The Toll of the Tide

We often live in a state of flux, caught between the clarity of light and the mysterious wonder of the unknown, only revealed in darkness. However, as the world of modernity encroaches on the natural world, mystery is giving way to a much darker reality. Within this piece, I have attempted to delve into the "price" of living in a world where even the most basic of elements—air and water—can no longer be had for free. Here is a brief reflection on the cost of a changing tide.

When the light is here,

We forget the wonders of the dark.

Confusion lingers there,

Where there is breath, where there is fear.

Something waits for us to tear;

In the dying sea, no breath is free.

The fish must pay for every gulp of air,

While fishermen claim their dwindling share.

©️ D.W.KADETE 

A Note on the Imagery

The crux of this poem is found in the startling image of a fish having to "pay" to breathe, which reminds us that pollution is not just a metaphorical concept, but a literal cost on the life cycles of our planet. When the "free" elements of nature are threatened, everything on this planet is living on borrowed time.