By Sarah Alnabelsi
Everything, beautiful or not, has a “beast” in it. A mountain, a flower, a butterfly–all have some negative aspects: avalanches and landslides, carbon emissions, hurting plants, and more. When I think of the concept of beauty, I wonder, “What is the most beautiful thing?” The first thing that comes to mind is the sea. Its gorgeous look is captivating, yet it makes me think, “What could be negative about the ocean?” My poem answers this.
Deceptive Sea
Glistening water,
Radiance of blue,
The smell of freshness,
What seems so pure,
Is just a trick.
Boundless miles of water,
The soft feel of sand,
Cool calm breeze,
The inevitable demise.
The deceptive beauty
causes a catastrophe.
One second, peace.
The other, lethal destruction.
A single shake,
an unfortunate fate.
A mountain of water
Peering down at the shore.
Bound destiny–destruction.
This photo of the ocean depicts what our immense oceans are capable of. During a mega-tsunami in Greenland in 2023, a mountain of water was created. Something as small as a shake can cause something lethal. This tsunami specifically caused immense destruction across the nearby area and also caused “seismic” waves that splashed across the globe. While the stunning ocean is a spectacle to look at, we often overlook the “beast” and power it can hold.