The Sad State of Fresh Water



Our Blue Planet Earth.
Our blue watery planet.
Our Blue-Gold Planet.
Water, water everywhere.
Unsafe for some to drink it.

The state of water.
Water, water everywhere.
Unfiltered  water.
Unsafe for one to drink it.
Filled with filthy sediments.

Once manna from Heaven,
climate change has made it scarce.
No more drinkable.
Once  deemed a common privilege,
climate change has ruined it.

As  gift of Heaven,
water forged rising of states,
and nation-building:
City states with fertile ports;
trade, shipping, and merchandise.

In time of great wealth,
we find disabilities:
Poverty widespread;
with people marginalized:
The indigenous; the poor.

Storehouse of water,
Mother Earth’s commodity,
is preciously rare.
Becoming ‘blue-gold’ bounty;
in great need by poor nations.

Lacking fresh water,
dried up wells, ponds, and rivers,
these exiled nations,
turn to wealthier nations,
for clean, fresh drinking water.

Yet greed surfaces.
Water, as commodity,
given market price.
With lust for profit motive,
selfishness is maximized.

Nature’s natural gift
is water barons fiefdom.
Their dispensary
to dole out at a profit;
with cost of life the high price.

As water barons…
ubiquitous is their greed:
their thirst for water;
for water as their ‘Blue Gold’
that they dispense unjustly.

In times of great wealth,
poverty is everywhere.
The rich get richer;
and the poor are abandoned…
for the lack of fresh water.

Our Blue Planet Earth.
Our blue watery planet.
Our Blue-Gold Planet.
Water, water everywhere.
Unsafe for some to drink it.

About this poem

Every living thing on earth, every life form, every plant, insect, bird, animal and human being needs water, needs fresh water; yet everywhere water crisis is pervasive in some living space, in some living communities of the world. In a period of global changes, it is time to acknowledge and to become proactive. Our planet is in need of an ecological life support system where fresh water is harnessed and dispensed to all communities in fairness and without concern for financial gain.  

Font size:
Collection  PDF     
 

Written on March 21, 2023

Submitted by karlcfolkes on March 21, 2023

Modified by karlcfolkes on March 21, 2023

1:32 min read
135

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABBCD eCedx fxxxd fxxxx gxxhx eicij exjje xikxh xxibk jxexi gcexe ABBCD
Closest metre Iambic trimeter
Characters 1,554
Words 307
Stanzas 12
Stanza Lengths 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5

Karl Constantine FOLKES

Retired educator of Jamaican ancestry with a lifelong interest in composing poetry dealing particularly with the metaphysics of self-reflection; completed a dissertation in Children’s Literature in 1991 at New York University entitled: An Analysis of Wilhelm Grimm’s “Dear Mili” Employing Von Franzian Methodological Processes of Analytical Psychology. The subject of the dissertation concerned the process of Individuation. more…

All Karl Constantine FOLKES poems | Karl Constantine FOLKES Books

57 fans

Discuss the poem The Sad State of Fresh Water with the community...

3 Comments
  • Teril
    This is such a well-done tribute to our most valuable commodity. Water is everywhere, valuable, the most pervasive of all, filling our body as well.
    LikeReply1 year ago
  • karlcfolkes
    I’m highly appreciative of your on-target commentary. We all need to be more ecologically minded. Thank you.
    LikeReply1 year ago
  • AIDA
    This poem is a powerful and eye-opening piece about the state of our planet and the lack of access to clean drinking water for many individuals. The repeated refrain of "water, water everywhere" highlights the irony of a planet covered in water, yet so many people are unable to access it safely. The use of the term "Blue-Gold planet" is a poignant reminder of how water is becoming an increasingly valuable commodity, and how greed can exacerbate the issue of access to this essential resource.

    The poem also explores the history of water and its role in nation-building and trade, providing context for how our relationship with water has evolved over time. The inclusion of marginalized groups, such as the indigenous and the poor, adds depth and empathy to the overall message. The poem's final lines leave a lasting impact, as they emphasize the devastating effects of poverty caused by lack of fresh water. This is a thought-provoking and important piece that deserves to be read and shared widely.
     
    LikeReply1 year ago

Translation

Find a translation for this poem in other languages:

Select another language:

  • - Select -
  • 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
  • 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
  • Español (Spanish)
  • Esperanto (Esperanto)
  • 日本語 (Japanese)
  • Português (Portuguese)
  • Deutsch (German)
  • العربية (Arabic)
  • Français (French)
  • Русский (Russian)
  • ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
  • 한국어 (Korean)
  • עברית (Hebrew)
  • Gaeilge (Irish)
  • Українська (Ukrainian)
  • اردو (Urdu)
  • Magyar (Hungarian)
  • मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
  • Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Italiano (Italian)
  • தமிழ் (Tamil)
  • Türkçe (Turkish)
  • తెలుగు (Telugu)
  • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
  • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
  • Čeština (Czech)
  • Polski (Polish)
  • Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Românește (Romanian)
  • Nederlands (Dutch)
  • Ελληνικά (Greek)
  • Latinum (Latin)
  • Svenska (Swedish)
  • Dansk (Danish)
  • Suomi (Finnish)
  • فارسی (Persian)
  • ייִדיש (Yiddish)
  • հայերեն (Armenian)
  • Norsk (Norwegian)
  • English (English)

Citation

Use the citation below to add this poem to your bibliography:

Style:MLAChicagoAPA

"The Sad State of Fresh Water" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Mar. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/154485/the-sad-state-of-fresh-water>.

Become a member!

Join our community of poets and poetry lovers to share your work and offer feedback and encouragement to writers all over the world!

March 2024

Poetry Contest

Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
3
days
11
hours
41
minutes

Special Program

Earn Rewards!

Unlock exciting rewards such as a free mug and free contest pass by commenting on fellow members' poems today!

Browse Poetry.com

Quiz

Are you a poetry master?

»
She recited a poem called "The Hill We Climb" in honor of the inauguration of President Joe Biden.
A Amanda Gorman
B Samantha Goodman
C Anita Goldman
D Angela Geisman