Dreams of Water

By Melanie Aguilera, Winner of the Walt Whitman Poetry Contest

A cool gem in water catches my eye,
A glint of sunlight on its majesty
Emphasizes the water’s clarity.
To think that many are too vain,
Too ignorant,
And too oblivious-
To appreciate the eighth wonder of the world,
Water.

Many wake up for a thirst
For either a gem or a glass of water.
Put a line of people on the bank of the river.
Watch who runs for the gem,
And watch who goes for water.
A fight breaks out for the gem.

Lives are lost,
A child is left without a parent.
Many have torn clothing
and blood streaked cheeks,
Others are on the ground catching their breath,
Many are on the ground who will never gain theirs back;
Only one has the gem.

But at what cost was the gem so valuable,
That you had to hurt someone in order to grasp its coldness.

To the left is man,
Scooping as much water as he can into his parched mouth,
Swimming in the wonder that is water.
Enjoying the earth’s gift to him,
He has won more than any other.

Now tell me, do you dream of gems or water?
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