Sophia Michelson - 3rd place in Poetry
UCI - Psychology major (minoring in Global Sustainability)
“Stella Starfish Gets Some Bad News”
Stella Starfish was excited,
She got to see her two friends today.
Connie and Ollie had promised
To meet her around mid-day.
“So, what’s the news?”
Stella asked with a “heyyy”.
Connie Crab knew all the gossip
From the shore to the bay.
“I’m afraid there’s bad news”
Connie whispered sadly.
“I can’t believe what has happened
It’s all a terrible tragedy.”
“You know Shelton Shrimp,
Who we all thought was missing?
Well, his whole family was stolen
Because of some illegal fishing!”
“And it doesn’t stop there-”
Connie said stalling,
“The coral reefs are destroyed
From the awful bottom trawling!”
The worst came from Ollie,
The constantly mopey octopus,
Since he now had a reason
For being such a sourpuss.
His best friend Dizzy Dolphin
And others were snatched
Last night unexpectedly -
The latest victims of bycatch!
Stella was in disbelief,
She didn’t know what to do.
Her group of friends was shrinking
Now down to a small few.
With the seawalls and trash,
Ocean warming and overfishing
From ceaseless human activity -
The consequences seem unforgiving.
Stella mourned for her friends
And wished unashamedly,
That the people on land would live
A little more sustainably.