these items contribute to HER degradation!


So, who is to blame?

We are!

We continue to carelessly and mindlessly

Throw our litter at Her,

Not understanding that every

Plastic fork,

Straw,

Cigarette,

Nail,

Can top,

Water bottle,

Fishermen net

Accumulates over time,

Which dangerously affects our Giver.


The masses of waste found on land and water

All contribute to Her inevitable demise:

her roots will be soiled; 

the air we breathe will only cause harm,

and the water we drink will be like poison.

It is not only us who will be affected

But the millions of other organisms,

Who are helpless to our reckless behavior

And have to endure the generational mistakes made

By us, humans, who are deemed to be

The most intelligent and advanced.


As those who have caused such distress,

We must take it into our hands,

And take responsibility for the mess we made

We can limit Her sufferings by

Reducing

Recycling

Reusing

Restoring

Replenishing

Rethinking

Respecting

And nursing our sickly Mother back to health.

Letting our Giver wither and perish

will define and label us

as failures and abusers.


As her children,

We must take a step in the right direction.

To correct our ways,

We must pledge to honor Her

And everything she has given and provided us with.

With each act of recycling,

A seed of hope is planted,

A testimony to the desire of change,

To better the conditions of our only home.

This collective promise and will to change

Is what will erase yesterday’s mistakes and prevent our

Self-destruction!


The author's comments:

I was inspired to write this poem by the current problems we experience with the pollution of our environment, and the consequences it might have on the future generations. 


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