Used to be comfortable in this world I lived in.

Used love being part of this wondrous world of life

Used to see my various neighbors swim past my home.

Used to love waking up in the morning

Used want to catch food

Used to look forward to the daily swim

 

It’s all gone now…

 

Coral that flourished a few seas away

Turned into a graveyard for calcium carbonate skeletons…

Clear blue ocean that I could see through for miles away without having to squint

Now is a murky green

Much thicker than before

There are these new dark brown or black spots that seem like fun

But they are there to kill each one of us off

 

My home is so gloomy,

I can’t even see my buddy the starfish who is stuck to the large, rough boulder a couple swims away.

 

Live food was all over this neighborhood,

Now there is this brightly colored plankton that I have to eat

It’s this new red, yellow, green…

Too many colors to remember…

It’s a little hard to swallow,

It’s a little hard to taste,

It’s a little hard to digest

But I suppose it’s not too much of a hassle.

 

I miss my old life

I want to rediscover the ocean.

I want to meet new neighbors,

I want to swim with sea turtles,

I want to watch the sea crabs,

I want to learn from the wise Octopus,

I want to recreate my home.

 

If only the humans knew that all the oceans are connected.

If only the humans knew this ocean needs a cleaning,

If only the humans knew this ocean provides more air than all the trees on their precious land,

If only the humans knew this ocean is more than a place to swim,

If only the humans knew this ocean is more than a place to dump,

If only the humans knew this ocean is the reason for their existence,

If only the humans knew…

Understand that this ocean is your home too.