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Harriet's Poem: Wishes and Hope



This is a poem about wishes.

This is a poem about the big wishes, the little ones

The silly ones, and the serious ones

The hard ones, and the easy ones.

Because I wish that my pens would stop drying up

Because I’ve only got one left

And for a new pencil case

Even though I’ve already got three

And that maybe I could keep just one plant alive

Because honestly Harriet, it’s not that hard

I wish for 11 chicken nuggets

In a 10 piece box

And another pottle of sweet and sour sauce

Because one is never enough

And that more people cared

Cared that the world is heating up

That the seas are rising

And that we are all part of the problem

Because I wish I didn’t have to worry that I’m part of problem

That we might all be part of the problem

That even if we try, we can’t stop this

Because I hate that feeling

I hate the tightness in my chest,

The iron cage around my heart

And the sense that I can’t do anything to help,

That I’m too small to make a difference

Because I wish that solar panels and electric cars could solve all our problems

Because who doesn’t love the easy way out

And that there was a planet B

And that more people listened

Listened to the people who are talking

To the people who feel too small

To the people who have something to say

To the people who are going to have to clean up this mess

To us

Because we are the people who will have to solve this problem

Because we are the people who grew up with it


I wish that more people knew what they could do

Because maybe then they would try

I wish that more people would cycle,

Even just for a day at a time

I wish more people would get a metal drink bottle

Instead of a new plastic one each day

I wish more people would want to change

Because maybe then things would.

But wishes are easy

And wishes are fast

And wishes can’t really make a difference

Because wishes are magic, and we don’t have much left

What we really need is hope

Hope that more people will listen

And more people will try

Because hope is that thing with feathers,

and a wish on each and every one

Because wishes are the lego bricks of hope

On their own a bit useless,

but a million can make a marvel.

Because even though I wish for so many things

For chicken nuggets, and pencil cases

Living plants, and second planets

Those things can’t change our path

We all need to wish to truly have hope,

because this isn’t something we can solve alone

I have hope, and so do all of you

Hope that I won’t be a part of the problem

Hope that people will know what to do

Hope that people will listen

And that people will care

Because this is a poem about hope

Hope for the present,

Hope from the past,

Hope for our future

Hope that we can change,

That we will change,

Hope that wishes can come true


Harriet Rouch

Age 13

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