Oxygen,
a currency of survival,
traded in whispers,
trapped in tanks to sell and lust over;
while the privileged breathe easy
—their tanks full—,
their lives untouched
by the weight of greed.
Sirens wail, a breathless
crowd waits,
each exhale —a question,
each inhale —a gamble.
Faces pale
under fluorescent lights
—the air thick with desperation,
a mother cradles her child,
counting breaths like coins,
wondering if today will be as though
—and enough.
Coveted numbers
—data— spills from screens,
charts and graphs,
cyphers and gowns but,
behind the numbers,
are lives —stories tangled
in the web of scarcity,
each one a thread pulled tight.
We scroll through feeds,
stroll past the cries,
as if the world’s breath
is just, yet, another boring headline,
another statistic,
another moment lost in the pond
of uncareness.
The truth
—in the silence— hangs
heavy:
a collective gasp,
a call to understand,
to bridge the chasm,
to turn the tide…
to make the air flow freely and
to reclaim the right to breathe.
Transform in the narrative!:
rewrite the script;
make every heartbeat matter,
help every life be —as promised— a promise;
because the air we share
is a shared responsibility.
Notes
This poem, inspired by a recent news article about the global shortage of medical oxygen, reflects my thoughts on a vital resource that, while available to some, still leaves many in need. It serves as a reminder that our current systems, though they provide essential services, must evolve to meet the growing demands of our communities.
As individuals, we have the power to drive this evolution. By fostering self-awareness and personal growth, we can work together—through voting, advocacy, and collaboration—to ensure that essential services are a given in our advanced society. In doing so, we contribute to building better communities for all.
Original Article
Murdoch Childrens Research Institute. “Global action needed to solve the medical oxygen crisis.” ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250217205944.htm (accessed February 18, 2025).