This is a poem about wishes.
This is a poem about the big wishes, the little ones
The silly ones, and the serious ones
The hard ones, and the easy ones.
Because I wish that my pens would stop drying up
Because I’ve only got one left
And for a new pencil case
Even though I’ve already got three
And that maybe I could keep just one plant alive
Because honestly Harriet, it’s not that hard
I wish for 11 chicken nuggets
In a 10 piece box
And another pottle of sweet and sour sauce
Because one is never enough
And that more people cared
Cared that the world is heating up
That the seas are rising
And that we are all part of the problem
Because I wish I didn’t have to worry that I’m part of problem
That we might all be part of the problem
That even if we try, we can’t stop this
Because I hate that feeling
I hate the tightness in my chest,
The iron cage around my heart
And the sense that I can’t do anything to help,
That I’m too small to make a difference
Because I wish that solar panels and electric cars could solve all our problems
Because who doesn’t love the easy way out
And that there was a planet B
And that more people listened
Listened to the people who are talking
To the people who feel too small
To the people who have something to say
To the people who are going to have to clean up this mess
To us
Because we are the people who will have to solve this problem
Because we are the people who grew up with it
I wish that more people knew what they could do
Because maybe then they would try
I wish that more people would cycle,
Even just for a day at a time
I wish more people would get a metal drink bottle
Instead of a new plastic one each day
I wish more people would want to change
Because maybe then things would.
But wishes are easy
And wishes are fast
And wishes can’t really make a difference
Because wishes are magic, and we don’t have much left
What we really need is hope
Hope that more people will listen
And more people will try
Because hope is that thing with feathers,
and a wish on each and every one
Because wishes are the lego bricks of hope
On their own a bit useless,
but a million can make a marvel.
Because even though I wish for so many things
For chicken nuggets, and pencil cases
Living plants, and second planets
Those things can’t change our path
We all need to wish to truly have hope,
because this isn’t something we can solve alone
I have hope, and so do all of you
Hope that I won’t be a part of the problem
Hope that people will know what to do
Hope that people will listen
And that people will care
Because this is a poem about hope
Hope for the present,
Hope from the past,
Hope for our future
Hope that we can change,
That we will change,
Hope that wishes can come true
Harriet Rouch
Age 13