Oxygen,
a currency of survival,
traded in whispers,
trapped in tanks to sell and lust over;
while the privileged breathe easy
\u2014their tanks full\u2014,
their lives untouched
by the weight of greed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sirens wail, a breathless
crowd waits,
each exhale \u2014a question,
each inhale \u2014a gamble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Faces pale
under fluorescent lights
\u2014the air thick with desperation,
a mother cradles her child,
counting breaths like coins,
wondering if today will be as though
\u2014and enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Coveted numbers
\u2014data\u2014 spills from screens,
charts and graphs,
cyphers and gowns but,
behind the numbers,
are lives \u2014stories tangled
in the web of scarcity,
each one a thread pulled tight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We scroll through feeds,
stroll past the cries,
as if the world\u2019s breath
is just, yet, another boring headline,
another statistic,
another moment lost in the pond
of uncareness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The truth
\u2014in the silence\u2014 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Transform in the narrative!:
rewrite the script;
make every heartbeat matter,
help every life be \u2014as promised\u2014 a promise;
because the air we share
is a shared responsibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As individuals, we have the power to drive this evolution. By fostering self-awareness and personal growth, we can work together\u2014through voting, advocacy, and collaboration\u2014to ensure that essential services are a given in our advanced society. In doing so, we contribute to building better communities for all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Murdoch Childrens Research Institute. “Global action needed to solve the medical oxygen crisis.” ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com\/releases\/2025\/02\/250217205944.htm<\/a> (accessed February 18, 2025).<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Oxygen,a currency of survival,traded in whispers,trapped in tanks to sell and lust over;while the privileged breathe easy\u2014their tanks full\u2014,their lives untouchedby the weight of greed. Sirens wail, a breathlesscrowd waits,each exhale \u2014a question,each inhale \u2014a gamble. Faces paleunder fluorescent lights\u2014the air thick with desperation,a mother cradles her child,counting breaths like coins,wondering if today will be […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":661,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","ai_model":"","hashtags":"","rank_math_title":"","rank_math_description":"","rank_math_canonical_url":"","rank_math_focus_keyword":""},"categories":[48],"tags":[63,86,87],"class_list":["post-659","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-poetry","tag-community","tag-health","tag-self-knowledge"],"block_content":[{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n Oxygen, Oxygen, Sirens wail, a breathless Sirens wail, a breathless Faces pale Faces pale Coveted numbers Coveted numbers We scroll through feeds, We scroll through feeds, The truth The truth Transform in the narrative!: Transform in the narrative!: 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.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n 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.<\/p>\n"]},{"blockName":null,"attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n\n","innerContent":["\n\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n As individuals, we have the power to drive this evolution. By fostering self-awareness and personal growth, we can work together\u2014through voting, advocacy, and collaboration\u2014to ensure that essential services are a given in our advanced society. In doing so, we contribute to building better communities for all.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n As individuals, we have the power to drive this evolution. By fostering self-awareness and personal growth, we can work together\u2014through voting, advocacy, and collaboration\u2014to ensure that essential services are a given in our advanced society. In doing so, we contribute to building better communities for all.<\/p>\n"]},{"blockName":null,"attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n\n","innerContent":["\n\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/heading","attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n Murdoch Childrens Research Institute. \"Global action needed to solve the medical oxygen crisis.\" ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com\/releases\/2025\/02\/250217205944.htm<\/a> (accessed February 18, 2025).<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n
a currency of survival,
traded in whispers,
trapped in tanks to sell and lust over;
while the privileged breathe easy
\u2014their tanks full\u2014,
their lives untouched
by the weight of greed.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n
a currency of survival,
traded in whispers,
trapped in tanks to sell and lust over;
while the privileged breathe easy
\u2014their tanks full\u2014,
their lives untouched
by the weight of greed.<\/p>\n"]},{"blockName":null,"attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n\n","innerContent":["\n\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n
crowd waits,
each exhale \u2014a question,
each inhale \u2014a gamble.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n
crowd waits,
each exhale \u2014a question,
each inhale \u2014a gamble.<\/p>\n"]},{"blockName":null,"attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n\n","innerContent":["\n\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n
under fluorescent lights
\u2014the air thick with desperation,
a mother cradles her child,
counting breaths like coins,
wondering if today will be as though
\u2014and enough.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n
under fluorescent lights
\u2014the air thick with desperation,
a mother cradles her child,
counting breaths like coins,
wondering if today will be as though
\u2014and enough.<\/p>\n"]},{"blockName":null,"attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n\n","innerContent":["\n\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n
\u2014data\u2014 spills from screens,
charts and graphs,
cyphers and gowns but,
behind the numbers,
are lives \u2014stories tangled
in the web of scarcity,
each one a thread pulled tight.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n
\u2014data\u2014 spills from screens,
charts and graphs,
cyphers and gowns but,
behind the numbers,
are lives \u2014stories tangled
in the web of scarcity,
each one a thread pulled tight.<\/p>\n"]},{"blockName":null,"attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n\n","innerContent":["\n\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n
stroll past the cries,
as if the world\u2019s breath
is just, yet, another boring headline,
another statistic,
another moment lost in the pond
of uncareness.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n
stroll past the cries,
as if the world\u2019s breath
is just, yet, another boring headline,
another statistic,
another moment lost in the pond
of uncareness.<\/p>\n"]},{"blockName":null,"attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n\n","innerContent":["\n\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n
\u2014in the silence\u2014 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.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n
\u2014in the silence\u2014 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.<\/p>\n"]},{"blockName":null,"attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n\n","innerContent":["\n\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n
rewrite the script;
make every heartbeat matter,
help every life be \u2014as promised\u2014 a promise;
because the air we share
is a shared responsibility.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n
rewrite the script;
make every heartbeat matter,
help every life be \u2014as promised\u2014 a promise;
because the air we share
is a shared responsibility.<\/p>\n"]},{"blockName":null,"attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n\n","innerContent":["\n\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/separator","attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n
\n","innerContent":["\n
\n"]},{"blockName":null,"attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n\n","innerContent":["\n\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/heading","attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\nNotes<\/h2>\n","innerContent":["\n
Notes<\/h2>\n"]},{"blockName":null,"attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n\n","innerContent":["\n\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n
Original Article<\/h2>\n","innerContent":["\n
Original Article<\/h2>\n"]},{"blockName":null,"attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n\n","innerContent":["\n\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n