Poems about pollution offer a powerful way to spread the message about the effect that pollution has on the environment. With a few sample poems and tips about writing your own poems, you can help raise awareness of this issue.
Poems to Raise Pollution Awareness
The following poems take a look at the pollution problem from different angles.
A Choking Sky
Watching smoke stacks choke the sky
Always makes me want to cry.
I just can't help but wonder why
The factories won't even try
To find a safer, better way
To put their poisonous waste away.
The Stream Where I Played
I played in this stream as a child,
When the ravine seemed so endless and wild.
The water was clear and smelled so clean,
It was so long ago that it seems like a dream.
Now this stream is too dirty for my child.
The water is scummy and smells vile.
The place where I played seems so foul and decayed,
And I shed the first tear as the dream starts to fade.
Glimpse of a Polluted Future
Where are the birds that used to dot the sky?
They're not here anymore, and I have to wonder why.
Where are the fish that used to swim in this stream?
I can't see them anymore. What does that mean?
Where are the frogs that used to croak around this lake?
I can't hear them anymore. There must be some mistake.
I wish there was a clock whose hands I could rewind.
We might have saved these creatures if we'd just had more time.
Time to make people see how we're damaging our Earth,
Time to realize what it all was truly worth.
But the animals are disappearing at an alarming rate.
If we don't finally band together, it may really be too late.
Be Responsible
Instead of polluting:
Pick up your trash.
Take old tires to the dump.
Compost your lawn clippings.
Prevent run-off from your farm.
Use cloth grocery bags instead of paper or plastic.
Have your old muffler replaced.
Recycle used motor oil and old paint.
Use a refillable water bottle.
Collect rain water for your garden.
Reuse and recycle everything you possibly can.
Be responsible for yourself, the planet, and the future.
A Sad Haiku
Drinking brown water...
Choking on air you can chew...
Dwindling hope for Earth.
It Starts With a Wrapper
It starts with a wrapper
Casually dropped in the street.
Someone else will pick it up,
Why worry about being neat?
Next it's a to-go cup
Left on the ground at the park.
Littering a place you enjoy
Really isn't smart.
Later on, it's a cigarette butt
Tossed from a moving car
Without a care where it may land.
Now isn't that bizarre?
From there the problem escalates,
Dumping trash in a secluded place,
And sneaking quickly from the scene
Without leaving a trace.
Littering is a way of polluting,
So think about the choices you make.
The decision to drop just one wrapper,
Could be the first in a chain of mistakes.
Perspective on Pollution
Rainbow colors on the water's surface
Look so beautiful when you see them up close.
But step back from that rainbow and you'll see
It's really an ugly oil slick fouling a once pristine shore.
More Poems About Environmental Pollution
There are many places to find poems discussing environmental concerns and pollution. In addition to poetry books and magazines, there are also a few websites that offer environmental poetry. These include:
- FamilyFriendPoems.com: You'll find poems about pollution and other environmental issues.
- AllPoetry.com: This site offers a large collections of poems about pollution and other environmental aspects.
- Poem Hunter.com: This page features an especially soul-searching poem about pollution and the author's own contribution to it.
Tips for Writing Poetry About Environmental Concerns
Writing poems about how pollution is systematically devastating the earth may be easier than you realize, especially it you have a true passion for saving the environment for generations to come. You can let your passion shine through even the shortest poems, and it's not necessary to worry about rhyming or using an established pattern.
Here are some simple tips that can help you express yourself and help you refine your raw poetry into a masterpiece you'll want to share.
- Keep a note pad and pen handy at all times and jot down ideas as they come to mind. You just never know when inspiration will strike.
- Read your poem out loud to hear the rhythm and pace. Even if you use a free form format, you'll still want your words to flow.
- Ask family and friends for feedback, don't be afraid to take some criticism and try to use it productively.
- Read and listen to other poets' work and identify the aspects that work well or don't work so well. Learning to recognize truly good poetry will make it easier for you to critique your own work.
You Can Help
There's a lot of work to be done if people are going to try to reverse the effects of pollution on this planet. If you have a talent for writing, try composing a poem to raise awareness and inspire people to take action. Who knows? Your words just might touch someone's heart and mind.
