To the UN, From the World’s Youth | Teen Ink

To the UN, From the World’s Youth

May 21, 2024
By prishaashrimali GOLD, Edgewater, New Jersey
prishaashrimali GOLD, Edgewater, New Jersey
14 articles 0 photos 0 comments

How dare we sit and watch the world burn,

As our planet's climate takes a turn.

The facade of lies is chipping,

Over the facts we are now tripping.

 


We ignored the warnings, year after year,

We poisoned the air, and we filled it with fear.

We melted the ice and dried up the streams,

We destroyed habitats and shattered dreams.

 


We denied the facts and buried the truth,

For profit and power, we sold our youth.

We let greed rule and ignored the cost,

Now we're paying the price for what we lost.

 


They say "it's now or never,"

But they turn a blind eye when it's time to act.

They speak of change, of a better world,

But their actions are hollow, their promises cracked.

 


They talk of the future and of hope,

But they let greed and power guide their scope.

They say they care for the planet's fate,

But their inaction seals our future's airtight crate.

 


With the lighting provided by fires

And polluted drinks served by liars —

We're the cause of this deadly dance.

But before 2030, we have one last chance.

 


We must demand our leaders take heed,

And take action for the planet's needs.

We cannot sit idly by,

As our resources begin to dwindle and our world begins to die.

 


The clock ticks on, the earth cries out,

We cannot wait, we cannot doubt.

Whether we give or take,

It’s our planet's future at stake.

 


We need to crack open our crate, and we need to now,

By the Sustainable Development Goals, we vow.

We must rise up and make a change,

Before we lose more in this deadly exchange.

 


From hunger to poverty, and inequality, too,

We need to act for the many, not the few.

We must reduce our waste, and stop pollution,

We need to care to find a possible solution.

 


We need clean energy and sustainable growth,

While striving to ensure no one's left out of both.

For the SDGs’ progress, we must demand

From local to global, we must take command.

 


We’ve been stolen, lied to, and deceived,

But no longer can we simply grieve.

There are 17 goals — each of them attainable

Together, we can make this world sustainable.


The author's comments:

Ever since I worked on my Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) project in 7th grade, my eyes have been wide open to the dire need for action against climate change and the complacency world leaders have shown in the past. As I learned more about this, I came to the conclusion that the youth and world leaders must work in tandem in order to make progress and save our planet. The importance of the SDGs cannot be stressed enough, but maybe poetry will urge people to action.

Drawing inspiration from Greta Thunberg's book, "Our House is on Fire," and recalling the anger I felt at world leaders when watching her famous "How Dare You" speech at the UN, this poem merges elements from both while offering a solution at the end: the SDGs. The power she held, despite being young, made me realize that my voice could draw emotion from others as well. Combining Greta's desire to hold leaders accountable with my call for sustainable measures, I wrote this poem with the intention of stirring strong emotions in the reader.


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