A Poem About Plastic Six Pack Rings

This evocative poem about plastic six pack rings centers on the lethal consequences of casually discarded plastic waste, and the effects it has on our oceans.

Brief and to the point, it follows a journey from innocent human consumption to the prolonged suffering faced by marine mammals and sea life.

A Fizzy Drink Is Drunk

A fizzy drink is drunk
It's encasing blindly sunk
Finds its way around a turtle
With a grip too strong to hurdle
Or washed up on a beach
A seagull's easy reach
Or in the belly of a seal
Mistaken for a meal

Entangling and strangling
In the balance life is dangling
As gaping gasps of breath
Painfully signal death

With a gulp,
a swallow,
and a belch,
oblivious to the lives you squelch.

- Aerwyna

The Tragedy of Plastic Six Pack Rings

When I watch this video and others like it, I am brought to tears. Looking into the beautiful faces of these innocent sea creatures and watching them suffer makes me want to do something to help. Oceana is one of the largest international organizations helping to protect and sustain the oceans, with a worldwide campaign on reducing and eliminating plastics.