I'm Tanked

by jesicagladue

February 6, 2014

I'm too big here,

when out there,

I was perfect size.

This place doesn't make sense to me,

I don't know why I'm here.

They took me

from my family,

and now there's a glare.

Their knowledge of me

is very slim.

They say this is best for me,

but I'm not even free.

I'm too big here,

I do not belong.

Mom?

Dad?

Where have I gone?

My life now consists of circles

and flips that I do not enjoy.

Splashing and jumping here is horrible

but out there it's fun.

My kind never leave their families

but I was taken from mine,

I want to go back home

to the wild side.

I'm too big here,

this is not a game.

Please let me go

to be free with my family

and stop breeding me,

I'm not even three.

I can hear people

chanting a name,

"Free Shamu!"

I didn't know that was me.

Please let me go,

and listen to those people,

even if that's not my name,

just set me free.

Set all of us free,

to the sea.

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Comments (1)

jwienerMay 20, 2014

<p>Writing a poem from the perspective of someone other than yourself is challenging but you did a great job here! I think you made a good choice not revealing the name of the animal until towards the end of the poem, because the living conditions you express in the poem are true for a lot of other animals as well and until the end, your poem could have been about any of them. You do a great job of speaking for animals whose voices can't be heard the same ways that ours can. I especially like the line "My life now consists of circles and flips that I do not enjoy" because you draw on the claustrophobia and depression that the speaker of the poem feels. Have you thought of submitting this to a literary magazine or maybe an animal rights campaign? It could really inspire others to make a difference. Great work! </p>