Whale Song | Teen Ink

Whale Song MAG

January 3, 2009
By Jaden Gragg GOLD, Shawnee, Kansas
Jaden Gragg GOLD, Shawnee, Kansas
17 articles 0 photos 0 comments

I have never heard it, phantom whale calls,
so deep they make one cringe, so shrill they make one cry,
except before I was born.

I know,
before I developed the lips, eyelashes, fingers, brain,
I have now,
I lived in the ocean,
I floated like a little walnut,
I was the simplest creature,
I heard the whale song.
This makes me wonder,
was it only I who received this gift,
or was it you also?

Giant whales, so big, beyond my comprehension,
peaceful beauties,
we have killed you all.
We stabbed and raped and took
for no good reason.
We took our ships,
I take blame somehow, I feel so awful,
we sharpened sticks and killed your
families
peace
your song traveled across the ocean,
you swam together for centuries through the deep,
mystic water.
What were you saying? Were you speaking through god?
Are you god?
I think we should worship you.
You blinked your eyes slowly, and your tears melted
with the ocean
We drank your blood with greedy slurps.
Are we evolution’s mistake?

I want to learn your song.
My race will never learn,
I am so lost with my race.
If I could trade in my clumsy legs and sharp words,
I would gladly accept your fins and godly
demeanor.



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This article has 49 comments.


Carol BRONZE said...
on Apr. 16 2009 at 4:13 pm
Carol BRONZE, Weslaco, Texas
3 articles 1 photo 33 comments
Your poem was great. I never given much thought to what humanity does to creatures, i guess it's time everyone started realizing. But either way, I loved your poem. :)

dot.! BRONZE said...
on Apr. 11 2009 at 2:21 pm
dot.! BRONZE, Acworth, Georgia
4 articles 0 photos 22 comments
this is an amazing poem! seriously i loved it! i also love whales and feel strongly about that like you. i wish i could write like that! can you please tell me what you think about my poem?? TeenInk.com/raw/Poetry/article/91361/Trapped thanks!

Hillary SILVER said...
on Apr. 7 2009 at 11:02 pm
Hillary SILVER, Concord, California
8 articles 0 photos 8 comments
Gosh, that was AMAZING. I love whales and you pretty much took the words right out of my mouth. I recently wrote a poem that's some what similar to yours, but definatly not as good. This poem made me speechless.

on Apr. 4 2009 at 2:33 am
CloudedCrystal SILVER, Florissant, Missouri
6 articles 0 photos 23 comments
I couldn't have said any better, heck, i probably couldn't have said it nearly as well. You took this topic and totally made it something to attract the reader. Very well written. Luved it!

on Apr. 1 2009 at 10:42 pm
DinosoarJen DIAMOND, Scottsville, New York
86 articles 0 photos 82 comments

Favorite Quote:
Just another casualty.
It's sad but true.
And even dead I'm still ahead
of most of you.

Really nice. :]

It's pleasant to read but it's haunting at the same time. Best of both worlds.

Jessica(: said...
on Mar. 31 2009 at 10:15 pm
Jessica(:, Warrior, Alabama
0 articles 2 photos 8 comments
This has SUCH a good message behind it.

I'm glad I came across it.

on Mar. 27 2009 at 6:09 pm
Serenity_Thomas, Burlington, Other
0 articles 0 photos 5 comments
I totally agree with you! A nice way to inform many people about this problem. good writing:)

on Mar. 25 2009 at 9:28 pm
Sheebs PLATINUM, Oxford, Florida
29 articles 0 photos 9 comments

Favorite Quote:
You can look for love all you want but in the end love will always be right beside you.

This is a good poem and could be interpeted many ways.